Moustache: Short Story and Situation
The short story “The Moustache” by Robert Cormier is about a boy named Mike who is sent to visit his senile grandmother at a nursing home. His mother warns Mike that his grandmother, Meg, will probably not recognize him. Once Mike gets to the nursing home, he is surprised when she recognizes him and calls him Mike. After a few minutes of chatting, Mike then realizes that Meg has mistaken him for her late husband, Mike who passed away years ago. Mike follows along with the situation and says calm, the last thing he wanted was to upset or scare his grandmother. Once Mike finally leaves, he knows he had just learned a secret that was only meant to be between Meg and Mike from years ago. Everything Mike learns from visiting his grandmother suggests that when loved ones are involved in conflicting roles, a person will choose to fulfill the role that is best for those loved ones.
When Mike visited his grandmother, he did not expect to discover a dark secret only meant to be between his grandmother and her husband. “The Moustache” suggests that the dark secret was that one night, Meg accused Mike (her late husband) of cheating on her. At the time, Meg was absolutely sure that she was right about her accusations, but years later she explains to Mike, “You were whispering, an awful whisper, not wanting to upset little Ellie but wanting to make me see the truth. And I didn’t answer you, Mike. I was too proud” (Cormier 208). Meg realizes now, years later, that she is wrong. Mike told her all along that he never cheated on her, but she did not believe him. He told her the truth and then left it at that. Her husband Mike was telling the truth the whole time, and that shows that he is choosing the role that would be best for loved ones-honesty in this case. Telling the truth and leaving the situation aside is the best thing to do in his situation.
Mike was distraught when he found out that his grandmother had mistaken him for her late husband. Not only did Mike feel
When Mike visited his grandmother, he did not expect to discover a dark secret only meant to be between his grandmother and her husband. “The Moustache” suggests that the dark secret was that one night, Meg accused Mike (her late husband) of cheating on her. At the time, Meg was absolutely sure that she was right about her accusations, but years later she explains to Mike, “You were whispering, an awful whisper, not wanting to upset little Ellie but wanting to make me see the truth. And I didn’t answer you, Mike. I was too proud” (Cormier 208). Meg realizes now, years later, that she is wrong. Mike told her all along that he never cheated on her, but she did not believe him. He told her the truth and then left it at that. Her husband Mike was telling the truth the whole time, and that shows that he is choosing the role that would be best for loved ones-honesty in this case. Telling the truth and leaving the situation aside is the best thing to do in his situation.
Mike was distraught when he found out that his grandmother had mistaken him for her late husband. Not only did Mike feel