The Tin Drum by Gnter Grass - Admission/Application Essay Example

First of all, Oskar narrates his grandmother’s life history, without any emotional attachment. This proves that he is not so obsessed with the hardships faced by his grandmother during wartime. As he retells his life history in a mental asylum, the reader cannot assess whether the story is real or not. Maybe, the protagonist (Oskar) is a clever storyteller, who can make false stories. Still, his words do not prove that his relationship with his grandmother is normal. To be specific, his words prove that he considers his mother as the true copy of his grandmother.

Besides, he knows that his mother did not try to be truthful to his father. His decision to be a child forever proves that he makes use of his decision to protest against his mother. To be specific, he decides to act like a child forever because he knows that adult life cannot save him from his memories. Besides, he chooses the drum as the symbol of his negative attitude towards his mother and grandma. The story-teller in Gunter Grass’s work states that “My drum is neither a frying pan that startles raw meat with artificial heat nor a dance floor for couples who aren’t sure if they belong together” (264).

In short, the protagonist’s obsession towards drums and decision to be a child forever proves that he is unable to maintain a warm relationship with his mother. Besides, the hardships faced by his grandmother do not impress him because he narrates the same in an unemotional tone.The protagonist is punished for a crime, which was not committed by him. He considers him as the byproduct of crimes committed by his mother and grandmother. To be specific, Oskar’s grandmother protects his grandfather from the clutches of law.

From a different angle, this can be considered as a crime in the eyes of law.