brinkman wino essay

An Essay on "The Kool-Aid Wino"
by Pamela N. Brinkman

As stated in my previous paper, I believe that the Kool-Aid Wino is a positive character. My first argument was based on the premise that he knew what he wanted and went after it. Although it could be argued that this tendency indicated a selfish and greedy nature, I prefer to see these attributes as goal-oriented and determined. I see these as positive traits. I feel that too many people have no goals and are simply wnadering aimlessly through life, which later leads to dissatisfaction and unhappiness and a sense of unfulfillment. Although our "wino"'s goals were simple and easily attained, the fact that he has set goals and attained them indicates to me that he is someone who has the capacity to set future goals and see them through. His next goal will most likely be a little more complicated and broader in scope, and as he continues to succeed in his goals, he will progress to some that will benefit himself and society in one way or another.

My second theory is his use of imagination. Many people seem to see an active imagination as something to be feared or discouraged in children. They may feel that it is active imaginations that cause such tragedies as the Columbine massacre and that allow a Jim Jones to lead people into mass suicide. However, it is my belief that these types of horrors happen more to those with little or no imagination than to those who have a vivid, creative streak of imagination. The wino's play in the story was that he is a Kool-Aid wino, but in his future, perhaps he could imagine himself an Abraham Lincoln or an Albert Einstein. In my opinion, the use of the imagination is more likely to prevent tragedy than to cause it.

It is difficult to conceive that meticulousness could be viewed as an undesirable attribute. I suppose one could say that such careful and meticulous behavior as the wino exhibited in the story with regard to the Kool-Aid ceremony could lead later on to an obsessive-compulsive disorder, but I really think that that's stretching matters. I can think of dozens of careers in which such attention to detail and supreme dedication would be an extreme advantage - and all of those careers could easily be performed by someone with a disability. Therefore, I still feel that my argument for his practicality and meticulousness is merited in a positive view of the character. Also, such behavior is usually a trait of positive people, because in my experience, negative people do not care enough to be meticulous.

In conclusion, even considering some of the arguments to the contrary, I still feel that this character should be considered positively rather than negatively.