ZAINAH GADOUI ELA
BUILDING BRIDGES 711
Having adults be in charge of your life is difficult, to say
the least. In the short story “Building Bridges” by Andrea Pinkley, the main
character, Bebe, wants to work on the bridge project, but her grandmother, Mama
Lil, won’t let her. I think a theme of this book is you have to follow your
dreams, whether the adults in your life support you or not. Through Bebe’s
journey to work on the bridge project we see that she represents hope and
determination.
At first, we see how intent on Bebe is to go to the bridge
project, that she’ll make her only family member distraught. “I don’t wanna
cross you Mama Lil, but I will if I have to.” This demonstrates that Bebe is so
serious about doing the bridge project that she’ll irritate the only family
she’s got. This is good because she’s not always going to live with Mama Lil.
Bebe is going to be by herself at one point, and she’ll be depressed if she’s
not doing what she loves. “I’ll sign it myself. I been helping you sign checks
and letters for years now.” This shows that Bebe will do anything to get to the
bridge, even sneaking out and forgery.
Later in the story, Bebe has realized that she needs to do
what makes her happy, with or not with Mama Lil’s support. “Mama Lil, I got to
find my way.’ This quote explains how she tries to tell Mama Lil how important
the Brooklyn Bridge is to her, and how she feels that Mama Lil has to let her
go, and let Bebe do her thing. After a breakfast of fried Dunbar’s ham, Bebe
says, “’Mama Lil,’ I said firmly ‘I’m going to the bridge’”. Bebe is done
asking permission to follow her dreams. She’s going to do what she wants to do,
by herself if she has to.
In Bebe’s journey to working on the bridge project, we see
that she symbolizes hope and determination. This connects to most teenagers’
lives. We fight with the people who are in charge of us, so we can do what we
want. This story relates to us because we all do what Bebe does, which is
argue, but even though Bebe and Mama Lil argue, Bebe still stays hopeful. Bebe still
hopes that Mama Lil will somehow change her mind, and sign the permission slip
for her.
