Jealousy and Sibling Rivalry in Why I Live at the P.O. Essay Example

Sibling rivalry is as old as the institution of the family. Jealousy between two siblings may cause one child to feel less favored than another, causing the sister or brother to feel excluded and rejected by other family members. This resentment can lead to the destruction of sibling relationships while also tearing a family apart. The family is left divided and broken in many ways. Eudora Welty shows jealousy in one character that leads to sibling rivalry. Resulting in humans believing the only way out of conflict is leaving the family. In her short story, “Why I Live at the P.O.,” the theme of sibling rivalry caused by jealousy is developed through one-character thoughts and actions.  

Sister deals with criticism from her family noticeably more than Stella-Rondo. The conflict she feels stems from everyone in the family taking Stella-Rondo’s side, including believing her lies that Sister knows are false. As an illustration, Eudora Welty states Stella-Rondo convinces the family that the little girl she brought home is adopted and not her child (Web). Shirley-T returns with Stella-Rondo and the family as suspicious of where she came from resulting in Stella-Rondo lying and saying she is adopted. Everyone seems to believe Stella-Rondo but Sister, Welty mentions that Sister makes a comment that Shirley-T does look like Papa-Daddy if he were to cut off his beard, although she knew he would never do that (Web). While everyone is beginning to believe Stella-Rondo, Sister tries to get everyone to see the shocking resemblance. There is no question that this is the leading cause of jealousy the readers infer from Sister in the story. 

Relating to Sister’s jealousy, Readers find that Stella-Rondo seems to know how to get each family member to turn against Sister. Eudora Welty states that Stella-Rondo comes up with the idea that Sister has questioned Papa-Daddy’s beard and wondered why he does not cut it off (Web). After the comment the Sister makes about Shirley T and Papa-Daddy, Stella-Rondo takes it into consideration and twists Sisters words to get Papa Daddy on her side, which can be widely considered as backstabbing. This makes Papa-Daddy furious with Sister, and now he has a somewhat grudge against her. Stella-Rondo realizes her past actions and feels not one bit of remorse. Sister is left faced with conflicting ideas that Stella-Rondo does everything in her power to be somewhat better. Although she knows what happened at the very start, she begins to feel like Stella-Rondo eventually takes everything away from her. 

As Sister’s resentment towards Stella-Rondo grows, she unfolds by feeling like Stella-Rondo confiscates everything away from her. Critics state that Stella-Rondo’s fiancé Mr. Whitaker once was Sister’s boyfriend (Russel 25). Sister believes since Mr. Whitaker was once hers, Sister gets engaged to him by taking something else from her. This leads to Sister believing that Stella-Rondo has not only taken her boyfriend but also takes her position in the household. Bloom claims that before Stella-Rondo returns home, sister lives in peace and has an exceeding relationship with her family members. (27). Sister is getting along acceptably before Stella-Rondo returns, which creates the dynamic that Stella-Rondo is, as exclaimed previously, taking everything away. Sister is left filled with wariness of what else is to come from Stella-Rondo and her deceitful planning. 

In addition to Sister being left filled with worry , her idea of why Stella-Rondo is considered better is shown. Readers learn that a reason for Sister’s jealousy is that Stella-Rondo is younger, and she is spoiled compared to Sister (Bloom 27). Sister has an impression that since Stella-Rondo gets her way it is because she is younger and spoiled, this is one of the most significant impacts on Sister’s jealousy against Stella-Rondo. Sister perceives that Stella-Rondo has the world revolved around her. After all, Stella-Rondo seems like the perfect child. Stella-Rondo returns with a perfect adopted child from her perfect trip with her fiancé. Mahaney expresses, in a way, Stella-Rondo comes back to reposes her power (1360). Stella-Rondo is back in charge of the household once she returns, she is not only coming back to repossess her power, but she also comes back to remind Stella-Rondo of her life before her return. Everything Stella-Rondo does continues to lead up to Sisters hopeless character.

