A Short Story: Eleven by Sandra Cisneros

Eleven is a short story about the eleventh birthday of the protagonist, Rachel. It is about growing up, in a way. The day is a little traumatic for her, and she wants to turn one hundred and two instead of eleven. Just to know how to deal with this trauma.

The eleventh birthday of Rachel starts with a red sweater. The sweater has been in the coatroom for a month, and Rachel's teacher, Mrs. Price, is trying to find the owner of the said sweater. Everyone in the class claims the sweater isn't theirs, and one of the students says it is Rachel's. Mrs. Price thinks this is true and claims that she saw her wearing it and gave it to Rachel. The sweater is ugly and smells of cheese, so Rachel pushes it to the corner of the desk, which makes Mrs. Price really angry. She forces Rachel to wear the sweater, and Rachel starts crying while putting it on. She feels younger than she actually is, she feels just like a little kid. Then, another student in the class remembers that the sweater belongs to her, not Rachel. Rachel gives her the sweater and is pretty upset by the whole ordeal. She wishes she was older—one hundred and two to be exact—because she believes that would allow her to deal with the events more easily.

There is a part where Rachel compares people to onions. She believes that a five-year-old would be a five-year-old on the outside, but inside there would be a four-year-old, then a three-year-old, then a two-year-old, and in the middle of all of them there would be a one-year-old. According to her, this is valid for everyone. If you want to cry over a meaningless topic, that is the five-year-old inside you. If you need your mother's comfort, that is the three-year-old inside you. I really think this is the case in real life, despite getting older, no one really loses their childish traits. They might be diminished, but they cannot be extinguished. The story is formed around this idea. Rachel feels too young to answer her teacher, but her teacher bickers with her like children would do. This adds depth to the story. It is actually pretty easy to read and follow, and it makes sense, with the protagonist being merely an eleven-year-old. Yet, there is more to the story than that. Rachel's thoughts can be observed in the story, even if she is not aware of them. This makes the story such a gem and a must-read for everyone.