Animal Dreams
In Barbara Kingsolver's novel Animal Dreams, the protagonist, Codi Noline, is unable to become self aware until the death of her sister, Hallie. Throughout the novel Codi's dependency on her sister the apparent cause. When Hallie ventures to Nicaragua to show the farmers how to replenish the land Codi returns to the small town of Grace, Arizona to aid her ailing father, Doc Homero. Hallie's departure in combination with Doc Homero's bout with Alzheimer disease allows Codi an opportunity to confront her past and insecurities. Because Codi's insecurities are temporarily subdued by Hallie's constant presence, Codi is never given an opportunity to examine her feelings of insecurities until Hallie's departure to Nicaragua and more so with her death.The emergence of Codi's insecurities begins with the death of Codi's mother. This leaves Codi and her sister to be raised by their father, Doc Homero. Doc Homero is distant and aloof towards his daughters. Doc Homero's inability to display his emotions define distinct characteristics of Codi's behavior. Specifically, Codi's familial needs became centered around Hallie. Codi and Hallie identify themselves as orphans incapable of unders
With Hallie as protection from her own personal feelings, Codi never has to examine or analyze them. Codi's lack of confidence and the prevaling idea that she is an outsider is a personal aspect she never had to encounter. Hallie is a necessary sacrifice in order for Codi to realize her full potential. As long as Hallie is alive she is a safe haven for Codi to escape to when the truth of her personality becomes too apparent. The irony is that Codi thinks Hallie is life but Codi is really unable to live until Hallie dies. After the death of Hallie, Codi is able to see her insecurities and deal with them. She is able to find a direction in her life and she begins to establish a foundation for her future. She is able to secure a family, friends, a career, and an establish place within Grace. Hallie's death enables Codi to live. tanding their father's coldness. Codi and Hallie become dependent on each other for emotional nourishment. Codi describes her attachment to Hallie as being, "like keenly mismatched Siamese twins conjoined at the back of the mind"(page 8). Hallie becomes Codi's only definition and source of family. Codi becomes extremely dependent on Hallie in this aspect.This is the beginning of Codi's development of insecurities. In addition, Doc Homero's aloofness with the town people develops Codi's own feelings of inacceptance. To explain, Doc Homero has personal feelings of being an outsider in Grace and he displaces these feelings onto his daughters. This is exemplified in the way Hallie describes Doc Homero's self-sufficiency, "Being like no one else, being alone, was the central ethic of his life. Mine too, to some extent, not by choice but by default"(p 69). This depicts how he displaced his feelings onto Codi. Consequently, Codi's own perception of not being accepted by the town people emerges. Furthermore, Codi's insecurities develop into a strong dependeny on Hallie in different aspects in order to deal with her feelings. Another result of Codi insecurities is her dependency on Hallie for a sense of directio
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Approximate Word count = 1376
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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