Bryan try and make the best of everything

Bryan try and make the best of everything

Bryan Blejski ENG 101-F11 October 6, 2011 “Blackberries in June” In Ron Rash’s “Blackberries in June,” it was easy to be immediately drawn into the story.

People can relate to the life of Matt and Jamie. Their life of being married after high school and having a house of their own is a plan many people work to strive towards when in love after high school. Their life seems almost perfect or typical throughout the story.

A wonderful and happy marriage with the wholesome relations with the other family members, and some tenseness between an in-law shows how Matt and Jamie’s lives are what seems to be, normal.When Charlton (Jamie’s brother) has an accident and loses his leg, Matt is determined to still follow their dreams and plans while helping Charlton’s family. This sets an impression to try and make the best of everything and always stick to the plans people make for their lives. The conflict of how Linda and Jamie’s mother think that Matt and Jamie need to give up everything in their life for Charlton’s family causes a great dilemma for their future.

Matt and Jamie work hard and make many sacrifices to accomplish their dreams.Their plans that Jamie state “First get the house fixed up… Then when that was done she and Matt would start taking night classes again at the technical college. In a year they would have their degrees. Then good jobs and children” (Rash 239). Jamie’s sister in-law, Linda, almost seems to hate Matt and Jamie because of how they are successful with their lives.

Linda believes that it is just luck when it is the self-discipline Matt and Jamie have to stick to their plans and not blow their money on things they do not need, unlike Linda and Charlton.Linda states “Good luck follows…(Matt and Jamie) like a dog that needs petting all the time” (Rash 242). It can actually be considered Linda not being responsible because of her bad decisions with having three kids the first five years of marriage when she cannot support them. That is the cause of her bitterness towards them because they are being wise. That is one reason why Linda and her family live in a mobile home still, because they could not afford a house after her and Charlton were married.

After the accident, Jamie’s mother tells her, “You know you got to help them,” referring to Charlton’s family (Rash 246). Her mother expects Jamie and Matt to give up all their dreams and plans, including their house, to help them. But the reason Linda, Charlton, and their family have no money is because they waste it on booze, unnecessary make up, and an abundance of vehicles that are not needed.

Jamie feels there is no reason to give up what she and Matt have when there is plenty of other ways for Charlton to receive help.Jamie’s mother believes, “That lake house, you had no right to expect such a place so young… It was a miracle you got it in the first place. You cannot expect miracles in this life, girl. ” Jamie will not sell her miracle and says “Maybe not, Momma, But when they come a person has got the right to take them” (Rash 247). Matt strongly does not put up with Jamie’s family’s thoughts of selling the lake house. He becomes irritated with Linda and tells her “Me and Jamie do not owe you anything. Linda’s reply of “you owe us everything, if Charlton had not taken you on you would never have been able to make a down payment on that lake house”.

This only strengthens Matt’s decision to follow his dreams with Jamie. It is astounding that Matt and Jamie are looked down upon because their life together is full of happiness. Jamie tells Matt, “I get so tired of people acting resentful because we are doing well.

.. Why can they all not be happy for us like Charlton? Matt reassures her that, “ Because it reminds them they are too lazy and undisciplined to do it themselves, people like that will pull you down with if you give them the chance, but we are not going to let them do that to us” ( Rash 243). Doing what one’s self wants and has planned is not having luck. Matt and Jamie made plans for their lives and chose to stick to those plans. They should not be criticized and judged for being smart with their decisions and lives, unlike Linda and Charlton.

Jamie’s family should be happy when the people they are supposed to care about are successful, not jealous and wanting to deprive them of their dreams.