Nineteen Fifty-Five Analysis

Words: 555
Pages: 3

The short story “Nineteen Fifty-Five” written by Alice Walker has many different themes that should be looked at, one of the many is that People who focus on money end up not being happy. Traynor is extremely wealthy, but doesn’t end up happy. “In the morning we heard Traynor was dead, some said fat, some said heart, some said alcohol, some said drugs.”(pg.627) This shows that Traynor had many different problems that ended up consuming his life and taking it. Gracie mae is the exact opposite, she is just trying to be a good person. “Really, we have more than enough of everything. The Lord is good to us and we don’t know want.”(pg.621) Even though Traynor is making forty thousand dollars a day off of her song she is still kind and doesn’t want to accept very many gifts.
Throughout the story Gracie mae focus’s on losing weight. “I lost ten pounds in 1956. That’s what I gave myself for Christmas.”(pg.619) Instead of focusing on money she decides to focus on making herself better. While Gracie mae is focused on this Traynor is focused on making money. These are the differences that end up being huge in the end. “Traynor is almost dressed
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“I already got a house. Horace is right this minute painting the kitchen. I bought that house. My kids feel comfortable in that house. ‘But this one I bought you is just like mine. Only a little smaller.’ I still don't need a house. And anyway who would clean it? He looks surprised.”(pg.625) Throughout the story Traynor feels guilty about all of the money he is making off of Gracie Mae’s song. He wants to repay her with gifts and shower her with money, but Gracie Mae has never had much money and has been happy with her life. I feel like everyone in life who doesn’t have money believes that it can make you happy, but when you actually have money you realize that money isn’t that important in life and you find much more happiness helping