Shay Bloom

The Sculpted Swan

A high school reunion is a stressful time for returning students. Everyone wants to appear successful – even if the reality is the opposite.

For my final project, I took a creative approach and wrote a short story depicting a 10-year high school reunion. Although each participant tries to exude success, the reality is that many of them are overworked, under payed, and struggling with student debt.

Character Analysis

Miranda Lorraine Inland desperately wants to show off her success to her former classmates. She dips into her family’s immense savings to put on the best public school reunion Massachusetts has ever seen. Miranda is the only character in the story given a last name, confirming her status in society.  Miranda has managed to land a good job after graduation, but the cost of living in Washington, DC is taking her by surprise. Even with her journalist job at the Washington Post, without an allowance from her parents, she finds funds are tight. Nevertheless, Miranda still judges Mary Joe for suggesting the reunion party was frivolous and suggests that people shouldn’t go to college if they don’t have the money. When her swan sculpture smashes, Miranda wonders out loud why “things become so twisted from what they first start off as.” This quote applies to student loans in general which appear like a good option but become twisted. However, this quote also shows insight into how Miranda views her own life. She did well in college, graduated, got a good job, and yet is struggling financially and has only had her name in print a few times. Her life has not turned out the way she wanted it to.

Mary Joe and her husband James future is uncertain. Although both work for the government, they both have extensive student debt that will take time to pay off. Additionally, Mary Joe is expecting, and babies aren’t exactly cheap. Finally, they mention a mortgage. Mary Joe didn’t want to come to the reunion, but her husband talked her into it. Obviously, these debts weigh heavily on the couple’s mind since they immediately begin joking with one another about how the money spent on the swan sculpture was probably enough to pay off most of their debts. Of course, the sculpture probably cost Miranda no more than 5k, so it wouldn’t even make a dent in the debt the couple racked up. Nevertheless, the couple keeps a light banter and James’ first reaction is to shield Mary Joe from the sculpture when it falls. So, if they don’t have money, at least they have love. If only love could pay the bills.

Jonathon is his parent’s golden boy. He was a classic popular athlete in high school and college but remained kind despite popularity. Jonathon made it out of college without loans, but only due to his parent’s generosity. His parents used their retirement funds to pay for Jonathon’s college. Although it may seem ridiculous for parents to use their retirement savings to pay for higher education, 7% of families paying for their children’s college by dipping into their retirement savings (Brandon 2014). However, Jonathon’s family could use some back-up money to get them through the months following the reunion. During the reunion, Jonathon gets a call telling him to come to the hospital because his father had a heart attack. Jonathon acts impulsively and runs out of the reunion, knocking the ice sculpture down in his rush. Once Jonathon is at the hospital, he quizzes his mother about how she will pay the medical bills. His mother dodges the questions, announcing she always wanted to start a gofundme anyways. During the conversation, Jonathon never suggests that he lends any money despite obviously wanting to support them in any way he can. This leads the reader to believe that he is in no place to help his family.

Carmine is a nurse/fast food manager/first aid trainer/really any job that will pay her. Nurses in the US are underpaid, and that is a problem for Carmine who needed a well-paying salary to pay off her student loans. Carmine’s financial situation has become so dire that she is secretly sneaking uneaten food form the reunion into her purse to eat later. Nursing is a respected career and nurses are viewed as caring people who help society through healing. Still, Carmine needs to work at a Wendy’s just to make enough money to cover monthly costs. Although there is a national “nursing shortage” in the US, the shortage doesn’t mean that salaries have improved for those who do join the career.

Katrina found out after two years of college that higher education just wasn’t her path. Unfortunately, dropping out for her meant keeping her loans but never actually receiving a diploma. Although she has gone on to become the manager at a respectable Italian restaurant, she is continuing to pay off loans for two years of her life that amounted to little. College is hailed as a time to figure out a career path. Many students end up changing their major at least once, but no one thinks of what happens if someone decides their career is one that doesn’t involve college.