The Saturdays

“There were four Melendy children. Mona was the eldest. She was thirteen, and had two long thick buttercolored braids that she was always threatening to cut off. Rush came next, he was twelve; dark, with mussy hair and a look of mischievous wickedness. Miranda (always called Randy) was ten and a half, with dark untidy hair like Rush’s. And Oliver was the youngest, six years old; a calm and thoughtful person.”

The author captures the looks and personalities of the Melendy children, helping the reader envision the story’s four equally important protagonists. By describing the four brothers and sisters, the author establishes her theme of The Fraught and Formative Bonds Between Siblings.

“Also it was full of landmarks. Any Melendy child could have told you that the long scars on the linoleum had been made by Rush trying out a pair of new skates on Christmas afternoon, 1939; or that the spider-shaped hole in the east window had been accomplished by Oliver throwing the Milk of Magnesia bottle; or that the spark holes in the hearthrug had occurred when Mona tossed a bunch of Chinese firecrackers into the fire just for fun. Melendy history was written everywhere.”

The Melendy children cherish their old and worn playroom, which they call “the Office,” and all the memories it holds. A site of memory, mutual support, and conflict, the playroom symbolizes The Fraught and Formative Bonds Between Siblings.

“‘We’d have to do something really good with it; something we’d always wanted to do.’ ‘Say, that’s not a bad idea at all.’ Rush looked excited. ‘We could pool our resources—that’s what it’s called, pooling your resources. Gee whiz, that would mean a dollar and a half for each of us if we pooled our resources!’”

The Melendy kids are excited with Randy’s idea of sharing allowances for independent adventures. By showing the children’s enthusiasm about having more autonomy, and their determination to use it to do something productive, the story highlights The Benefits of Independence in Childhood.