Control

Author's Note: This is piece it's working on Character Development from the book Rules of the Roadby Joan Bauer. It describes how two characters have trouble with control. Jenna is a shoe saleswoman at Gladstone Shoes, then all of the sudden the owner of the business asked Jenna, the main character to drive her across the country to Texas.


Control, have you ever thought about it? There are things you can control and then there are things you can’t. Jenna Boller is a character in the adventure novel Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer. Jenna is an amazing shoe sales woman because she loves to do it and knows how very well. This is something she can control. She doesn’t deal with her alcoholic dad because it is something she can’t control. All she can do is sign her dad up for help but he would never go. Jenna’s attitude about selling shoes helps people every day when she is selling shoes. In the beginning of the story Jenna didn't know how to feel about Mrs. Gladstone, but by the end of the story Jenna was more confident and looked up to Mrs. Gladstone. Jenna learned that she is not just an old cranky woman but she can be sweet and that she has a soft side.Jenna does the things she can control to avoid the things she can’t manage.

Even though Jenna is great at doing things she can control, Mrs. Gladstone, Jenna’s boss isn’t as good at it. Mrs. Gladstone is an old, rich woman that is cranky who only control’s what she can. Although she is cranky she has a nice side to her. She helps people think again about everything they do and she helps make it better by giving them feedback. Mrs. Gladstone is trying to control her business Gladstone Shoes, but Elden is wrench in her plans. Elden is Mrs. Gladstone’s son; Elden is trying to take over her business. Mrs. Gladstone’s told Jenna that Elden is buying more and more stocks in Gladstone Shoes just so he can own more of it. Another thing Mrs. Gladstone’s can’t control is her getting old and getting old comes with consequences, such as a crippled leg. Mrs. Gladstone has a leg that is not working properly, she tries to get around as much as she can but her leg is getting too bad to walk. Mrs. Gladstone has things she can control and things she can’t.


In conclusion, these two characters have to deal with control, we all do. Mrs. Gladstone needs to deal with her son and getting old and Jenna has to stay in control of staying out of things she can’t manage. Staying involved in things Jenna can manage helps her stay away from her alcoholic dad. Jenna has changed throught this story, she has grown. Think, what can you use more control of?