Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis Transition words Linking Devices

Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis Transition words Linking Devices
Frances McStudent McStudent 1 Mr. Stewart ENG 2D September 21, 2014 Understanding Growth: Alistair MacLeod’s “To Everything There Is a Season” Maturing means many different things. It is a physical thing as people literally grow, but it is also a mental process where people begin to understand who they are and how the world works. In his short story “To Everything There Is a Season” Alistair MacLeod develops his concepts on the process of achieving maturity. MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate. (MacLeod 301) Home Clear

The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again.” (305) Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace.” (301) Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “’Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’.” (305) He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able.” (302) Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. Home Clear

Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care.” (305) The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. Home Clear

Frances McStudent McStudent 1 Mr. Stewart ENG 2D September 21, 2014 Understanding Growth: Alistair MacLeod’s “To Everything There Is a Season” Maturing means many different things. It is a physical thing as people literally grow, but it is also a mental process where people begin to understand who they are and how the world works. In his short story “To Everything There Is a Season” Alistair MacLeod develops his concepts on the process of achieving maturity. MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate. (MacLeod 301) Home Clear

The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again.” (305) Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace.” (301) Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “’Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able.” (302) Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. Home Clear

Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care.” (305) The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. Home Clear

Quotations Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis Transition words
Linking Devices Thesis Frances McStudent McStudent 1 Mr. Stewart ENG 2D September 21, 2014 Understanding Growth: Alistair MacLeod’s “To Everything There Is a Season” Maturing means many different things. It is a physical thing as people literally grow, but it is also a mental process where people begin to understand who they are and how the world works. In his short story “To Everything There Is a Season” Alistair MacLeod develops his concepts on the process of achieving maturity. MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate. (MacLeod 301) Quotations Quotations in English assignments must be done in MLA style. MLA style is the style recommended by the Modern Language Association for preparing scholarly manuscripts and student research papers. There are two basic types of quotations under MLA: Block Quotations and In Text Quotations. Home Clear

Quotations Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis Transition words
Linking Devices Thesis Frances McStudent McStudent 1 Mr. Stewart ENG 2D September 21, 2014 Understanding Growth: Alistair MacLeod’s “To Everything There Is a Season” Maturing means many different things. It is a physical thing as people literally grow, but it is also a mental process where people begin to understand who they are and how the world works. In his short story “To Everything There Is a Season” Alistair MacLeod develops his concepts on the process of achieving maturity. MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate. (MacLeod 301) Quotations This is a ‘Block Quotation.’ In MLA it is used when you are quoting larger passages of text: four or more lines of prose or three or more lines of verse. A block quotation starts a new line and each line is indented by 5 spaces. No quotation marks are needed. Maintain double spacing. At the end of a block quotation, put a period, one space, and then the parenthetical citation. These [...] - three periods - are Ellipses The three dots are used to signify that part of the quotation has been removed The square brackets are optional Home Clear

The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again” (305). Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace” (301). Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “’Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able” (302). Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. These are “In-Text” Quotations: For short quotations (fewer than four typed lines of prose or three lines of verse) in your text, enclose the quotation within double quotation marks. Put the author’s last name and page number in brackets, and include a complete reference on the Works Cited page. If you have already done this once, and are quoting the same source, only the page number is required. Punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the citation in brackets. Home Clear

‘Every man moves on ,’ he says…
Author Quotations Thesis Transition words Linking Devices The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again” (305). Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace” (301). Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “‘Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able” (302). Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. In-Text Quotations: Note that punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the citation in brackets. When your quotation includes dialogue – characters speaking – the dialogue is noted with single quotation marks. The quotation as a whole still requires double quotation marks. slowest pace” (301). ‘Every man moves on ,’ he says… Home Clear

“‘Every man moves on ,’” he says… ‘Every man moves on ,’ he says…
Author Quotations Thesis Transition words Linking Devices The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again” (305). Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace” (301). Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “‘Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able” (302). Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. In-Text Quotations: Note that punctuation marks such as periods, commas, and semicolons should appear after the citation in brackets. The quotation as a whole still requires double quotation marks. Sometimes this leads to single and double quotation marks right next to each other. “‘Every man moves on ,’” he says… ‘Every man moves on ,’ he says… Home Clear

“Framing” Quotations Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis
Transition words Linking Devices The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again” (305). Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace” (301). Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “’Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able” (302). Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. “Framing” Quotations Quotations should not be just dropped into your essay and left to stand alone. They need to be introduced or ‘set-up’ so they can be used to prove your point or argument. They also need to be ‘unpacked’ - explained so their relevance and significance is obvious to the reader and they re-enforce your point or argument. Home Clear

Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care” (305). The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. Quotations have to be introduced, or to use a Golf term: teed up. You need to do this to put the quotation you use in proper context; so it fits smoothly in your essay and supports your argument. Home Clear

Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care” (305). The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. In this case the writer has used a quotation to underline the importance McLeod puts on the role of ‘family’ in the story. This is mentioned in the sentence which introduces the quotation. Remember the thesis: MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. You have to relate the quotation to your thesis; how does it help prove what you want to prove? Here the writer ties the quotation to the thesis with the two key ideas: acceptance and growth/change. Home Clear

Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care” (305). The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. Introducing a quotation is only half the battle. You also have to ‘unpack it.’ – explain to your reader what it means and how it helps prove your thesis. Remember the thesis: MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Here the writer explains how McLeod shows the stages of family life leading to understanding change and accepting that growing old leads to inner peace and wisdom. The words ‘care’, ‘acceptance’ and ‘wisdom’ are used again to tie the quotation to the thesis. Home Clear

