Book 4 Reflection

Shelby, the main character in Steel Magnolias, is a very likable character in the book/play because of many different reasons. Even Weezer, the old and snappy woman of the town, enjoys Shelby’s presence and tolerates everyone else in the small town. Shelby has quirks that set her off from everyone else that also makes her more interesting and likeable. 1. Shelby has diabetes and other sicknesses Her friends and family have known this, and have tried to make Shelby’s life as fun and care-free as possible. She has had diabetes her whole life, as long as a couple of other illnesses that aren’t as severe. Shelby’s family has dealt with the many life-threatening experiences Shelby has gone through, and this may be one of the reasons she is so likeable- everyone knows Shelby could come to a life-or-death situation, so they make sure to cherish every moment spent with her. 2. Shelby has a favorable mother Shelby’s mother, M’Lynn, has lived in the small town they still live in today. M’Lynn is a hardworking and caring person, and that’s one of the reasons her presence is still enjoyed. When the townspeople found out M’Lynn was pregnant with a girl, they were all very excited to know that Shelby would turn out just like her mother. Even though M’Lynn can get on Shelby’s nerves and annoy her, Shelby knows she does the same thing to her mother and has to accept their similarities. 3. Shelby is favorable Just like her mother, Shelby does things around the town that are helpful to many people. First of all, her father and brothers always shoot at birds chirping in the trees, which causes a ruckus of screams, dog barking, and words of annoyance. Shelby also gets fed up as well as her mother. When her father isn’t around, Shelby would find and hide her father’s pistol where he can’t find it. She especially did this because it was the day of her wedding reception, and didn’t want it to be a disaster. 4. Shelby is engaged As well as her family, friends, and neighbors, Shelby has a soon to be husband, Jackson. They are both deeply in love with each other, and are anxious to be married. Jackson is also aware of Shelby’s illnesses, and is why he does the best to keep her safe. All of Shelby’s friends and family also accept Jackson to be her husband, and are also anxious to know that Shelby will get to spend the rest of her lifetime with the man she loves. 5. Shelby ends up passing away As much as this was expected because of the many illnesses Shelby has had since she was young, it came to a surprise for many people to know that Shelby would pass away so early. Everyone also felt sympathetic for Jackson Jr, Shelby and Jackson’s son, to know that he would have to grow up without the support of his mother by his side. It will be hard to move on from this loss, but they know that Shelby would rather have them carrying on with the rest of their lives instead of mourning over her loss. Even though everyone would do anything to have Shelby back, they accept that the things they can’t control and continue their daily lives. They all cherished the days spent with Shelby, and still have memories spent with her so they can one day tell her son how much of a successful and beautiful person she was.