Reading - Jelly Bean

Reading (November 2016)

Jelly Bean by Francis Fitzgerald

This story takes place in a small town in Georgia. The jelly-bean is a 21 year-old Jim Powel, who is immediately described as an unappealing character coming home from the war in trousers that are too short and too tight. He doesn’t have money and he doesn’t work. Jim encounters Nancy with whom he is madly in love. Of course, she is in a different social class than he is. He is lucky and he gets a passionate kiss from Nancy.  Jim, Nancy and also a reader know – that’s all – one kiss.

Justification

I was interested in the Jazz Age, that’s why I chose to read this story by Francis Fitzgerald. The atmosphere in the story is well described but I must say that I did not like it.

Reflection

There are some expressions that widen my vocabulary:

He turned it on fuller

A crapshooter

He tipped his hat.

Lazy-eyed

… and a lump formed in his throat.

A romantic yearning

The only thing to do is to wade in it

… most people are that way

Somebody got funny with my car.