Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory Essays - 818 Words

Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory Truman Capote’s story A Christmas Memory, is about Capote’s childhood memory of a particular holiday season and how he enjoyed that moment in time with a special friend. Capote is illustrated by the main character, Buddy. Buddy and his distant cousin have a bonding friendship and tell of their exploits during that Christmas. They pick out a very special Christmas tree, make each other presents, and make fruitcakes. Capote was born in New Orleans as the son of a salesman and a 16-year-old beauty queen. His father worked as a clerk for a steamboat company. He never stayed with any job for long, and was always leaving home in search of new opportunities. This put a strain on his parent’s†¦show more content†¦The characters are from a poor socioeconomic background, but they are still able to find the Christmas spirit. The wealth of their friendship and the gift of giving make them oblivious to the depression around them. In one particular scene, the friends are baking fruitcakes. They decide that the cakes are for â€Å"friends. Not necessarily neighbor friends: indeed, the larger share are intended for persons we’ve met maybe once, perhaps not at all†(Capote). This illustrates their giving nature regardless of their own dreary circumstances. Buddy is a reflection of Truman Capote himself. Capote’s childhood was filled with misfortunes, but yet he was s till able to find peace in his friendship with his cousin. The character of Buddy’s cousin also demonstrates simplicity and finding the good in what you have. â€Å"She is small sprightly, like a bantam hen; but due to a long youthful illness, her shoulders are pitifully hunched†(Capote). She is later described as childlike, Buddy says â€Å"she is still a child†(Capote). This may be some reference to her mental status and that she does not think like an adult, but a child. But once again, regardless of her less fortunate physical and mental attributes she is still happy and at peace. Near the end of the story, her and Buddy are out flying the kites that they made for each other. Though these may seem like ordinary gifts to many, to them they are the best gifts they have everShow MoreRelatedHarper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird and Truman Capotes A Christmas Memory1258 Words   |  6 PagesHarper Lee and Truman Capote, two of the greatest 20th century authors, were once prodigious best friends. And best friends shar e everything; their thoughts, their dreams, but most importantly, their ideas. So could it be possible that Capote, a prolific writer, could have played a role in writing Lee’s esteemed novel, To Kill a Mockingbird? Doubtful. Through comparisons of Lee’s only work to Capote’s â€Å"A Christmas Memory† it can be seen that despite similarities, these friends’ works differ too greatlyRead MoreTruman Capote Essay1439 Words   |  6 PagesThe short stories of Truman Capote are connected to his childhood experiences in Alabama. Truman capote was an American born writer who wrote non- fiction, short stories, novels and plays. All of his literary works have been perceived as literary classics. The tones of some of his stories are slightly gothic. His most famous short story is Children on Their Birthdays. His work shows the occasional over writing, the twilit Gothic subject matter, and the masochistic uses of horror traditional in theRead More A Christmas Memory Essay632 Words   |  3 Pagesdetails of specific situations and instances yet lack the ability to describe them. Truman Capote, as a grown man, took advantage of his vivid memories and composed the short work, A Christmas Memory. The story begins in late November, a month symbolic of all the years gone by that Capote could remember beginning preparations for Christmas fruitcakes. The year he has chosen, though, is that of the last Christmas three friends spend together. A boy of seven, Capote has but two friends: his sixty-somethingRead MoreTruman Capote Essay1705 Words   |  7 PagesAlas, Truman Capote, probably one of the greatest 20th century American writers of all time. Capote was a large part of the Southern Gothic literary movement. He really did not write in a set genre, he created his own which is commonly known as nonfiction fiction. His novels, short stories, and plays are mostly recognized as literary classics. He is most well-known for his novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958), and In Cold Blood (1965). Many films and other television media have been produced from