Gangsta Granny

“Looking expectantly out of the living room window was Granny. Waiting. She was always waiting by the window for him to arrive. How long has she been there? thought Ben. Since last week? Ben was her only grandchild, and, as far as he knew, no one else ever came to visit.”

Ben dreads going to Granny’s house, but she eagerly awaits his arrival. This passage highlights the stark differences between the two at the beginning of the story, beginning the author’s theme of Overcoming Generational Differences. While Ben’s perspective sets Granny up as an antagonist who ruins his weekends with her boring behavior, moments like this hint at her true character, as she loves her grandson and deeply values his company.

“‘Now, I’ve set up the Scrabble board, and for your tea, I’ve got your favorite…cabbage soup!’ Ben’s face dropped even further. Nooooooooooooooooo! he thought.”

This comedic passage shows how Granny and Ben have very different preferences and that Ben struggles to communicate honestly with Granny. This quotation helps convey why Ben judges Granny so harshly and dreads going to her house. It also shows how Granny struggles to understand Ben and what a child his age likes, just as Ben misunderstands her.

“Although Ben hated reading, he loved looking at all the covers of Granny’s books. They had fast cars and guns and glamorous ladies luridly painted on them, and Ben found it hard to believe this boring old Granny of his liked reading stories that looked so thrilling.”

This passage foreshadows Ben’s discovery that Granny is a jewel thief. Granny’s taste in books is Ben’s first indication that she may not be as “boring” as he thinks, hinting that Ben will soon learn much more about Granny.