A Taste of Honey Essay Example for Free

A Taste of Honey Essay Human development is a continuous process, but there may be critical periods in our development during which adaptational success or failure heavily influences the course of later development in the life cycle. Adolescence clearly is one of these critical developmental transitions. The number of extent of changes that occur simultaneously during adolescence present major challenges to the development of mature and effective coping strategies. In Shelagh Delaney’s â€Å"A Taste of Honey,† we can observe this adolescent development or the stages of adolescence in the life of the protagonist, Jo. In the beginning, the protagonist is already able to demonstrate some characteristics of early adolescents. She starts to show an attitude where an individual is easily frustrated and anxious. Jo tells her mother, â€Å"Why should I run around after you?† Her mother responded â€Å"Children owe their parents these little attentions† but she instantly defended herself and said â€Å"I don’t owe you a thing.† Somehow, Jo has a rigid concept of what is wrong or right, reflecting traces of being in the early adolescence stage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The protagonist in the story is seventeen years old. At this age, she would express characteristics or behaviors of those in the middle adolescence stage. Usually, at the middle adolescence stage, most of the changes due to puberty already took place. Considering this, Jo would already be very concerned with her living environment, especially with regards to how she looks or how she is presented in the society. Jo states in the beginning â€Å"Can’t be soon enough for me, I’m cold and my shoes let water.† Then she adds â€Å"What a place and we’re supposed to be living off her immoral earnings.† This emphasizes a characteristic of middle adolescents who are able to use speech in order to convey their feelings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Jo was driven out of their apartment, she manages to confide in the arms or care of a black sailor and she engaged in a one night stand. Due to conflicts at home, the protagonist tried to find love from other people. In addition to this, it can be said that because of her pursuit for love, the risk for sexual intercourse increased. Later on, she was forced to find a job and move to a new place. She had enough with her mother and her interferences and decided to live an independent life; part of being at the middle adolescence stage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In her new place, she was able to meet a homosexual named Geoffrey who was also like her; shy and lonely. Eventually, she finds out that she is pregnant. A good thing about it is that she gains a sense of maturity from the mistake which she committed irrationally. At an early age, she begins to think of her future and her child’s future as well. So she works hard in order to keep herself and her baby alive. At this time, she is already able to make independent decisions for herself and takes pride in everything that she does. Geoffrey on the other hand, despite being homosexual, gains further understanding or development of his sexual identity. He proposed a marriage to Jo, taking full responsibility of the child she is bearing; something which is really admirable for a homosexual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The reappearance of Jo’s mother in their lives stirred the peace, but Jo was already strong enough to defend herself and her new found family. She has greater ability to tell the things which she feels and thinks. Her ability to embrace causes with conviction made her step up the ladder of adolescent development. When her mother volunteered to change their flat to the way she (Jo’s mother) likes, â€Å"I’m going to make it just the way you (referring to Jo, which is a form of irony) like it.† Jo steps up and tells her â€Å"Oh no!† She tells her that she likes their place the way it is right now. Somehow, Jo’s experiences and maturity definitely honed her up to stand to challenges and cope with life. Works Cited Delaney, S. (1956). A Taste of Honey. New York: Grove Press.