Frances McStudent McStudent 1 Mr. Stewart ENG 2D September 21, 2014 Understanding Growth: Alistair MacLeod’s “To Everything There Is a Season” Maturing means many different things. It is a physical thing as people literally grow, but it is also a mental process where people begin to understand who they are and how the world works. In his short story “To Everything There Is a Season” Alistair MacLeod develops his concepts on the process of achieving maturity. MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate (MacLeod 301). Home Clear

Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis Transitio words Author Quotations
Transition words Linking Devices Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care” (305). The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. Home Clear

Frances McStudent McStudent 1 Mr. Stewart ENG 2D September 21, 2014 Understanding Growth: Alistair MacLeod’s “To Everything There Is a Season” Maturing means many different things. It is a physical thing as people literally grow, but it is also a mental process where people begin to understand who they are and how the world works. In his short story “To Everything There Is a Season” Alistair MacLeod develops his concepts on the process of achieving maturity. MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate (MacLeod 301). Home Clear

The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again” (305). Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace” (301). Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “’Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able” (302). Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. Home Clear

Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care” (305). The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. Home Clear

Linking Devices Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis Transition words
Frances McStudent McStudent 1 Mr. Stewart ENG 2D September 21, 2014 Understanding Growth: Alistair MacLeod’s “To Everything There Is a Season” Maturing means many different things. It is a physical thing as people literally grow, but it is also a mental process where people begin to understand who they are and how the world works. In his short story “To Everything There Is a Season” Alistair MacLeod develops his concepts on the process of achieving maturity. MacLeod feels that getting older is inevitable; it means growth, pain, acceptance and wisdom. One can see Macleod’s attitude on accepting growing up by examining the protagonist and his father as well as the use of first person narration. Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate (MacLeod 301). Linking Devices Repeat word(s) Home Clear

Home Clear Author Quotations Thesis Transition words Repeat an idea
Through the protagonist, MacLeod suggests the central ingredients of this process of growth. The little boy shows the painful side of growing up when he realizes that Santa Claus is not real, and he is reluctant to let go of his belief in Santa. It is true at my age I no longer really believe in him yet I have hoped against all possibilities […] for without him […] it seems our fragile lives would be so much more desperate. (MacLeod 301) The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again.” (305) Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. Home Clear

Home Clear Repeat word(s) Author Quotations Thesis Transition words
Continue an idea The main character is afraid to grow up. Even though he no longer really believes in Santa, he instinctively knows that his life in the adult world is “fragile.” Life will also seem “desperate” without Santa. The protagonist shows another ingredient in growing up is acceptance. Later in the story, the narrator gets to stay up with the adults to get the presents ready. “The ones for my younger brothers say ‘from Santa’ but mine are no longer among them anymore, as I know certainly they never will be again” (305). Here, the main character leaves his younger brothers behind as he matures, but he “knows with certainty” that growing up is part of life, and he stays in the room with the adults on Christmas Eve; he accepts that he is no longer a child. For MacLeod, the process of growth is a painful one, but it is one that a person must accept. That acceptance is also much easier for the narrator because he is surrounded by his family. MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace” (301). Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “’Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able” (302). Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. Home Clear

Home Clear Repeat word(s) Author Quotations Thesis Transition words
Continue an idea MacLeod furthers his ideas about growth by adding the final stage of the growth cycle, which is death, through the narrator’s father. Unlike the son, who is at the beginning of the cycle of growth, the father “has ‘not been well’ for over two years and has difficulty breathing whenever he moves at more than the slowest pace” (301). Instead of realizing that Santa is not real, the father realizes that his life is coming to an end. Like the young narrator, he accepts this fact as well: “’Every man moves on,’” he says, “’but there is no need to grieve. He leaves good things behind’” (305). He is older and accepts that he has to “move on;” he accepts death as a natural part of life. For MacLeod, it is important that in doing so, one demonstrates wisdom and appreciates the good things in life. One should, “hang on to the good things in our lives as long as we are able” (302). Like the young narrator, those “good things” involve family. MacLeod uses this character to show that growth naturally includes death but that one should accept that part of change as well. Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care” (305). The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Home Clear

Home Clear Continue an idea Author Quotations Thesis Transition words
Use a pronoun Not only does MacLeod develop his ideas about maturity through his characters, he also does so through the way he tells the story. The first person narrator is a grown man looking back on the time when he was eleven years old. For most of the story, the reader sees through narrator’s eyes as he looks back on the time when he went through significant changes. Telling the story from this perspective allows MacLeod to focus on showing how the narrator grows and comes to understand the nature of this growth. He realizes, as the title suggests, that everything does have its own season. He looks to his family, who are all at different stages of change, and this is where he finds comfort and learns to accept: “I look at my parents [...] I look at my sisters […] I look at my magic older brother [...]All of them are captured in the tableau of their care” (305). The narrator comes to understand how the many ages and phases in a family impact his own life. This care is how MacLeod shows the wisdom of acceptance that the narrator has realized. Change includes the innocence of his youth, the growing up of his sisters and brothers, and it will end with the inevitable death of his father. By examining these literary tools, one can see that Alistair MacLeod thinks growing up is many things. Growth is painful, frightening, and one needs to learn to accept it. Above all, growth is a natural process, like the change of the seasons. Home Clear

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