Analysis Of Teenage Wasteland By Anne Tyler

In the short story, “Teenage Wasteland” by Anne Tyler, the son of Daisy, Donny, is experiencing many troubles in school with his grades and his behavior. The school has called in Donny’s mother several times to meet about these issues. The school suggested Donny see a psychologist and that Daisy be more involved with Donny’s schooling. After all of these meetings, study sessions, and psychologist appointments. The psychologist says Donny, “[is] merely going through a difficult period in his life” (para 11), so he suggests a tutor named Calvin Beatle. A reader of this story may think that Cal tried to help and support Donny in order to bolster his self-esteem and confidence. Cal only enabled Donny with his problem in taking responsibility for himself and his actions along with failing to help Donny emotionally.
Cal, “set down so many rules! They were not allowed any questions at all about any aspect of school, nor were they to speak with his teachers” (para 43). The rules Cal set for the parents are odd; any parent would want to know about their child’s improvement with this so called tutor, especially if they are paying for these tutoring sessions. Cal’s rules made it so the parents would not be informed about anything concerning Donny and the improvement he was supposed to be making with this tutor. With Cal’s “tutoring”, Donny went from getting D’s and C’s that he acquired under his mother’s teaching, to F’s. Under the care of this “tutor”, Donny has done worse academically which cannot be improving his