I enjoyed reading the story "The Kool-Aid Wino," a story about a boy who was obsessed with grape Kool-Aid. The character in the story was very interesting, and the author kept me curiously wondering what was going to happen. After researching within the story and writing my first draft essay, I decided the boy was both a negative and positive character. At first I was determined that the boy was a negative character, but after reading the story a second time and listening to others' opinions, I changed my mind. "The Kool-Aid Wino" is a story about a boy who creates a whole new world with his Kool-Aid and neglects and forgets about the world and problems around him.

   One reason why the Kool-Aid Wino was negative is because he did not respect the people who he was around. He did not thank his friend for the nickel he brought for his Kool-Aid. He told his mother that he would do the dishes, but he carelessly ignored her wishes once he got his Kool-Aid. Another reason why he was negative was because he did not take the time to change for bed. Although, in some ways this could be seen as positive it is, I think, also negative. It takes maybe two minutes to change. Changing his clothes might help save his other clothes because it would not fade out or wear out as fast. A third reason why he is a negative character is because when he was making the Kool-Aid nothing else mattered. He was in his own carefree world. Instead of spending so much time on the Kool-Aid, he should have been helping his family. On the other hand, the boy left all the problems he had and created his own world to forget all the bad things. Despite the handicap he had and the conditions he was living in, this boy was able to have his own peace of mind somewhere else.

In conclusion, the boy was happy about one thing in his life, but does not give him the right to make excuses about everything else in his life? Although he neglected his family responsibilities and thus was negative; nevertheless, he able to have one thing and use it for something positive.