| The Kool-Aid
Wino An Essay by Whitney McGinn I perceived the Kool-Aid wino to be a negative character; I feel strongly about it. The story is about two young boys; the one known as the Kool-Aid wino has a rupture. He was from a poor German family. His family could not afford an operation or a truss that would help with the rupture. The narrator is speaking of a remembrance from his childhood about him and this other boy, the "Kool-Aid wino." The story begins one August morning when he went to the poor boy's house. He was still asleep; the first words he said were, "Did you bring the nickel you promised?" No "hello" or "how are you," just do you have nickel. That to me is negative because it is disrespectful and rude. The boy acts that way the rest of the story. The boy replied, "Yes, it is here in my pocket." The boy jumped out of bed still dressed; his reasoning for that was "Why bother" because he would just have to put them on again the next day. That could be thought of as positive because it shows he has not given up because of his rupture. In my view, if he can leap out of bed, step over his sleeping family and make his own breakfast, then he is able to do more than he portrays which to me means he is taking advantage of people and that is negative, in my opinion. Then they walked three blocks to the store through a heavy grassy field. As soon as they enter, the grocer know why we were there. The grocer handed the Kool-Aid to him. The boy replied "He's got it" -- still no "thank you" or appreciation shown at all. I see his friend being used by the Kool-Aid wino, just for his money, to feed into his "addiction." That is how I am characterizing this story. He went all that way, six blocks through a field to stop his craving. After leaving, he hurried home to perform his "ceremonies" of Kool-Aid making. He got a gallon jug, added the Kool-Aid, no sugar, and doubles the amount. He -- with the expertise of a famous brain surgeon -- fills the gallon jug of water from the spiggot, not spilling a drop. That does show a positive point: he can do that so well without spilling any and even carrying it over to the shack. That shows negativism to me because if he can do all this so well, he could also earn some of his own money working and not use his friend for money to supply his habit. He took it to a secret place where he goes to drink it, like an addict. He pours it from the gallon jar into four quart jars, not spilling a drop. He wanted it to last as long as possible, because he doesn't know when he would get more. It says he stretches the Kool-Aid; that could be positive and in the sense that he appreciates it. I think it is because he does not know when or where he will get more money to buy Kool-Aid, so by stretching it he will have a good supply for a while. Having the Kool- Aid he was happy, and was illuminated, which could be perceived as positive. To me I believe the Kool-Aid gives him his version of happiness insofar as he could finally feed his addiction. He may have needed it badly; that is negative to me. After all that work of getting the Kool-Aid, it was like a "fix" for him, just like an addict. In closing my opinion
remains the same: a negative one. I do understand that
people do live different lives styles, and have many
varied past experiences. I think the boy is
unquestionably a negative character. I think he was an
addict, sponging off of people, and not doing his share
for his family. Instead of using his obvious
capabilities, he used the "Kool-Aid"(maybe it
was not Kool-Aid -- maybe it was something the author did
not want to admit; you never know) as a crutch to do
nothing about adapting to the disability he has. To me it
means the substances people use makes them forget reality
and also makes them unproductive members of society --
just living off of the system. Back
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