MalcolmI.

Smith
APLACPer.4
GrowingUpbyRussellBakerEssay

GrowingUp
byRussellBakertellsthestoryofamiddleagedmansjourneytoreconnect
withhismotherspastwhiletryingtounderstandhisown.Whatmakesthisstorysothought
provokingisthestateinwhichthemotherisinduringRussell'stimeofdiscovery.Throughout
thestory,Russellusesreferencestomovementtorecreateandcelebratethemotherhispast.
whileatthesametimemourningthemotherdeterioratingrightinfrontofhiseyes.Theuseof
movementinthispiecememorializesandmournsthisvacantshellthatusedtoheusedtocall
mom,creatingafeelingofbittersweethappinessweavedintothisstory.
AsRussellopensthisstoryaboutthecomplexrelationshipbetweenhimandhismotherin
thecatastrophicstateofhermentalhealth,todrawthereaderintothisstoryoflosshemustpaint
apictureofthewomenhismotherusedtobe,Mymotherhadhurledherselfatlifewithchin
thrustforward,eyesblazing,andanenergythatalwaysmadeherseemontherun(56).This
picturethatRussellpaintsofhismotherstandsinstarkcontrasttothewomenatthebeginningof
thestory.ThesenseofmovementthatRussellusesinthequoteevokeasenseofastrongwilled
nature,especiallychinthrustforward.Asenseofadmirationandaweisfeltthroughthese
words,asifthereaderisalsoexperiencingitthroughRussellseyesasachild.To
counterbalancethelackoflifeinhismother,Russellusessuchquotesas,Sheranwhenshe
madethebed,sheranwhenshemadethetable(57).Therepeateduseofthewordrunplacesan
emphasisonwhatRussellmostwantsustogetoutthissentencethefactthathismotherwas

oncefulloflifeandjoy.ThemovementsthatRussellincludesformatypeofhappinessthatwe
feelwehavelostwhenwearetransportedbacktothemotherwiththeslippingmindandailing
body.
Alongwiththeuseofmovementasawaytocelebrateandrememberhismother,itisalso
usedinamoresomberwaytochroniclethebedriddendaysofhismotherashermindcontinues
toslip.CompletelydifferenttothewaysRussellusedmovementinalightertone,inadditionit
isusedtoexpresssomeofthedarkerthemesofthestory.Inthesefreewheelingexcursions
backthroughtimetorecapturehappiness(58)Thelongingisevidentinthislineaswenowsee
Russellusemovementinatotallydifferentway.Heabandonsthestrong,securemovementfor
morefreeflowing,undefinedmovements.Thepatternoftheuseofmovementtoenhancethe
emotionoflossthattheauthorisfeelingthroughoutthispieceisbestrepresentedbythe
followingquote,Fortenyearsormore,theveracitywithwhichshehadonceattackedlifehad
beenturningintoarageagainsttheweakness(58).Thestoryasksalotofthereader,itasksthe
readertoreallydigdeepintothestorytoconnectwithwhatRussellisfeeling.Ifwecannot
experiencethesamesenseoflossandhopelessnessashim,themessageofthisstoryfallsondeaf
ears.Andoneofthewaysinwhichhedoesitis,astheaboveshows,isthroughmovement.By
conjuringuptheseimagesofavivid,lively,activewomen,whenRussellswitchesbacktothe
pictureofthefadingwomen,thesenseofsomethingmissingisevident.Itriedtotravelalong
withheronthosefantasticswoopsintothepast(59).
Inconclusion,