preview

Analysis Of The Strongest Blood By Richard Van Camp

Decent Essays

From the start of independence, the question of the process of career selection has stumbled teens across the globe. Whether the outcome be based on the amount of money, the location, or even the very few who find their true passion, no one has a definitive idea on what they will pursue. Richard Van Camp’s main character, Leo, is faced with the same dilemma. Van Camp's short story, “The Strongest Blood”, explores the use of symbolism, brought through by money, the conflicts in which influence career decision, and the use of pathos to evoke an emotional connection to the reality of the world. “The Strongest Blood” explores, through both Leo and Joey, the allure of money. Leo and Joey both have the desire to make money and have thus decided that they “want [their] own trucks,” (Van Camp 34). The fact that they are stating that they want their own trucks leads the reader to believe that they have an overwhelming force drawing them to the monetary value of a job. They previously state that they both would not want to be a “social worker, get into office administration, operate heavy machinery equipment, being a teacher, or nursing,” (34). This conveys that they are undecided in their future wants, and suggests an internal conflict within them between their preferred profession and their monetary needs.
When dealing with societal pressure, it is harder for teens to decipher right from wrong. In the short story, there is a situation where a young and old bull fight. This

Get Access