Critical Review of The Sand Castle

The Sand Castle written by Alma Luz Villanueva is a short story about a woman named Masha and her memory as a little girl. Masha is an old lady in the story and she is taking her grandchildren to the beach. Masha's community is experiencing global warming. In the current setting, the sun is so dangerous that humans now go out at night to avoid the sun. As Masha prepares to go to the beach with her grandchildren, she has a flashback of when she was a young girl at the beach with her parents before the sun became way too dangerous. The Sand Castle not only tells a story, it also teaches us the importance of protecting the earth. The Sand Castle is a story about a trip to the beach and the effects of global warming to the people and the Earth.

Global warming causes destruction in the atmosphere and can endanger the lives of many species. One of the most hazardous damages from global warming is the destruction of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is a layer in the stratosphere that helps reduce the harm produced from the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV rays). Without the ozone layer, the sun's UV rays will be unbearable and dangerous to bare skin and can cause skin cancer. In the story, Masha and her grandchildren have to wear protective gear when going out in order to avoid being sunburned and getting cancer. According to Masha, “… all ultraviolet light from the once life-giving sun; now, it, the sun, scorched the Earth, killing whatever it touched.” Many items we use now release gasses and chemicals that are harmful for the atmosphere and are currently slowly destroying the ozone layer. The Earth is also the only planet in the Solar system that supports life. There is no Planet B to go to when the Earth gets polluted and collapses. Global warming is real and each and one of us should find a way to stop it.

A flashback is a triggered memory when one recalls something that happened in their past. Flashbacks can happen when you are dreaming, daydreaming, or thinking about a specific place and time. Flashbacks can also be incorporated into literature and many times, it is a scene that contributes to the theme of a story. Masha experiences a flashback when she is preparing to go to the beach with her grandchildren. Masha recalls her childhood experiences of going to the beach with her parents and what it used to be like before the sun's UV rays were too dangerous to be exposed to bare skin. In this scenario, the flashback that Masha experienced contributed to the major theme of global warming. In the current setting, the sun is dangerous and the flashback is a contrast that helps back up the statement that global warming is dangerous. It provides information of the past and what it used to be like. Flashbacks can happen both in literature and in daily life.

Change can happen to a person or to a surrounding through a period of time. Though change can be good, not all change is good and some change and be bad. For example, wildfires can be natural and sometimes that is good for the surrounding, it allows vegetation to grow and thrive better. However, man-made fires in the wild can cause harm to their surroundings and can kill others and destroy dwellings. Through Masha's memory, we can see the change that happens throughout her lifetime. maybe 50 years ago when she was a little girl, the sun had been a source of warmth and light, but when she became old and was a grandma, the sun was seen as a threat to humans. From being able to run around with unprotected skin and being under the sun to having to wear protective gear when being under the sun is a change that Masha experiences during her lifetime. Change in a surrounding occurs when a certain factor, natural or man-made, occurs and worsens the conditions of the surrounding or improves the condition of the surrounding. Change is something everyone experiences in life whether it is good or bad.

Through the memory of Masha, we see how much her community has changed in her lifetime. The story takes place when global warming has greatly impacted the world. It is so severe that humans now have to wear protective gear when they go outside. However, today is a special day for Masha and her grandchildren, they are going to the beach for a whole day and Masha is planning for them to build a sandcastle. Throughout the story and Masha’s flashback, we get to experience the severance of global warming and how it damages the ozone layer which affects the life of all of us. We also explore what a flashback is and how it contributes to the main theme of the story. Along with Masha, we also experience change that can happen to our surroundings. The Sand Castle is a fiction short story that educates us on global warming and how it can greatly impact us and change our lives.