Amanda Patino: Blog Option #5

They say siblings are your best friends for life, but if they are your best friends for life, why do we tend to treat them poorly at times? In the short story Sucker, written by the critically acclaimed author, Carson McCullers, the readers become divulged in the lives of two brothers: Pete and Richard (Sucker). While Sucker spends most of his days trying to earn the respect and friendship of his older brother, he is met with dismay when Pete constantly treats him poorly. 

After having his heart broken by the girl of his dreams, Pete's anger and frustrations escalate to the point where he then takes it out on Sucker. During his rampage Pete states, "Nobody cares anything about you! And just because I felt sorry for you sometimes and tried to act decent don't think I give a damn about a dumb-bunny like you" (70).  Once calmed down, Pete realizes all that he has just said, along with the drastic change in Sucker’s persona, and begins to immediately regret everything, even how he has treated Sucker his whole life.

Throughout the short story, McCullens implies that the main theme is acceptance. While Pete was trying to be accepted by the apple of his eyes, Maybelline, Sucker was trying to be accepted by his older brother, Pete. In the story, McCullens writes, “If a person admires you a lot you despise him and don’t care-and it is the person who doesn’t notice you that you are apt to admire” (69). While reading Sucker, I couldn’t help but to think how much truth McCullens statement held, as well as the many times I had been unpleasant towards my younger brother.

Being the middle child while growing up could be great at times. I looked up to my older brother in multiple ways and tried to gain his respect by accomplishing many things. But to my own dismays, he seemed to always shrug off or ignore what I had to say and all that I would do. Feeling resentment towards my older brother, I began to take it out on my younger brother. While my younger brother would harmlessly try to be my friend and admired me, I ignored him and acted the same way towards him that my older brother acted towards me.

When Sucker’s personality changed, it made me realize how I had acted towards my younger brother in the past. Even though my brothers and I can fight at times, we have all earned each other’s respect and are one another’s best friends.  Sucker, is a short story that I would recommend to all of my friends. Although I am rating it a 3, it has the ability to make us reflect on our use of words and actions to those around us.