Analysis of "Little Cogburt" and "Cotton Candy"

The stories: “Little Cogburt” and “Cotton Candy” are similar and different. They both shed light to the voices of the unheard but little differences set them apart. Both stories push the boundaries and give a different perspective from what is known about the culture and social life of the locals in which they take place. Little Cogburt and Cotton Candy give insight which is great but they aren’t necessarily the same.

To begin with are the similarities. Both stories provide a narrative and insight to marginalized people. These are individuals who are either outcasts to society or lack a voice to represent them. In “Little Cogburt”, written by Phyllis Shand Allfrey, is a narrative which surrounds the hard working impoverished people of Guadeloupe. “Cotton Candy”, written by Dora Alonso, is a story about a young woman dealing with being trapped in a belief that was forced upon her by her mother. While the general premise of both stories are different what they represent are the same.

Both stories give a perspective that sheds light on social issues that aren’t really heard or have a voice so that they can be heard. The main social issue in “Little Cogburt” is the representation of the hard working laborers and their children. Phyllis Shand Allfrey was a social activist that really pushed for workers rights. The story takes place during christmas and the owners are throwing a Christmas party for the children of the laborers. The main theme portrayed is change. The wife at first is very reluctant to throw the party as she is homesick and wants to spend time with her children that are sent off to boarding school. As the story continues she begins to see that these children are just children. Her perspective changes because she realizes that they are kids born into the situations that surround them.

The same could be said about the story “Cotton Candy”. The main social issue is that Lola, the main character, struggles with achieving her dream due to her mother pushing beliefs on her. While the story is different while the premise is the same. Lola was born into a lower class home where she is surrounded by women who work as maids, in shops, or in prostitution. There is an overarching theme between the two stories that these people are born into adversity and have to overcome it in order to achieve their dream or happiness in Lola’s case it was overcoming her mother’s values that were forced upon her.  

The main difference is that “Little Cogburt” was meant to portray the harsh lifestyle of lower-class laborers as in the end it states that his hands will never get “bigger or stronger” meaning that his parents can’t support him financially enough for him to grow.

These two stories give a lot of insight to problems that are usually considered insignificant to our day to day problems that are in the spotlight. The main difference between the two is issues themselves.