Not only does Sister feel hopeless once Stella-Rondo returns she also senses her time in her family household is running out with insignificant things Stella-Rondo throws back into her face. Welty states that Stella-Rondo is constantly reminding Sister of her marriage with Mr. Whitaker (Web). Stella-Rondo marriage pictures are taken in her trousseau that later comes up in conversation about the topic of Uncle Rondo. Stella-Rondo is responsible for Sister feeling like she will never be able to get what is taken away from her. Leading to Sister becoming outraged with jealousy when the story ends. Critics show that although Stella-Rondo does create falsehoods, Sister can come off as malicious in numerous ways (Mahaney 1361). Sister thoughts and words towards her family members comes off as malicious and worse than Stella-Rondo’s lies. Sister may act this way because of how unwanted she feels in the family. Sister knows just how to get revenge before her big getaway. 

Although Sister battles with the unwanted feeling, she also knows more than what she tells and knows that she can use this against anyone Sister works at the P.O., which gives her a huge advantage. As Bloom states, Sister soon reveals that she knows about Mr. Whitaker and Stella-Rondo’s relationship (29). Sister oversees the postcards and notices Stella-Rondo’s and Mr. Whitaker’s postcard exchange. Sister reads each postcard exchanged and knows that if she stops her business at the P.O., Stella-Rondo has no contact with Mr. Whitaker. This explains the family dynamic and why Sister feels like she has more of a role in the family than Stella-Rondo. Salinger states that although the story is covering up with comedy, it also reveals the true pain of the family (1731). The overall theme of the story is covering up with comedy giving readers much more entertainment, but it doesn’t stop the pain of the family sprouting from jealousy. Sister knows just how much leaving her home and cutting off all communication with her family will get to them, and that seems to be her only and final way to escape.

Finally, Sister feels like she has reached her final straw with Stella-Rondo, and she now feels like she is better off at the P.O. She will finally be away from her family’s toxic behavior and can finally be at peace. In a way, once Sister leaves, she is not looking for sympathy she looks for peace while Stella-Rondo travels back home. Readers learn from McHaney that Sister’s monologue shows how much sympathy she looks for once she sticks up for herself in most arguments (1361). This is shown each time Sister combats with what Stella-Rondo says. This is also shown when Sister creates the idea that Shirley-T must have a mental problem since she has not heard her speak since she got there (Bloom 28). Sister comes back with an idea to push that something must be wrong with Shirley-T to Mama. This does not seem to work as Stella-Rondo shows that not only can Shirley T talk, but she can also tap dance, and now Stella-Rondo has turned everyone against her (Welty Web). This happens to be Sisters final push to escape the family’s toxic dynamic. Readers learn the exact reason why Sister is at more peace at the P.O.:

‘But oh, I love it here. It’s ideal, as I’ve been saying. You see, I've got everything cater-cornered, the way I like it. Hear the radio? All the war news. Radio, sewing machine, book ends, ironing board and that great big piano lamp-peace, that’s what I like. Butter-bean vines planted all along the front where the strings are.’ (Welty Web) Sister is at peace because she has everything, she loves surrounding her. She does not have to worry about Stella-Rondo’s lies or getting punched in the face with the hard truth about Mr. Whitaker. She is finally at peace with her resentment towards Stella-Rondo while being surrounded by objects that make her happy and that makes her feel at peace.

In Eudora Welty’s short story “Why I Live at the P.O.,” the theme of sibling rivalry caused by jealousy is developed through one-character thoughts and actions. The vital cause of jealousy is when someone feels like they come second just as Sister began to feel. Her character makes it clear that she is jealous of Stella-Rondo and wishes her life to be like hers. According to one source, Sister tries to persuade family and readers to feel empathy for her. (McHaney 1361). Sister wants the empathy and attention Stella-Rondo has acquired. Sister wants to be treated the same way as Stella-Rondo is treated, and once she realizes that she will not be able to achieve that, she escapes from reality and leaves for the P.O.