Ramona Forever

In this middle section, the novel builds tension by increasing the number and significance of the obstacles that Ramona faces, especially the ways in which the complexities of the adult world—pregnancy, marriage, employment decisions—are outside her control and cause anxiety for her. In particular, the author adds to her theme on The Highs and Lows of Growing Up by exploring Ramona’s reaction to the news that she will soon become a big sister. By describing Ramona’s reluctance about this big change, the author shows that it will take Ramona, as the youngest family member, some time to be as happy with the news as everyone else. 

The novel explores these family dynamics in detail in order to model the processing of difficult emotions for the young reader. Privately, Ramona worries about losing her identity as the youngest child: Ramona gamely brainstorms names for the baby, but her inner thoughts show the reader that she is unsure of this surprising development. Since the new addition will make her “neither big nor little,” Ramona wonders if “she would rather have another cat” (64). While Ramona wants to be happy for her parents, “deep down inside where she hid her most secret thoughts, Ramona realized she would lose her favored place as the baby of the family” (64). As an important didactic tool, the novel shows how these repressed fears become significantly relieved when Ramona confides them to her mother: Ramona’s mom accepts these feelings as natural and reassures Ramona that she will always be loved. 

Another surprising “low,” for Ramona is the death of the family cat. Cleary describes Beezus and Ramona’s heartbreak at finding Picky-picky dead in his bed: “‘He’s dead.’ Beezus stared at the motionless cat in disbelief, tears in her eyes. ‘Picky-picky is dead’” (55). However, Ramona copes well with this unfortunate surprise and shows maturity and initiative in her insistence on holding a funeral for Picky-picky: “‘I guess we should bury him,’ said Ramona, ‘and have a funeral’” (58). This adds depth to the story’s theme and Ramona’s character, showing that while Ramona experiences the usual lows of growing up, she is becoming more resilient and able to handle them herself.

This incident connects with the story’s theme on The Bond Between Siblings, as Beezus and Ramona learn to set aside their hurt feelings to work together. Reflecting on their dead pet makes Ramona feel “closer to her sister,” giving her the opportunity to apologize for calling her “pizzaface” (60). Once they have made up, Ramona feels much better: “In spite of the funeral, Ramona felt light and happy. She and her sister had both apologized and forgiven one another” (60). Ramona’s intense dislike of conflict shows her sensitive nature and her underlying desire to be close with her big sister Beezus. Working together solidifies their forgiveness. For instance, Ramona asks Beezus to put Picky-picky in his coffin: “Together, the girls worked, Ramona on her knees digging with the trowel, and finally with her hands, until they had dug a small grave just right for a cat. ‘Beezus, will you put Picky-picky in the box?’ asked Ramona. ‘I’m— not exactly scared, but I don’t want to’” (58). Beezus’s and Ramona’s reciprocity renews their bond: “Saying they were sorry and burying Picky-picky had brought them closer together” (66). Beezus also experiences her mother’s news differently than her sister, as she is excited to have a new baby around to take care of: “Beezus wished she could stay home from school to take care of It herself” (69). While Ramona experiences the news of the baby as a low point, for Beezus it is the opposite, adding to the distinction between the sisters. This is both a juxtaposition and a signal of hope, as Beezus’s big-sister response models a happy future for Ramona when she will be the baby’s big sister. 

These passages also add depth to the novel’s theme of Children’s Perspectives on Relationships by describing how Ramona slowly warms up to the idea of having Hobart as her new uncle. At first, Ramona holds her grudge against Hobart for teasing her. Ramona’s efforts to alienate Hobart must be subtle, and she tries to express her disdain for him without getting into trouble with her parents. For instance, when she asks him, “Mr. Kemp, I expect you’ll be going back to Saudi Arabia soon,” he calls her out as if teasing her: “He smiled a very nice smile. ‘What’s the matter, Ramona? Are you trying to get rid of me?’” (86). This is a satirical conversational game that Ramona is too young to play: The exchanges between Ramona and Hobart are a means through which the novel explores how young people perceive the gaps in their understanding and experience during adult interactions. Similarly, when Hobart asks Ramona if she would like him to be her uncle, Ramona wants to tell him her real feelings, but doesn’t dare: “She wanted to say, No thank you. Of course, grown-ups would think her rude” (87). The tense dinner table scene shows how Ramona longs to voice her real opinion on Aunt Bea’s marriage to Hobart but does not want to be in conflict with her parents.

As part of The Highs and Lows of Growing Up, the novel shows Ramona increasingly coming to terms with Uncle Hobart, showing quite mature skills of acceptance and adaptability. Her opinion changes for the better when he voices his opinion on report cards: Teachers should simply say the kids are great and will turn out fine. Hobart’s insights make Ramona feel understood, since she finds school evaluations stressful, and she wonders if she misjudged him: “Ramona looked at Uncle Hobart with real respect. He understood about performance reports. Perhaps he would not make such a bad uncle after all” (90). This change of heart foreshadows Ramona’s growing affection for her new uncle and reminds the reader of her unique perspective on their relationship. The novel argues that the ability to adapt and be open-minded is rewarded by improved relationships and experiences.