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“The Boy Who Loved Ice Cream” is about the ice cream that represented the loss of an object.
Throughout the entire story Benjy’s aching love for ice cream, which he had never tasted, was described
in vivid detail, “you didn’t chew it, but if you held it in your tongue long enough it vanished, leaving an
after-trace that lingered and lingered like a beautiful dream”. Alas, with such beautiful description, the
reader empathized with the Benjy’s thirst for the unknown, and is devastated when his dream to taste
ice cream is tragically destroyed because of the suspicious and jealous nature of his father.
Senior also makes good use of symbolism in “The Boy Who Loved Ice Cream” where the ice cream
represented the loss of an object. Throughout the entire story Benjy’s aching love for ice cream, which
he had never tasted, was described in vivid detail, “you didn’t chew it, but if you held it in your tongue
long enough it vanished, leaving an after-trace that lingered and lingered like a beautiful dream”.
Alas, with such beautiful description, the reader empathized with the Benjy’s thirst for the unknown,
and is devastated when his dream to taste ice cream is tragically destroyed because of the suspicious
and jealous nature of his father; “Benjy is crying Papa Papa and everything is happening so quickly he
doesn’t know the point at which he loses the ice cream…and he cannot understand why Papa has let
go of his hand and shouting and why Mama isn’t laughing with the man anymore…”. Senior illustrates
the theme of relationships through Benjy’s eyes, allowing the message to be so much more powerful,
as it is a clear glimpse of the society, seeing all the irrationalities and inequalities without bias. All of
her characters are unique, and the reader becomes easily attached, cheering when they are victorious
and sharing in every loss and pain.