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Lullabies for Little Criminals

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“Innocence tinctures all things with the brightest hues”-Edward Counsel. In the two novels, “Lullabies for Little Criminals” by Heather O’Neil and “Playing House” by Patricia, they polarizers how when individuals become disillusioned by reality, they becomes astray causing them to forfeit their innocence. Through the impotent living conditions, the absence of a strong and reliable support system and the simpleminded decisions made, the two protagonists face imminent consequences and challenges throughout the novels.

The role parents play in the life of a child can have a substantial impact on the child’s lifestyle, parents have the ability to teach children life lessons they can not learn from others and how to function properly in society. Parents are the structure children depend on to support them, without them, a child such as Baby is bound to face severe consequences. Firstly, Baby has a dysfunctional relationship with her father Jules, he is absent for the majority of her childhood, leaving Baby to fend for herself. Due to this complete paternal absence, Baby’s innocence perishes, as well as her childish ways. We can see this through the following quote, “ I took the cigarette out of his hand and put it in a glass next to my bed. He was hot as hell, but I liked him there right next to me, stoned, and not going anywhere.” (O’Neil, p.g 22). Baby has assumed the role of the caregiver to her father, she is acting like a mother in the sense, by taking his cigarette out his hand when he fell asleep and putting it out, so he will not get hurt. The roles have been reversed, Jules is acting like a child, while Baby is forced to grow up swiftly and presumes the role of a mother in order to take care of Jules. The second example of the effects of livelihood without the means of support, is the lack of a maternal figure in Baby’s life. Mothers educate their children

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