Dalloway Final Essay

8/20/2019 Dalloway Final Essay

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Jenny Yang

Ms. Fletcher

E7 Great Books

11/30/15

Diamons are a Girl!s Best Frien

"ylie Jensen neee a ne# necklace $or her %irthay. &er si'teenth %irthay(in $act(

#hich #asn!t )e $or another three #eeks. *he #as sl)m+e in her #ooen chair, minlessly

scrolling thro)gh the -Brooklyn ech B)ying *elling $or Girls Face%ook +age on her

com+)ter. rinkling her $lat )+t)rne nose, "ylie tho)ght ho# lackl)ster this #eek!s selection

o$ necklaces, earrings, an %racelets #as, not to mention, the o)trageo)sly high +rices $or these

trinkets. 2ast #eek #as a i$$erent story. n one ay, she %o)ght $i4e necklaces one iamon

st)e heart6sha+e key necklace, sil4er $lo#er +enant #ith sil4er +late necklace chain, an

o+a)e +)r+le crystal necklace, a +earl st)e %o# #ith a golen chain necklace, an a tear

sha+e +enant 8inlai #ith a +)r+le crystal encircle %y iamon st)s9 necklace. &er t#o

earrings a +air o$ o4erla++ing t#iste %lack gol earrings an +air o$ gol t#iste hoo+

earrings. oo %a they #ere all $ake, she tho)ght. $ her collection o$ :e#elry #as real, she! %e a

rich #oman(+ro%a%ly rich eno)gh to lea4e home an rent her o#n a+artment in Manhattan.

2ea4ing her chair, she crosse her room to o%tain her treas)re %o' %e$ore +lo++ing o#n onto

her chair. B)tt %)rn; she silently crie o)t. *cre# the chair; *he r)e the ay she +assi4ely

agree to Mom!s emans to trash her chair c)shion. Mom ha sai that ha4ing the c)shion

entice her to sit on the chair longer, #hich mae her %)tt %igger, so #itho)t the c)shion, she!

%e less tem+te to sit on the chair longer. *he o+ene her treas)re %o', re4erently taking o)t her

han6mae car%oar %o'es o$ :e#elry an +re+aring to co)nt each one in her :e#elry collection



%e$ore +lacing them %ack into the %o'. &er +artic)lar $a4orite #as the sa++hire +enant #ith the

+latin)m chain, "ylie $elt, an the o%4io)s reason %eing that this necklace #as the only real

necklace $rom her collection. ell that, an the $act that her granmammy ga4e it to her the ay

she le$t <e# York $or isconsin $o)r years ago. A small keepsake, her granmammy ha sai.

=)lling o)t the +earl st)e cat sha+e +enant, she reminisce the ay #hen >)eencia le$t her

to :oin ?my an <icole in the school ca$eteria. ?my an <icole #ere %acksta%%ing schemers,

%reaking )+ her $rienshi+ #ith >)eencia since elementary school. @4ershao#e %y t#o ne#

$riens #ho ste++e into her li$e. hat no#A o)l she %e the ne't #all$lo#er girlA; *o that

a$ternoon, she +)rchase the cat necklace $rom a ranom ech so+homore an #hile she can!t

+)t her $inger on the $eeling, it calme her.

-hy m)st college a++s %e so longA 2ike honestly, on!t they 8the colleges9 kno# that

#e are stresse o)t #ith high school alreayA Brianne sighe lo)ly. "ylie t)rne her hea to

the so)rce o$ her oler sister!s 4oice an $lashe her eyes. Earth to Brianne; she #ante to sho)t

yo) are not the center o$ the #orl. *he rel)ctantly amitte that she recei4e satis$action $rom

the $act that her sister #as anything %)t %ea)ti$)l. Brianne #as )ite +lain. &er $ace #as s)are6

sha+e, ha a +ointy nose, ha coarse hair, ne4er min the $reckles scattere on her $ace an

+im+les on her $orehea. ?n she #as short at 5!C!!. ?ct)ally she #as really 5!3 !!. he only

e$ining $eat)re, "ylie concee, #as her almon6sha+e eyes an her long eyelashes.

-?n #hat!s )+ #ith organiing yo)r :e#elry e4ery ay )ring the a$ternoonA Brianne

ae. "ylie i not res+on immeiately. Brianne can %e annoyingly arrogant at times, %)t she

#as a goo oler sister. J)st three ays ago, she ga4e her allo#ance $or "ylie to s+en on :e#elry

a$ter she ha s+ent all o$ hers. &er rather stingy +arents ga4e them a t#enty ollar allo#ance

e4ery #eek. Des+ite the genero)s o$$ering, Brianne #o)l ne4er(co)l ne4er()nerstan her



attachment to :e#elry, tho)ght "ylie. &er sister +ro%a%ly +ercei4e this attachment an )nhealthy

o%session an, i$ she #ere not care$)l, her sister might %e +)she to re+ort this to their +arents.

