Character Journal Essay Example

good boy. When I forced both of his little hands on the stove, he let out a terrifying scream that I can still hear in my mind. He fell on the floor crying and screaming. I got really scared when I saw his hands red, blistered and his skin burnt off.

I was scared to take him to the hospital. Ray said not to but I know that my boy was in a lot of pain. After we finally realized that we could not take care of his little hands, we took him to hospital. Ray said that we could be in a lot of trouble and it would be better to leave him at the hospital. The nurse said that he second to third degree burns on his hands. We told Jimmy not to say how he got the burns. We told him to say that he just tripped and fell on the stove. When we got to the hospital, there were too many things to worry about getting in trouble. We decided to leave Jimmy there at the hospital with the nurse. We were later notified that we had to appear in court for doing so. We left Jimmy for about six months before we were forced to face the state for abandoning him.

We had left Jimmy at that place for a long time. Soon after a couple of months we were contacted by a social worker. She explained to us that Jimmy is in a foster home and that he will not stay with us. Ray and I got really angry because we didnt want The Welfare to take our boy. She

suggested that we could put a petition to keep him. In court, Ray and I were told that we could no longer have Jimmy in our home. I had to explain the whole story about what happened to Jimmys hands. I told them that I was the one who placed his hands on the stove. Because Ray and I hurt Jimmy physically and probably emotionally, we were no longer allowed to have him with us. We were given the right to visit him only if we got help.

Ms. Mary Hanson is the social worker that is assigned to Jimmys case. She seems like a nice lady but Ray said not to trust her. She would make random visits to and take Jimmy out. She has taken out to the circus and to her own home. She has helped Ray and I by making us go to a group where we take about anger management. She seems to like Jimmy a lot and she seems very understanding.Jimmy really likes her a lot. He tends to talk about her and the visits that they have. Sometimes I find myself getting jealous of her because I see how happy Jimmy is when he talks about her. Ray said that she wants to keep him for herself but I dont believe him. She is very nice and she is going to help me get him back.

Mary said that by going to the meetings it could help show that I could change and I have. I dont need to go to those meetings anymore. I am a whole lot better about getting mad and taking it out on

my boy. I am ready to live on my own with my baby. I am not going to be with Ray anymore because he is the main one who hurts him. He makes me hurt him. I have a plan that will help me get my baby back. I know that Ms. Hanson will understand and help me. Ray said that she wont but she is a woman and a woman understands about being a mother.

My plan is to move out on Ray and get a place of my own. I am thinking that I am going to live in a duplex where my friend lives. I am also looking for a job that will help support Jimmy and I. Jimmy will be well taken care of and he will never be hurt again. I miss him a lot. Even though all he gets into trouble, he is still my baby.

I am going to see Ms. Hanson today. I am going to wear Jimmys favorite of all my dresses. He always thought I looked pretty in flower dresses. I know that I have to walk a long ways but I am determined to get him back. I am going to talk to her about getting Jimmy back. I know that she will understand me and give him back to me. I will tell her about my plan and how better I am getting about things. I am going to get my baby back no matter what it takes. I know that she will help and understand.

Luellen James is a mother with an abusive husband. She herself has become abusive towards her only son,

Jimmy. She is easily influenced and commanded by her husband, Ray James. She remembers all his advice and takes it as her own. You will find her quoting him a lot. Luellen does have a problem with maintaining her anger. She is aggressive when Mary, the social worker, can not help her with her hopes of getting her baby back. She even goes to the extreme of almost getting violent with her. Luellen is in denial of her violent acts that she imposes on others. She blames her husband for all the abuse that she commits but she knows that deep down inside that it is she that is abusive. It seems that the only way that she will understand will be by the loss of her child

1. The scene takes place in the office of Ms. Mary Hansen.

2. The time consideration of child protection laws and welfare services and the remarks in the play make this scene take place in the late 70s or early 80s.

3. My character, Luellen James, thinks she has a personal relationship with Jimmys social worker, Mary Hanson. She makes herself believe its personal because she wants Mary to understand about her situation and give Jimmy back to her. Mary makes it clear that their relationship is strictly professional and that she will abide by all state laws.

4. My characters intention at the top of the scene is to get Jimmy back in her custody. Her intentions stay strong throughout the scene until she comes to realize that she cannot have him. She retreats quickly and leaves.

5. The obstacle to my characters intention is Mary and the state child protective

laws that she represents. The other obstacle is her anger which had Jimmy taken away in the first place.

6. Luellens motives is her love and need for Jimmy. She misses him a whole lot but fails to really understand that he was taken away because of her actions.

7. In the scene, Luellen finally discovers that she is the reason why Jimmy was taken away. She also comes to discover that she has lost her only child due to her violent acts. The major transitions in the scenes are when Luellen threatens Mary and Mary fights back with the truth.

8. My character, Luellen is longer hopeful that she will get her son back. She is devastated and does not know what she will do next. She understands that Mary is not a family friend but a representative of the state that took away her child for his safety. Luellen has lost everything.

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