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Miss Ferenczi/a character study

Gryphon, the short story by Charles Baxter, is set in Five Oaks, Michigan, a typically middle American rural community. The main character, Miss Ferenczi, is a surprisingly different substitute teacher that is counter to everything the fourth graders in Mr. Hibler’s class are familiar with.
Miss Ferenczi is an unusual looking woman. She comes to school with a different hairstyle every day. Once in a chignon, pigtails, and another time with out having combed her hair at all. The clothes she wears are vibrant and “hard to look at” (89). Tommy, the narrator of the story, is reminded of Pinocchio when he sees Miss Ferenczi. Although she appeared to be of no specific age to Tommy, “an adult is an adult” (11), he notices two vertical lines on either side of her mouth, “marionette lines” (11).
Miss Ferenczi is a nonconformist. Although Mr. Hibler has left lesson plans to follow, she does not often follow them and when she does she ...

Posted by: Tricia F. Doyle

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