A Christmas Memory Essay - 632 Words

It is curious that as children, humans have the ability to observe and remember details of specific situations and instances yet lack the ability to describe them. Truman Capote, as a grown man, took advantage of his vivid memories and composed the short work, A Christmas Memory. The story begins in late November, a month symbolic of all the years gone by that Capote could remember beginning preparations for Christmas fruitcakes. The year he has chosen, though, is that of the last Christmas three friends spend together. A boy of seven, Capote has but two friends: his sixty-something year old distant cousin and a loyal, happy pooch named Buddy. Although the age difference between the cousins is great, it is clear that the two are†¦show more content†¦An uncommon usage of colons is employed throughout his work to present different areas of text. Although mostly used for introducing lists or great excerpts of quotes, Capote uses colons for lists as well as for dividing lines of text to break the monotony. Even more so, they are used as directions for the reader to understand peoples’ movements and the exact details of the story. For instance, at one point Capote writes: Enter: two relatives. Very angry. It is as if the story is a play and he is the director telling the reader how to interpret the scenes. Capote’s description of things is also different from the typical person’s description. For example, to the laymen, the sun is a big, bright, shiny ball of fire. To Capote, the sun rises †¦round as orange and orange as hot weather moons, balanc[ing] on the horizon, burnish[ing] the silvered winter woods. His word choice elicits more than just a visual sense of what he is describing; they entice all the senses to jump into his memory. It is distressing that the friends lack any real interaction with the others in the household other than to be scolded. The reader feels as if perhaps the neglected ones should be pitied. Yet, it is comforting that they find consolation in each other and can appreciate each moment for its beauty. In the end, Capote recalls his friend looking upon the land in front of themShow MoreRelated Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory Essays818 Words   |  4 PagesTruman Capote’s A Christmas Memory Truman Capote’s story A Christmas Memory, is about Capote’s childhood memory of a particular holiday season and how he enjoyed that moment in time with a special friend. Capote is illustrated by the main character, Buddy. Buddy and his distant cousin have a bonding friendship and tell of their exploits during that Christmas. They pick out a very special Christmas tree, make each other presents, and make fruitcakes. Capote was born in New OrleansRead MoreHarper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird and Truman Capotes A Christmas Memory1258 Words   |  6 Pagesdreams, but most importantly, their ideas. So could it be possible that Capote, a prolific writer, could have played a role in writing Lee’s esteemed novel, To Kill a Mockingbird? Doubtful. Through comparisons of Lee’s only work to Capote’s â€Å"A Christmas Memory† it can be seen that despite similarities, these friends’ works differ too greatly in the way they set the tone, emphasize their themes, and utilize imagery for them to have worked together on her novel. The first area, where Capote and Lee varyRead MoreMy Christmas Day : My Memory737 Words   |  3 Pageshad been shaken. My life forever changed. My Grandpa was gone. Christmas night is my favorite memory. It was our last night all together as a family. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and my cousin’s baby whom was named after my Grandpa Jim were all together for the last time. 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