The Lake of Drinks

Analytical Essay # 4650

English > Analysis
English > Creative Writing
Literature > American

The Lake of Drinks

This is an essay about Joyce Carol Oates short story, "Four Summers."

1,595 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2002 United States

Paper Summary:

This is an analysis of the characters and themes that run through Joyce Carol Oates' short story, "Four Summers." One of the themes-- alcoholism-- runs through the story which takes place over the course of four different summers in the narrator's life. The different characters and their development over the course of the four summers is examined in detail.

From the Paper:

"The short story "Four Summers" written by Joyce Carol Oates takes place over different summers in the narrator's life. Its starts when she is very young and the short story ends with her being married and pregnant. This story is about Sissie's life around alcohol and how it changes her life dramatically over these four particular summers. She grows to hate her parents, her life, and even her marriage at the end of story. Alcohol is the root of all evil in this story and it shows how a bright young girl's life is ruin because of the use of alcohol."