*he co)l not see that her :e#elry re+resente some o$ the milestones o$ her li$e, "ylie

tho)ght. hat, an there #as something enchanting an all)ring a%o)t :e#elry. Je#elry,

es+ecially the iamon ones, #as timeless +ieces o$ art thro)gho)t history. ome to think o$ it,

they #ere +ractically 4essels $or attention. ho #o)l eny thisA hey #ere s+arkly an glittery

(shone )ner any stream o$ light an #iely so)ght $or. Diamon :e#elry never #ent

)nnotice.

-Yo)r $a4orite ho%%y is %iking in the +ark. hy can!t mine %e organiing :e#elry )ring

my $ree timeA Yo) sho)l min yo)rsel$ an concentrate on the essays, she retorte,

s)ccess$)lly sh)tting Brianne )+ only a$ter her sister res+one #ith humph. here #as a ose o$

thrill an arenaline that co)rse thro)gh her %oy, she amitte to hersel$, #hene4er she

caresse the necklaces, %racelets, an earrings %e$ore metic)lo)sly +lacing them %ack into the

res+ecti4e com+artments in the treas)re %o'. J)st %arely to)ching the necklace, the #orl 4ie

$or her attention. hen, "ylie tho)ght %ack to an instance se4en months ago, #hen her +arents

ecie to treat her sister, %rother, a)ntie an )ncle, an granmammy an gran+a++y to ?++le

Bee!s. hat time, she ecie to #ear her angling sil4er %)nny earrings, heart6sha+e iamon

necklace, to++e o$$ #ith a +earl %racelet on her right #rist. J)st that sim+le ensem%le generate

$ee%ack, es+ecially her ?)nt Janice an granmammy. hey mar4ele ho# a)thentic it looke,

+artic)larly the necklace, ho# the $ake necklace tr)m+e the a++earance o$ similar, yet a)thentic

necklace her granmammy +)rchase $rom Macy!s t#o hristmases ago. @$ co)rse, enco)rage

%y the +ositi4e res+onses, she %ragge a%o)t ho# she(%)t she a%horre that ay t#o months

an se4enteen ays ago to the e'tent "ylie $o)n hersel$ grimacing in +ain. his generate a



concerne an c)rio)s e'+ression on her sister!s $ace, #hich "ylie #a4e o$$ an mo)the that

she #as @".

*he $orce hersel$ to remem%er that ay. &er $amily #as cele%rating granmammy!s 7th

%irthay, an they #ere in the h)rry to reach there in time, es+ecially #ith tra$$ic :ams +reicte

to occ)r aro)n 500 =M. *he #as +ress)re, #ho co)l not, #ith Mom!s insistent sho)ts to

h)rry since the rente limo)sine #as #aiting o)tsie her a+artment. *he le$t the ho)se #itho)t a

single +iece o$ :e#elry, an she #as o4ercome #ith a strange mi't)re o$ $eelings as she sat in the

limo)sine. &er han lingere %elo# the %ase o$ her throat #here the iamon +enant should’ve

been, $)rro#ing her eye%ro#s to +in+oint the strange sensations. *he in!t it #as +ossi%le $or

that e4ening to %ecome +rogressi4e #orse, %)t it i. D)ring the inner, she a4oie any sort o$

con4ersation. "ylie remem%ere that Branon Hyo)nger %rotherI aske ?re yo) @"A hich she

sai B)gger o$$; *he #as as goo as in4isi%le. *he $inally #as a%le ienti$y a com+onent o$ the

$eeling exposed, naked, bare.

&er mom )s)ally came home a$ter s+ening the morning an +art o$ the a$ternoon #ith

granmammy. ithin an ho)r, Mom ha +re+are ishes $or l)nch(grille salmon #ith a sie

o$ steame as+arag)s, clam cho#er, an %ake +otato(an "ylie $elt her stomach gro#l. *he

li$te her nose to sam+le the aroma that ri$te into her room, only to %e remine o$ the

criticisms that Mom mae a%o)t #atching her #eight, slimming o#n to $it a sie ero. *he #as

c)rrently a sie $o)r accoring the ?%ercrom%ie Fitch skinny :eans her mom got her. t #as

$)nny ho# the only attention()n#ante at that(she recei4e #as concerning her #eight.

You’re prettier than Brianne. And you’re wasting that body of yours because you crave for food?

iscipline honey, Mom ha al#ays remine her.



-2)nch is reay, Mom sai. he )s)al an by far the favorite to+ic )ring l)nch time

centere aro)n Brianne an Branon. Mom ram%le on Brianne the !olden "hild an Brandon

the #uge isappointment (ho# she #ishe they s#itch +laces, $or Branon to %e %rilliant an

s)ccess$)l an Brianne(it #as $ine i$ she in!t o #ell. ?ll the #hile Mom criticie Branon

$or his sinking graes an his lack o$ e$$ort, "ylie #aite $or her name to enter the isc)ssion. t

#as no s)r+rise, she tho)ght, that she #as not mentione. &er +arents #ere too +reocc)+ie #ith

ioliing her sister an %a%ying her %rother. &an!t granmammy tol her a cr)cial +iece o$

in$ormationA ?h yes, it #as the ay she mo4e to isconsin. Be$ore gi4ing her the necklace,

granmammy cas)ally m)m%le ho# her +arents #o)l $a4or the elest an yo)ngest si%ling

%e$ore telling her that s)ch #as not the case #ith her #a4ering smile. &o# it #o)l come an

ha)nt her no#A ?n the thing a%o)t s#itching roles %et#een Brianne an Branon, Mom, she

#ante to say alo), yo)!re not in the $i$teenth cent)ry anymore; *he #as conser4ati4e to the

+oint that granmammy ha more $ashiona%le moern taste than her mom i. Granmammy

ha this nice leather :acket that mom criticie as too hi++y an not s)ita%le $or granmammy!s

age.

