What is ironic about the decision Uncle Angelo makes at the end of the text?
The Power of "Things"
It has been stated that a person's success can be measured by the objects he or she
possesses; the more that people possess, the more successful they are. This is what I was
coerced into believing when I was a gullible fourteen-year-old My acquaintances
insisted
that
they would one day be the proud owners of the "best" cars, the "largest homes, and the most
"fashionable" clothing available. They'd pontificate about their dreams as though there were
nothing else to think about day after day. I responded as though I were in agreement with them,
but my internal sense was that there was no way all these "things" would positively affect my
future. In fact, I was rather frightened by the idea that "things" could be so powerful: Little did I
know how right I was
During the summer of 2001, I vacationed at my Aunt Susan and Uncle Angelo's house in
Ventura, California. They lived only ten minutes from the Pacific Ocean, which was very different
from the Mojave Desert where I lived. The ocean's dynamic strength and beauty enticed me to
walk to its shore every day, whether there was sunshine or not. I loved spending my time in a
place where objects were not the key to happiness and enjoyment. It didn't matter if I were
dressed in the latest fashions. It didn't matter if I drove to the ocean in the "hottest vehicle in
C2024 Illuminate Education, Inc.
A.
He puts the table outside on the patio after his wife states that it does not match anything in
their house.
After talking about the importance of family, he chooses a silly wagon wheel table over his
O B.
own wife
OC. He gets rid of the table after stating what an important and beautiful piece of history it was
D.
After describing the importance of working hard and earning money, he wastes money on
the table.