Sistine’s Anger and Longing

The Tiger Rising

Sistine’s defiant anger masks her unsettled longing for family, home, and control over her future.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Philadelphia Defiance Philadelphia Defiance from "The Tiger Rising". Philadelphia Defiance A Public Declaration Sistine introduces herself by criticizing the South and announcing that her father will come for her soon.

Philadelphia Defiance from "The Tiger Rising". Philadelphia Defiance A Public Declaration Sistine introduces herself by criticizing the South and announcing that her father will come for her soon.

Philadelphia Defiance A Public Declaration Sistine introduces herself by criticizing the South and announcing that her father will come for her soon. Her confidence protects her from appearing vulnerable in a strange school. Isolation Beneath the Pose Classmates laugh, and Sistine answers Rob’s glance with a hostile look. Her boldness makes her visible without making her feel at home.

Fighting Back Fighting Back from "The Tiger Rising". Fighting Back A Refusal to Yield When students surround her at lunch, Sistine swings her fists and kicks.

Fighting Back from "The Tiger Rising". Fighting Back A Refusal to Yield When students surround her at lunch, Sistine swings her fists and kicks.

Fighting Back A Refusal to Yield When students surround her at lunch, Sistine swings her fists and kicks. She would rather fight than let the crowd decide how she should respond. Defiance as Protection The fight reveals a forceful way of managing humiliation and helplessness. Rob sees both her courage and the danger of facing the group alone.

The Family Fracture The Family Fracture from "The Tiger Rising". The Family Fracture A Story of Separation Sistine tells Rob that her mother returned to Lister after her father’s affair with Bridgette.

The Family Fracture from "The Tiger Rising". The Family Fracture A Story of Separation Sistine tells Rob that her mother returned to Lister after her father’s affair with Bridgette.

The Family Fracture A Story of Separation Sistine tells Rob that her mother returned to Lister after her father’s affair with Bridgette. She insists that her father will soon collect her and that she will not stay. An Uncertain Promise Her detailed account sounds confident, but the situation is beyond her control. The hoped-for move becomes a promise she uses to resist feeling stranded.

The Rescue Lesson The Rescue Lesson from "The Tiger Rising". The Rescue Lesson An Adult’s Challenge Willie May tells Sistine that nobody is coming to rescue her and that she must rescue herself.

The Rescue Lesson from "The Tiger Rising". The Rescue Lesson An Adult’s Challenge Willie May tells Sistine that nobody is coming to rescue her and that she must rescue herself.

The Rescue Lesson An Adult’s Challenge Willie May tells Sistine that nobody is coming to rescue her and that she must rescue herself. Sistine initially receives the warning in silence. Independence Without Certainty The advice challenges her faith that her father will fix the situation. It does not settle her family troubles, but it offers a different source of agency.

Anger Repaired by Friendship Anger Repaired by Friendship from "The Tiger Rising". Anger Repaired by Friendship Words Taken Back After she has called Rob a sissy and said she hates him, Sistine apologizes.

Anger Repaired by Friendship from "The Tiger Rising". Anger Repaired by Friendship Words Taken Back After she has called Rob a sissy and said she hates him, Sistine apologizes.

Anger Repaired by Friendship Words Taken Back After she has called Rob a sissy and said she hates him, Sistine apologizes. She admits that her anger has spilled over onto the person who tried to understand her. A Softer Ending She calls Rob her best friend and takes his hand. Her anger has not vanished, but it no longer prevents her from offering affection and repair.

Sistine’s first day in class

during her first school day

during the walk to the tiger

after the tiger visit and argument

after the tiger’s funeral