Raymond's Run Characters

In lines 18-21 Squeaky said, “Even though she is a little girl with skinny arms and a squeaky voice, she would take the chances and knock you down, and if things gets too rough, she runs.” This quote explains that Squeaky believes she is not as strong as other people, but she still believes in herself, does not put herself down, and is the person she wants to be.

After reading the story Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bombara, it has lead me to make a few statements about the main character and her appreciating the determination of others. The main character, Squeaky, doesn’t take others seriously and is quite arrogant when it comes to her running skills. However, by the end of the story, she has learned that other people are as determined as she is when it comes to running. Not only does she learn to recognize this, but she learns to appreciate it.

Imagine you're a young girl competing with rude girls and they try and push you around and make fun of your brother. That’s exactly what happens to Squeaky a young girl and her older brother Raymond. One important lesson readers can learn from Toni Cade Bambara’s “Raymond’s Run is to put others before yourself. The story shows how squeaky sticks up for herself and it helps her stay calm and not flip out. “When Gretchen a mean girl” and her sidekicks Rosie and Mary Louise. They say that Squeaky isn’t going to win she’s going to lose. But then, Squeaky proves them wrong.

Squeaky is a proud sister, she’s sassy, she is protective and takes care of her brother Raymond in the book Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara. Squeaky is proud of Raymond because after she finishes the race, he comes running to her, showing he keeps up with his sister and she realizes he is a very fine runner. She takes care of him because she is the one looking after him taking him out and helping him. She does love him and takes care of him because when Mary Louise Williams asks a question to Raymond, Squeaky chimes in to tell her if she has something to tell Raymond, they will have to tell it to Squeaky first. She is also sassy when Mary Louise asks a question.

She is still the same person she was just a moment ago; snotty, mouthy, and disrespectful. She is shown to have no filter when she says things. Squeaky is referring back to Nursery School when her parents forced her to dress up. She absolutely despised it and thinks “I am not a strawberry. I do not dance on my toes. I run” (Bambara 108). She prides herself on being different from others but does it in a mouthy and unnecessary way. When Squeaky is receiving her pin number from Mr. Pearson, he calls her “Squeaky”. Her thought process is that if she can’t call him Beanstalk, he can’t call her squeaky. “Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker, I correct him and tell him to write it down on his board” (Bambara 109). This shows that Squeaky is snotty. She has no problem biting back against anyone and anything. After this, Mr. Pearson tells Squeaky about how Gretchen, her arch nemesis, will give her a “run for her money”, and he even lightly suggests that Squeaky should go easy on her. “I give him such a look that he couldn’t finish that idea into words” (Bambara 109). The fact that Mr. Pearson even nudges the idea of allowing someone else to win makes her offended and furious. Squeaky is even disrespectful towards adults. She is the same person as she was in the beginning and only shows that side of

In “Raymond’s Run”, it is clear to see that Squeaky walks through life with heavy weights and worries on her shoulders. Not only does she have to take care of Raymond, but she also has to deal with her mother, who does not accept Squeaky for who she is. Squeaky’s mother brings her down by not supporting her and expecting her to be a typical girly girl. When her mother brings her down, Squeaky develops insecurities about herself. She may not realize it, but the sassy and rude way she treats others is just an act to cover up her insecurities. When she acts like she is better than everyone else, she is just trying to hide the fact that she has so many obstacles that she needs to overcome. Just like Squeaky in “Raymond’s Run”, “She Used to Be Mine”, uncovers the act that Sara Bareilles puts on, and reveals her true self. Both Squeaky and Sara Bareilles have different dimensions and layers to themselves. Squeaky is also similar to a flower bud that blooms into something beautiful. By the end of the story, Squeaky learns to respect Gretchen, and by doing that she is gaining a new perspective on life. When a flower bud opens up, it grows layers of petals. Each petal on the flower is like each of Squeaky’s different personalities. Squeaky is still figuring out her life, and she is constantly learning from her mistakes and growing from them. While the flower grows new petals, the bud in in the center remains the same, like the heart of the flower. This goes to show that even when Squeaky is changing, she still has the same, loving heart. A heart that loves her family. A heart that loves Raymond. A heart that loves

Another common theme in this story is gender stereotypes, which Squeaky follows and believes, is that girls don’t necessarily get along with each other. In the story, the stereotype presented is that They fight with each other, sometimes alone, and sometimes in groups. That is why it is surprising that Squeaky learns to get along with the antagonist of the story, Gretchen, at the end of the story, as seen in the following quote. We stand there with this big smile of respect between us. It’s about as

Winning seems to have infected the minds of a lot of people. People sacrifice everything to win when really they have already won. In the story “Raymond’s Run,” Toni Cade Bambara illustrates that you don’t need to win the big trophy to be a true winner. Squeaky, the main character, always wants to win. She always seems to see her special needs brother as a bump in the road or nuisance.

Squeaky cares about her brother, Raymond a lot and she protects him like a mother. Mary Louise comes with her friends to talk with squeaky, and she tells her how she is not fast. Then she tries to ask Raymond something, but Squeaky stops her. “ You got anything to say to my brother you say it to me, Mary Louise Williams of Raggedy Town, Baltimore.”(Bambara 3) This quote explains how much she cares and is very protective. Rosie tries to be mean and asks squeaky, if she was Raymond’s mother. “ Thats right fatso, And the next word out of anybody and I’ll be their mother too.”(Bambara 3) This explains how squeaky could do anything for her brother no matter what.

Determined Squeaky In Raymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bombara, Squeaky is very determined. She is determined because she stands up for her brother Raymond. She also wants to win the 50 yard dash against the other girls. Then she wants to coach her brother Raymond.

As she witnesses people trying to tease and bully Raymond because of his disability, she feels angry and is worried about her brother. Because of that she is caring of Raymond but protects him from others by fighting or threatening. Due to that event she collects the characteristics caring and aggressive. This quote shows how Raymond affected Squeaky when she became old enough to watch out for her brother, causing her to change greatly. She was kind and girly back then when her parents still dressed her up with fancy shoes and a white dress to dance at an annual event.

In the story Raymond's Run, Squeaky doesn't have many friends because she is always watching her brother and because of her competitive attitude. People make mean spiteful comments like “what grade are you in now, Raymond? ” , and she has to come to his defence and say things like, “ if anyone has to say something about my brother Raymond’s big head they should say it to me.” This kind of tone does not win her many friends. In addition, she states that she would rather knock you down than just talk a problem out.

Also, in the story, “Raymond’s Run”, Squeaky and how she is open about her opinions, serious about running, and does allow other people to tell her what she has to be. One quote from “Raymond’s Run” that demonstrates the theme

‘180-183’ Instead of allowing her to be herself her mother wants her to be a perfect lady, yet Squeaky wants her mother to accept that it is not going to happen. Another quote that describes how Squeaky ,is like the song protagonist, trapped is “You're wanting me to show more /interest To always keep a big bright smile”. All of the lines have something in common they’re all about pretending Similarity Squeaky’s mom wants her to show more interest in ladylike things and less interest in running: “ You’d think they’d know better than to encourage that kind of nonsense. I am not a strawberry.

In a all Squeaky is a great character she is my favorite out of the story. She wont back down from anything and she reminds me of myself because she has a big heart and the heart of a lion. No matter what she never gives up and she is willing to fight who ever also she will go through any challenge to be the best she can be. She is a great person and she takes care of her brother which I also like about her. She doesn't care who you are or how big you are she will go at you with everything shes got she knows her size but she doesn't care she is a young