Narrative Analysis

By Genevieve M. Nangit
February 27, 2024

Narrative Analysis of “City of Sand”: The self of Della

Della who is the grandmother of Norma Jeane and mother of Gladys was first and foremost a
woman to herself.

Sentences
Grandma Della didn’t believe in spoiling children. She did believe in putting them to work at a
young age, as she’d worked, herself, all her life. (Page 45)

She’d been born on the frontier and was no silly fainting lily like some of these ridiculous
females in the movies and like her own neurotic daughter. Oh, Della Monroe hated “America’s
Sweetheart” Mary Pickford! She’d long supported the nineteenth amendment giving women the
right to vote and had voted in every election since fall 1920. She was shrewd, sharp-tongued, and
quick-tempered; though hating movies on principle because they were phony as a plugged
nickel, she admired James Cagney in the Public Enemy, which she’d seen three times — that
tough little bantam quick to strike out against his enemies but accepting of his fate, to be
wrapped in bandages like a mummy and dumped on a doorstep, once he knew his number was
up. The same way she admitted killer-boy “Little Caesar”, Edward G. Robinson, talking crooked
out of his girl mouth. These were men enough to accept death when their number was up. (Page
45)

Analysis
Della is the most established figure in Norma Jeane’s life. It is her belief that put her daughter
Gladys and granddaughter Norma Jeane to existence, and that same belief she also applied to
herself. Her pragmatism and realist view of life instilled values that gave endurance, and
entertained skepticism that inspired visions that are attainable.

Reference
“Blonde” by Joyce Carol Oates. 2000. 4th Estate: London, UK