A Summer’s Reading

Respect is a very dominant and important factor in the story of Bernard Malamud, “A Summer’s Reading.” The reach for respect from the people around him causes a lot of dilemma within the main character, George Stoyonovic. And those dilemmas led to consequences that George hated. George, a high school drop out, can not get any job during one summer. He decides to read the magazines found at home. But when he met Mr. Cattanzara, he immediately lies about the hundred books he is reading, in order for Mr. Cattanzara to respect him as well as to be proud of him.

Respect is a form of acknowledgement of one’s existence. Respect is very important to everybody. Respect also gives a person a sense of confidence that he is not a failure and contradicts the idea that he is not good enough. People want respect because they want others to know how good they are. Though everybody wants it, most people often take it for granted. The irony of it all is that people wants it so much that they would do anything just to get it.

In the story, the theme Respect is very important for everybody was shown a couple of times. An example of these scenes is when George was contemplating whether or not he should attend the night classes. “He has considered registering in a night high school, only he did not like the idea of teachers always telling him what to do. He felt that they had not respected him.” He decides that since he has nothing to do at home, attending night-class would be great and it would help him catch up on the lessons he has missed. But that the idea of teachers telling him what to do causes George to think twice. He thinks that when his teachers tell him what to do or should not do it shows a lack of respect on the teachers’ part. He then feels that he is not good enough