Student Question

In Annie John, why does Annie make Sonia suffer if she loves her?

Quick answer:

Annie makes Sonia suffer to explore her own identity and control over others. This behavior is typical of a coming-of-age story, where Annie, as a child, tests her ability to influence others' emotions. Her actions are not driven by a desire to harm Sonia but rather by a need to understand her place in the world. This exploration is part of Annie's journey toward self-discovery and establishing her own identity.

Expert Answers

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Annie John is a bildungsroman, a coming of age story.  The narrator, Annie, is an adult who is explaining how she established her own identity.  As all children do, the child Annie hit a point when she was testing the control she had over other people.  Her desire to make Sonia suffer is a desire to test her own abilities to control the emotions of others.  Annie doesn't do because she wants Sonia to hurt; she does it because she is trying to understand her own place in the world.

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