George's Marvelous Medicine

Grandma is introduced as a character whose overarching personality trait is selfishness: “She didn’t seem to care about other people, only about herself” (2). Through Grandma’s physical transformation due to George’s medicine, two facets of Grandma’s selfishness are examined—jealousy and arrogance—as well as their results.

At the beginning of the story, Grandma is weak and relies on others for assistance. She takes medicine several times a day and doesn’t move around much at all. Grandma spends her time “complaining, grousing, grouching, grumbling, griping about something or other” (2). She is particularly critical of George, who she bosses around when George’s parents are not around. Grandma’s bitterness toward George stems from jealousy. As a young, growing child, George has energy and vitality that Grandma lacks. Though she claims to detest George’s youth and growth, she secretly wants them for herself, as her cry of “Hallelujah, here I come!” reveals when she grows after taking George’s medicine (38). In her initial state, Grandma’s jealousy sours her relationship with George and leaves her chronically unhappy.

In her taller, more energetic form after taking George’s medicine, Grandma’s selfishness shifts from jealousy of others to arrogance. Her