Slake Limbo

Suzanna Dyal

English

Slake’s Limbo

The decision people make can affect how they change, for the good of all or not. Not just people, but characters in literary works such as poems, novels, and ballads can change from the beginning to the end. For example, a character from Slake’s Limbo written by Felice Holman, Slake, was shy and had low self-esteem. He blooms into a strong, confident, and mature person.

Aremis Slake was born an orphan at the age of thirteen, small, nearsighted, and an outcast society. He was known as a worthless lump and stopped attending school. He lived in fear and misfortune but soon he recovered. After being chased by a group of boys, he jumps in a cave in the subway hoping to start fresh. Slake believes that there is no one and no place for him but as time passes by he accepts the cave as his new home. One day, due to curiosity, he picks up leftover used newspapers and sells them to make a living. He is also given a job at the luncheonette to sweep up after the morning rush.

The character development of Slake gave positive results. He has two regular customers that really rely on him for the paper, the cleaning lady and the man with the turban. The cleaning lady gives Slake an old jacket and the counter girl gives him more food than he orders. He realizes that people do care about him. He takes good pride in his work and begins to feel better about people. He keeps whatever he finds at the diner on the floor. He even puts together eyeglasses by finding the lens. He is now a new person that can see life. He no longer felt the neglect when he is at this aunt’s house because he has his own home where he is comfortable and happy. He no longer felt the aches of his stomach because they are now filled.

He