Building Bridges Essay Final

Building Bridges Essay                            12/10/14
Ava Mascuch                                                                                                 711


It is hard for most parents or guardians to let go of their child and let them follow their dreams. In the short story,”Building Bridges” by Andrea Pinkney shows us the relationship between Bebe, a young girl and her grandmother, Mama Lil who is having a hard time letting Bebe grow up and follow her dreams. Through the relationship between Bebe and Mama Lil the author helps the reader understand that letting your daughter or son go and follow their dreams can be hard for the parent or guardian.

When the author introduces Mama Lil to the story she starts out very stubborn about allowing Bebe to follow her dreams.  Mama Lil is talking to Bebe, after Sunday breakfast of a fried batch of Dunbar’s ham and says, “Bebe get that backwards idea out of your head.  That grit-work ain’t no place for you and besides, I ain’t never heard of no girls doing stuff like that.  You need to be getting your self a real summer job, like something civilized.” page 17.  This quote demonstrates that Mama Lil is totally against the idea of Bebe working at the bridge and it seems like she is not going to budge on her thinking.  I have a feeling that Mam Lil always thinks she is right. Bebe thought long and hard about what faced her, “The biggest obstacle of all, the thing that made Mam Lil the most stubborn of all was my dream of becoming an engineer.  Mama Lil did not fully understand what an engineer was.”  page 20-21.  This quote shows that Mama Lil does not like not knowing things and I think that is partly why she does not want Bebe to work on the bridge project.  Since she does not know a lot about engineering and has never met anyone who is an engineer she immediately thinks engineering is not suitable for Bebe and she should not take the job.  This also shows the reader that Mama Lil does not like going out or her comfort zone and may be afraid to consider new things.
  
Even though Mama does not support Bebe and her dream of becoming an engineer, Bebe is still going to persevere. After walking furiously for blocks Bebe stops and thinks, “I’d come to this corner and studied the bridge a million times” page 24. This shows the reader that even though Mama Lil and Bebe argued about the bridge project, she wasn't going to give up because Bebe still wanted her dream to come true. Bebe sketches the bridge and thinks, “The thrill that worked me over every time I sketched that bridge” page 25. This quote displays that Bebe loves drawing the bridge and she has drawn it many times before. It shows that Bebe will always want to work on the bridge and become an engineer, even if Mama Lil despises the idea of it.

Later in the story, Mama Lil wants Bebe to follow her dreams, but is afraid that those dreams will cause Bebe to leave. Mama Lil admits what she and Bebe knew the whole time, while sitting at the table and smoking a cigarette, “Your dreams are the kind that will take you away from here, Bebe - away from your Mama Lil.”  page 29.   This quote suggests that although Mama Lil wants Bebe to follow her dreams she is afraid that Bebe, who is the only family she has,  might leave her forever.  Bebe thinks about why Mama Lil won't let her work on the bridge project, “I think that deep down Mama Lil was afraid something bad would happen to me, the same way it happened to my Mama and Daddy.”  page 20.  This quote makes me think that Mama Lil is scared of losing Bebe and she does not know what she would do without her.  I also think that this fear of losing Bebe is preventing her from letting Bebe work on the bridge.  In the end, Mama Lil finally supports Bebe and her dreams.  In the morning of the bridge project, after breakfast,  Mama Lil finally says,  “Will you help me read the permission slip Bebe?”  page 34.  This quote shows the reader that Mama Lil finally supports Bebe’s ambition and is going to let her work on the bridge.  It also shows that Mama Lil finally understands what Bebe wants to do and I think it will help them to have a better relationship.  When Bebe is leaving for the bridge project in the morning Mama Lil says, as Bebe is about to walk out the door, “Bebe, that bridge is lucky to have you.”  page 34.  Mama Lil’s saying this shows that she is proud of Bebe, thinks she is very special, and she finally supports her dreams.

Throughout “Building Bridges”  Mama Lil changes from being stubborn and unwilling to listen to what Bebe has to say to supporting Bebe and her dreams.  I think this short story can teach the reader to never give up no matter how hard it gets and to always follow your dreams.  This story also shows that all families go through issues of letting go and growing up, and that it can be difficult. I think that since Mama Lil and Bebe went through this obstacle together it will help their relationship grow and become stronger.