-ell, "ylie sho)l #ash the ishes an o the la)nry. Da s)ggeste a$ter remaining

)iet thro)gho)t l)nch. ? chor)s o$ yeses rang o)t, e'ce+t $or "ylie!s.

-Da, +lease serio)sly, she +roteste.

-Don!t serio)sly! me. &el+ yo)r +oor mother o)t, angel, yo)r si%lings are %)sy. he

res+one.

*he $ole the t6shirt corner to corner an +lace it on the +ile o$ neatly $ole clothes in

the la)nry %asket. t #asn!t $air, she $elt, gi4en that last year Brianne #as e'em+t $rom all

chores an ho)se res+onsi%ilities %eca)se o$ her :)nior year. Mom ha tol "ylie that Brianne



neee to $oc)s her energy on school#ork an #ho co)l $orget ?s an *?s an that

Branon #as str)ggling #ith $reshman year. B)t here she #as, :)nior year an all, an her sister

is %)sy #ith college a++s so that!s her legit e'c)se #hile her %rother #as %)sy transitioning to a

ne# high school en4ironment #ith ne# teachers, $riens, yaaa, yaaa. hen, her train o$

tho)ght #anere to all the chick6$lick mo4ies she #atche #ith her $riens )ring slee+o4ers.

*he #asn!t em%arrasse to say that she contin)e to en:oy #atching these mo4ie marathons. oo

%a the micro#a4a%le +o+corn :)st oesn!t ha4e the same )ality as mo4ie +o+corn, yet these

ays, +o+corn at mo4ie theaters cost K %)cks(L %)cks +l)s ta' in theaters locate in Manhattan.

*he ecie then that &ershey chocolate %ars an so)r g)mmies(either the hea4enly *o)r =atch

"is E'tremes or the *o)r =)nch *tra#s Hshe!ll take either oneI(#ere m)ch %etter $or in6home

mo4ie snacks.

?ny#ays, in all these mo4ies, +artic)larly a%o)t the mile chil al#ays got the cheesy

an +reicta%le ening her l)ck at the en o$ the mo4ie. he mile chil #as the heroine, the

+rotagonist #ho str)ggle $or most o$ the story +lot %)t ha it all in the en. *o +erha+s she!ll get

her %reak in the $)t)reA hat her rotten l)ck #ill t)rn aro)nA she snorte, when pigs fly. ?n it

so ha++ens that her $amily $itte the moel o$ a stereoty+ical $amily +ortraye in all these chick6

$lick $ilms she #atche. ? $amily in the mo4ies that seeme to ha4e more attention to the elest

an yo)ngest chil an the mile chil #as the %rat. *he #as not a %rat. *he re$)se to %e. hen

again, Brianne an Branon $re)ently sai "ylie hersel$ al#ays +lays the 4ictim car. Brianne

#as really one6ty+e6o$6lens sort o$ +erson. *he! ne4er try on another lens an see her

+ers+ecti4e on things;

hen the last article o$ clothing #as $ole, she looke )+ to see the clock an note in

s)r+rise that it #as 700 =M. &er i=hone 4i%rate, an she sa# that <ora ha message her #ey,



hey, hey hurry up there’s new necklaces on the $B page rn. % can thank me l&ter bae. *he

message %ack #ith thx b ur an angel. 'ish me luck ()

"ylie restarte her com+)ter an logge into her Face%ook acco)nt. *he co)l $eel her han

slightly trem%ling #hile she ty+e in her +ass#or. Great, she tho)ght, the internet #as too slo#.

t ha to isa++oint me. hen, the +age a++eare scanning the contents, she $elt her mo)th o+en.

? *#aro4ski iamon in6lai in$inity necklace $or 0 %)cks. *he co)ln!t %elie4e her l)ck; he

#renching o$ her g)t intensi$ie an her heart s+e )+ $aster, e4ience %y the noticea%le

shaking o$ her %oy. *he kne# that that necklace #as the +er$ect si'teenth %irthay +resent $or

hersel$. he +erson selling it(ay Green(ha to %e cray to sell this +iece o$ :e#elry. B)t

#ho #as she to com+lainA *he #as scoring that necklace. hile "ylie #as messaging ay,

o)%t cre+t into her min that it #as too goo to %e tr)e. ? scam, it #his+ere. *he +)she it

%ack, alreay imagining ho# she! look #ith it. Daling, no o)%t, most likely attention

gra%%ing. *)rely #earing it takes her o$$ the list o$ angero)sly %ecoming a #all$lo#er girl.

Diamons are a girl!s %est $rien. hat!s her #hole tr)th.

Dalloway Final Essay

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