Caretaking
In “Raymond’s Run,” Squeaky is responsible for looking after her disabled older brother, Raymond, despite being a child herself. While her family’s expectation that she will care for Raymond gives Squeaky a sense of pride and identity, it’s also overwhelming: she is constantly fighting with and insulting Raymond’s bullies (which puts her at odds with her peers), and whenever Raymond gets into trouble, Squeaky’s family blames her. Meanwhile, nobody seems to be caring for…
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Reputation, Respect, and Identity
Squeaky is an independent, headstrong girl who’s at odds with a society that values strict adherence to social norms. While her parents and teachers expect her to be docile and feminine, Squeaky insists on being herself: she won’t wear dresses, she has rituals that seem odd to others (like constantly practicing running and performing breathing exercises in public), and she spends all her time with her disabled brother, Raymond, whose appearance and behavior expose…
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Gender Roles and Female Solidarity
The protagonist of “Raymond’s Run”—a precocious young girl nicknamed Squeaky—hopes that she’ll win the 50-yard dash at the local May Day races. Her main competition is a girl named Gretchen—a feud that reflects Squeaky’s broader estrangement from women and femininity. Leading up to the race, she narrates her discomfort with the traditionally feminine role that her community expects her to play: instead of wearing a frilly dress and dancing around the May Pole…
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