What are four examples of Squeaky's negative personality traits, obstacles, or weaknesses from the story "Raymond's Run?" 

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Squeaky, the narrator in "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara, is a wonderful character, but like all realistic characters, she has some negative traits. First of all, she likes to fight. She even says she would rather physically fight someone than talk it out with him/her. 

"I much rather just knock you down and take my chances even if I am a little girl with skinny arms and a squeaky voice, which is how I got the name Squeaky" (Bambara 1)

Squeaky also might be considered a little conceited about her running. She says that she is the fastest runner in the neighborhood other than her dad and brags about winning all of the races she enters.

"There is no track meet that I don't win the first place medal. I use to win the twenty-yard dash when I was a little kid in kindergarten. Nowadays, it's the fifty-yard dash. And tomorrow I'm subject to run the quarter-meter relay all by myself and come in first, second, and third" (Bambara 1-2)

Third, Squeaky is judgmental. She makes fun of Cynthia Procter for not admitting to studying for the spelling bee or practicing piano. Squeaky seems to think she (Squeaky) is the better person for being up front and out in the open about her own practicing. Squeaky is proud of the fact that she practices her running whenever she gets the chance, even if it embarrasses her mother.

Finally, Squeaky also lowers herself to the level of the same group of girls who call Raymond names and make fun of him by calling the girls names like "fatso" and "stupid." On one hand she is defending her brother, but on the other she is doing to them exactly what she doesn't like them doing to her brother. 

 

See eNotes Ad-Free

Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial Team