Literature

Introduction

The Ace of Diamonds, Master of Big Jingles and The Paper Parcel are three New Zealand short stories written by New Zealander Owen Marshall. In these short stories the events that unfold around the boys contribute effectively, as they highlight what happens to the young boys when growing up. Through these events the ideas; the power of imagination, fragility of friendship, loss of innocence and the influence of adult society upon them, are seen.

Discussion

One idea seen is the loss of childhood innocence. This can be seen to the young boys of "The Ace of diamonds gang". These boys are still naïve children and are unaware of growing up and changing to be apart of the adult world. But when the gang witnesses Jorgensen having sex, it causes a shockwave among them cutting their innocent gang activities short. "He's really doing her, Jesus", says Dusty. This event of witnessing Jorgenson has caused a split among the gang. The boys from now on are forced to look at the world through an adult perspective. In "Master of Big Jingles", the friendship between Creamy and the narrator is strong and when they split because of peer and social pressure it is this, which has caused the loss of innocence. "Hubber hubber ding ding", one boy comments when he sees Ken's sister. This event shows an awakening of sexual desire amongst the group, and a shift towards adult views. The events show that the boy's views on the world have changed, and therefore they have lost their childhood innocence (Marshall pp.120-150).

An event that happens to the young boys in "The Paper Parcel" is his mother leaves making his costume for the school for social till the last minute. This event establishes just how much adult influence has on society. "It will be a hit," proclaims the narrator' mother, towards the costume. But as she has left making the costume right till the last minute, it highlights her total lack of understanding for her son's situation. "She never realized how little adult convention applies to the young" She is lazy and out of touch with her sons world, as she unknowingly forces her views upon her son. In "Master of Big Jingles", the influence of adult social structure is seen when Creamy is forced to go to tech. Creamy, is forced to follow a career mapped out for him by his father, while his friends attend high. This separation between Creamy and his boy-hood friend is a direct creation of the action of adult world structures. This separation is the reason behind the aggressive and defensive behaviour between the boys, which was not seen before hand. This influence of the adult world structure forced upon the boys shows how it changes the behaviour and thinking patterns of the boys (Marshall pp.120-150).

Fragility of friendship is another idea seen in "The Ace of Diamonds". All the boys are different stages of development Dusty is more interested in girls while Bernie and the narrator are more imaginative, ...