Christmas Memory by Truman Capote - Essay Example

It was commendable on the part of Sook, who, as a senior citizen, was still feeling so much young at heart. Her passion for making and flying kites could very well be extraordinary for an old female individual.

For Buddy, as the narrator, the experiences were his memories of Sook, more than her cousin, friend, a guardian, who supported his every need, and provided the impetus for his remarkable memory and adoration for this woman. Due to the need to pursue his education, he was eventually separated from Sook, but his thoughts never left her. Every Christmas of his life is thereby dedicated in memory of his last Christmas spent with Sook, despite the simplicity and lack of grandeur in celebrating the festivities; it still was his perfect Christmas memory. The rationale is the pure love and affection that was shared between them. There was a sense of reliance and dependability on each other. Whatever was lacking in one, was provided by the other. Buddy knew from his heart that the last Christmas spent with Sook would always be cherished and would never be forgotten for the simple reason that the love and happiness shared between them could never be surpassed nor replaced by anyone else, ever.

When we were made to experience being blindfolded and let by someone to go school places, the experience was terrifying. There was a mixture of fear, anxiety, confusion, and a little bit of relief that someone I know was leading me.

There was fear because of being subjected to the unknown. By being blindfolded, one was not allowed to use the sense of sight which is a very important element in creating a sense of security. Anxiety was felt due to the feeling that I would like to know when will I be blindfolded and led and be fully dependent on the assistance of a friend. I was also confused because I was trying to remember the places I have been through and to determine if some situations or causes might injure me. Finally, the feeling of relief was due to the knowledge that by being led by a friend, she would not let any harm befall me.

As I reflect on this experience and connect it to the Christmas Memory story, I realize that Buddy and Sook were dependent on each other. The age gap created some needs that one can address but the other must accept – and vice versa. For example, due to Buddy’s tender age, he relied on the emotional, physical, and financial support of Sook to address his daily needs (providing for his meal, shelter, clothes, and others). On the other hand, Sook was dependent on Buddy to provide her with assistance in earning their livelihood (searching for pecan nuts and gathering twigs, among others). Their symbiotic relationship provided them joy through equal sharing of responsibilities and having enough time to share fun and do activities together. It was like the blindness of one was compensated by the sight of the other.

The story made me realize that indeed, no man is an island. Each and everyone need someone for a particular reason. Just being able to provide joy and love through companionship is enough reason to rely on a friend’s existence. Our memorable moments are those that have accorded us a feeling of ecstasy, or pain, from having shared our time with others.