Essay, Research Paper: “The Stucco House” By Ellen Gilchrist

“The Stucco House”
“The Stucco House” by Ellen Gilchrist is a story about
seven year old boy named Teddy who lives with his mother
and step father, Eric. Because of the existing
circumstances concerning his family’s relationships,
especially between his mom and step dad, the boy seems
“scared of everything” as seen by Eric. However this fear
is not fear in the pure sense but is mixed in with other
emotions such as confusion, disappointment and uncertainty.
The child’s true fear is losing his stepfather Eric
resulting from a possible future divorce from his mother.
The author implies that Teddy is a sad and disappointed
with his mothers past failed marriages especially to his
real father, and he is now afraid of losing his stepfather
from another marital breakup. To deal with this emotion,
the boy fantasizes about having his mother “go away” while
he and his stepfather stay in his “stucco” house, a house
he loves so dearly. Eric was not only a good father for
Teddy but also “the best grown person he had ever
known.”(p. 41) He wasn’t like others, “large, very
high-strung children who never sat still or finished what
they started.”(p.40)
Throughout the story there is also seen a subtle
anxiety Teddy feels about his mother’s well being. In
reading “The Stucco House” we get the idea that his mother
is probably an alcoholic and sexually promiscuous.
Although he loves his step dad more he is genuinely worried
about his mom’s health and future. At the tender age of
seven he could not possibly have any answers or solutions
to her problems. This confusion and helplessness could
elicit fear in such a young child since he, at such a
tender age, sees no way out.
In this story there are also subtle hints that his
older brothers abuse him. The author states that he kept
stuffed animals on his bed to protect him from ghosts,
vampires and “to keep his big brothers from beating him
up.”(p. 31) We also get the feeling that his step dad also
protects him from them. But, as mentioned before, Teddy is
confused and disappointed more than being afraid although
these emotions can mingle in so many ways in the child’s
mind. He is confused about the relationship of his mother
and stepfather and also about his relationship with his
uncle and grandparents. From the perspective of a seven
year old mind, all these familial interactions cannot be
understand and could never make sense to a child such as
Teddy.
In another part of the story, Ellen Gilchrist shows
that Teddy fantasizes about escaping his situation. While
keeping watch of his ill mother, he reads one of his older
brother’s books called The Big Green Book which tells the
story of a young boy who, while living with a mean aunt and
uncle, discovers a book of magic spells. This boy learns
how to use these spells to become animals or make himself
invisible or “do anything he wanted to do.”(p.33)
Gilchrist is showing the reader that Teddy would probably
like to have this power to escape his unfortunate
circumstances. Teddy also tries to make use of the power
of prayer. The author narrates in one section of the story
of how Teddy would sometimes go to church and kneel down
and beg God “not to let his momma divorce Eric.”(p. 36)
And he would tell God that if his prayer was not answered
he would “pretend that he was his grandfather and threaten
God.”(p. 36)
Teddy’s relationship with his grandparents, especially
his grandfather, is also unhappy. Most children find
solace and refuge with grandparents but not so in Teddy’s
case. He once told Eric that “they boss [him] around all
the time.”(p. 34) And he also said that his grandfather
forced him to “make his bed, ride the stupid horses and
hitch up the pony cart and if [he] didn’t do what he said,
he hit [him] with a belt. Teddy hated being there.”(p. 34)
So, as the reader can understand, even being with his
grandparents was a miserable experience for the young lad.
The story ends when Eric and Teddy meet on an
unexpected occasion and they go away for a drive in Eric’s
car. This ending seems to symbolize Teddy’s desire to be
only with his step dad who will “rescue” him from fears and
disappointment. It is the only hope he has.


Word Count: 736