Trim & Notions

Throughout time people have developed an awareness of their surroundings and how to act around their acquaintances in order to feel accepted and not ostracized. In “Trim & Notions”, an excerpt from a compilation of short stories written by Rebecca Meacham, the main character Samantha struggles with an imbroglio of being pregnant with no father in the picture to assist her. Samantha struggles with the thought that everyone she cares about will judge her for being “sort of a scandal.” An important lesson that can be learned from this story is that allowing one’s self to be ruled by shame and embarrassment can blind a person from seeing the true support and elation that others are willing to share with him or her. Samantha has difficulty finding peace with her less than ideal pregnancy during the story. She worries that the pregnancy is a mistake, that people will judge her for being a single parent, and that her mother and sister will be disappointed in her. Compared to her sister, Samantha has always been the organized and meticulous child, which is where her need for approval and assurance stems from. She is an organized person who prides herself on how long she can go without making a mistake, and in her mind, this baby boy is a mistake. Samantha’s sister Anne tries to explain to Sam that her baby is not something to be ashamed of and that “it’s not some black mark on your record. It’s a baby!” Her sister is referring to Samantha’s desire for perfection in life and explains how her baby is not like a bad grade on a report card nor a crime committed. The people that Samantha surrounds herself with are supportive and caring and see nothing negative about her pregnancy or the absence of the father. Instead of enjoying her pregnancy, Samantha is hiding it from the world the best she can. She even goes as far as attempting to hide her baby bump from a man whom she finds attractive. Samantha hiding her pregnancy upsets and confuses both her sister and