Ava Rose Paul

THE 122-004

Character Analysis #2

March 6, 2019

Cheryl

1. I really like David, but he’s so organized. He makes me feel middle aged. I love the book Cat’s

Cradle. I say that I was feeling lousy, but Clint made me feel better. At the same time, he’s

making me feel like Mrs. Robinson. I say that I don’t have to be Mt. Everest anymore. I’m out

there piling on the snow and leaving signs for the way up. I’m constantly mad at Ronnie because

she’s always telling me what to do with my life. I don’t like being told how to act.

Ricky calls me a “that”, says that I am 5’10, I look 25 -26 years old, brown hair, a great

physique but—A minus on the lungs, great hooters, “endless legs”, great ass, a Russian 9.8 and

an All American 10, a perfect 10 he wants to have. He says that I smiled at him in the parking lot

and he thinks that I have the hots for him, and says I was playing it cool. He thinks that I put out.

He details me as a skinny wispy model. He tells Clint that I ask him to move his car. Ricky

believes that I won’t give Clint the time of day and that I wouldn’t waste my time with an

asshole. He tells Clint that I asked to see him scream. He tells Clint that I have class.

Ronnie says that I must have come to the inn before with some guy. She tells me that I’m

like the Avon lady, that I have perfect skin, lashes, cheekbones, and hair. Tells me that I’m not a

college graduate. She says that I stole her bracelet, panting at the guys, thinking that sex is a

scorecard. Says that I’m engaged to David, playing dumb game to get back at David. She tells

me that I’m pretty, acting like I’m in junior high, acting immature, and calls me a twat. She says
that she came to be with me, even though she knew that I would leave her on the beach. She’d

rather be betrayed by me, because it makes her feel dumb. She also calls me Mt. Everest, people

see me and want to climb me. She says that I dump her whenever a guy comes around.

Clint calls me an older woman, says I have a hot maple syrup voice in February. Clint

believes that I am a white whale. Calls me a babe and that I’m a big looking one, and that I have

a strong affect on men. He doesn’t understand why I hang out with Ronnie. Girls like me say,

“No thanks, I’m with my girlfriend.” He tells Ricky that I’m no dummy and that girls like me

don’t go for airheads, and that I wouldn’t appreciate the caveman approach, kill her with

sensitivity.

2. My father let me listen to Prince, when I was little. I was the first child and so I was always

number one in my daddy’s eyes, also his only girl. I listened to music with him all the time,

which had dirty words and things in it that mama didn’t like. Daddy and I would dance every

day, until they were more babies. I was no longer the only child, I wasn’t getting sole attention

anymore. He had his boys, I always felt a left out when he would play with his sons, but at least

he would dance with me.

When I started getting older I wanted to find somebody that would dance with me too,

because there came a time when we stopped dancing. I’ve been trying to find a dancer ever

since. Someone that could live up to Dad’s standards.

3. My mother used to never let me go out with my friends to the mall or have sleepovers at

other houses. She wanted to keep me locked up with her, so every chance I had in getting out I

did. Every experience she hid from me, I tried to have and did. Everything she wanted me not to
do, made me want to do it even more. The thing she tried to most to keep me away from was

boys, so that became my way of getting her back. I’m going to find out what’s so dangerous

about them.

I won’t stop and she can’t make me.

4. My mom would be a bear and my dad would be a Chimpanzee.

5. I was born in St. Lukes hospital in New Bedford Massachusetts in 1953. My family was

middle class all throughout my childhood, until my mother kept having more children. Then

money became harder and harder, but we were never poor, just very tight on money. Growing up

light skinned was very dangerous, which made us low middle class. The neighbors didn’t accept

us. We weren’t accepted anywhere. Getting an education was hard, because even the colored

schools didn’t like the thought of me. But my parents made sure that I did.

Now, I am still middle class, but I have my own place. I’m making a good bit of money at

the bank and I’m hoping to get a promotion soon.

My greatest fear would be living the life my mother had. Having kids all the time and not

having a passion. My greatest accomplishment this far would be graduating from college and

then getting a great job at the bank. I am pro women’s right, and I want civil justice. My full

name is Cheryl Leslie Johnson. Ronnie sometimes calls me Cher. David also calls me Cher.

6. My mother has affected me a lot in my life. Even though, she is a pain in my ass and wouldn’t

let me do things when I was growing up. She was doing it so that I would graduate through high

school without getting pregnant. She really wanted the best in me, even though it’s hard for me
to admit. When I told her I was going to college, she was shocked. She didn’t understand why I

wanted to ‘waste’ money. Not listening to my mother at that point in my life was so hard, but I

know that’s what I needed to do. My dad understood, but mom didn’t speak to me for a while, I

think she thought I was a lesbian or something.

Ronnie, my best friend, has been my ride or die friend for so long. She was the first

person that didn’t ask if my mom or dad was white. She was just Ronnie and I was just Cheryl. I

didn’t feel like an outcast with her. She made me normal and special at the same time. She also,

really encouraged me to go to college in times when I didn’t even think that I could. She helped

me raise money and work hard, my true friend.

7. Ronnie,

I can’t thank you enough for being my best friend for the last 8 years. You saw me as

Cheryl the president of the Women’s Rights Club and not the half black Junior in school. You

became my friend as soon as you stepped foot in the club that day, but you became my best

friend when you picked up the phone and I told you that mother was pregnant again. Even

though, you didn’t know exactly what that meant for me, you came straight over and spent the

night calming me down. I knew that I could count on you for anything.

8. Dear David,

I’m sorry I left and didn’t answer your question. I was and am just very scared. I know

we’ve been dating for sometime, but you know how I feel about settling down. The whole idea
scares me but you don’t. David I know that I love you, but I’m not ready to have kids and start a

family.

I don’t want the only reason you marrying me is because you’re scared of not being

married in your 30s. We are both still young. I can’t be just something on your checklist, because

I know you, you have so many lists. I don’t want things to change. Marriage is such a big

decision, I know that if I marry you, I might regret it, because I don’t want to miss out on life. I

don’t want to be stuck, that terrifies me.

That first night, our first date, I told you about my life, my family. I was clear that I didn’t

want that. You can’t change me, and I can’t change you. We shouldn’t try to change each other.

Listen, I’m not saying the I won’t marry you. But I am saying that I can’t marry you

today. Maybe in a year, maybe in a month I don’t know. I do know, that I’m not ready now. If

this doesn’t work for you, I understand, I want you to be happy.

You are one of the kindest people I know. I hope you know that. I would like to still be in

your life.

Love, Cher

Part two: Answer the following from your point of view as the actor.

9. She would be the color purple, a cheetah, a chocolate sundae, a lava lamp, a thunderbird,

and disco.
10. Here lies the great Cheryl Leslie Johnson who wanted a helluva lot of things out of life and

she got what she always wanted, love.

11. Front: I don’t think you can handle me? Back: Some already have.

12. Similarities:

We both want a lot out life.

We both had troubling parents.

I’m scared I’ll settle.

I like teasing men, just a little.

We both have a strong connection to music.

We both only have one true best friend.

We’ve gotten our hearts broken.

We both have an animalistic style of energy.

Men think that they want us.

I am ambitious and want a lot out of life.

Differences:

I can’t sleep with men without having knowing them for a while. I have to be somewhat in love

with them.
I’m not impulsive.

I don’t run away from problems, I face them.

I wouldn’t be satisfied just working at a bank.

I have a great relationship with my mom.

I wouldn’t betray my friend.

I’m more compassionate than her.

I don’t want to have a lot of loves in my life. I want a real one.

I want to have children.

She takes time to look GOOD every day. Full face!