Choices are important in one's life. They give one free will, letting one be able to decide what is best for oneself. They allow people to make correct choices or incorrect choices, which defines one’s character. In Stray, Doris finds a dog she wants to keep while shoveling the driveway, but couldn't because of her family's poverty. Even so, Doris' parents ended up choosing to keep the dog out of kindness. In Eleven, Rachel was forced to wear a dirty, ugly sweater by the teacher, as she thought that it was Rachel, which was not hers. In Greyling, a fisherman and his wife always wanted a child, but never got the chance to have one. The fisherman kept his grief to himself, while the fisherman's wife complained to the husband. One day, they adopted a selchie even when it was wrong, and when the fisherman was caught in the storm, the wife had no choice but to sacrifice the Greyling for her husband. In the scholarship Jacket,Martha is looking forward to winning the scholarship jacket, but soon finds out that it might not be rewarded to her because her competitor's parents are powerful. In the end, Martha was awarded the scholarship jacket because the principal made an exception.
Choices are usually made based on one’s situation. In Stray, Doris is faced with a choice to either convince her parents to keep the dog, or to not bother. It seems like Doris has a choice here, but she doesn’t, as either choice she makes ends up in the same destination. Doris knows that her parents wouldn’t agree to keep the dog no matter how much she persuades, already knowing their disapproval. Yet if she decides to not convince her parents, her parents would obviously not decide to keep the dog, as the idea isn’t proposed yet in their minds. In Eleven, Rachel could either disobey the teacher, or follow the teacher, when she put the ugly sweater on her desk. Rachel had to follow the teacher, as if Rachel were to speak out against the teacher, it could lead to more trouble down the line. It is also rare for a hardworking and obedient student to speak out against a teacher, as shown in the story. In the scholarship Jacket,Martha seems to have the choice to speak out against the principal, but could not speak out against the principal, knowing that it could lead to greater trouble down the line.
Choices that one makes can often reveal one’s character. In Eleven, Rachel’s teacher could have apologized to Rachel for causing all her sadness and grief, but she didn’t, making the wrong choice. In Greyling, the fisherman and the fisherman’s wife should have left the selchie where it belonged-the ocean, except they didn’t, showing their selfishness and greed, causing the selchie to miss out on things that other selchies don’t. Many times people take the easy route out of the choices that they have, instead of making the right decision. In Stray, Doris’ parents could have accepted the dog, or rejected it. At the beginning, Doris’ parents couldn’t bring themselves to accept the dog, as their poverty limited their free choice to do what they wanted. Yet at the end, they accepted the dog, out of kindness and sadness for the dog. This was because the hound only allowed six days for the dogs to live inside a crowded, smelly cage. After that, they would be shot with a bullet. When Doris’ parents heard of this, they chose to make the right decision, even when their poverty limits them from doing so. In Greyling, when the fisherman’s wife also let the Greyling disappear, she made the right decision, as her husband would be safe and Greyling would be back to where he belonged-the sea. In The Scholarship Jacket, the principal decided to make an exception in Martha’s case, even when it would benefit the school much more if they gave it to Joan.
Choices that one makes can hold meaning as well. In Stray, it is shown that Doris’ parents couldn’t afford to take care of the stray dog, even though they wished they could. It shows us that poverty can sometimes restrict us from doing things we want to do. Even so, their parents still adopted the stray out of kindness for the dog. In Eleven, we are shown the cruelness the world has to offer. Rachel had to wear an ugly sweater because of a student who hated her, and humiliated her in front of the whole class. But even so, one can still take it as a chance to grow up, and to take on the responsibilities of an adult. In Greyling, we are shown the selfishness of humans. When the fisherman and his wife took the selchie from the sea, it did not belong to them, and took away years from the sea. In The Scholarship Jacket, we are shown the injustice of the school system, and how they flatter the richer people, while the poorer ones are left helpless.
In conclusion, choices give us free will to do things. Because of this, sometimes we will do things that are morally wrong, or morally right. Sometimes we also seem to have a choice, yet in reality, we don’t. In Stray, Doris knows that she doesn’t have a choice, as either option would lead to the same result. Yet in the end, her parents end up keeping the dog because it is morally right. In Eleven, Rachel seems to have a choice but doesn’t, and has to obey the teacher. Yet when it is obvious that the teacher is in the wrong, she doesn’t apologize, showing that she did something that is morally wrong. In Greyling, the couple took the selchie from where it belonged, but in the end, correcting their mistakes by realizing that it would be for the best for Greyling to care for himself, back in the sea where he belonged.
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