synopsis of short story "once ice maiden"

Name : Zakridatul Agusmaniar Rane

Reg. Number : A1D2 08018

Assignment : Prose (summary of short story)

Title : Once an Ice Maiden

Author : Penny Feeny

This story is about the girl who is forced by her mother to become an ice skater. Her mother was an ice skater too. But, unfortunately she could not go to international even and became a good ice skate athlete. So, she wants her daughter to continue her wish.

The story begins when the girl—Peggy feel bored with her daily activity. She feels dejected because her mother always forces her to do exercise all the time. She has to get up earlier at 03.00 AM every morning to do early season. She feels dejected because she does not have time just for breakfast in the morning. She feels that she can’t pass her teenager period like as her peers. She can’t go to the party like her friends; she can’t go to school every day because sometimes she has to join the competition. And if she will join the competition, she always spends much time to do exercise than to go to school. So, she always drags behind in term of her school course. Besides that, she can’t join any school club. And the important one is she can’t do dating with her boyfriend in Saturday night. Her mother does not permit her to date with her boyfriend—Dave. Actually she loves Dave very much. So, she always slips out nights to meet him. Or sag off school.

When she join the competition, she feel doesn’t comfortable because she does it compulsively. So, she can’t concentrate with her performance. When the judicators announce the result, in fact she can’t pass the competition. So, she can’t go to final competition in black pool. Her mother of course feels so disappointed because up till now, she wishes she can see her daughter in final of ice skating competition it black pool.

The fact, her mother never gives up. She always tries many efforts to reach her wish. Covertly, she registers her daughter to join ‘talent-spotted’. Her mom said that Peggy will be touring all over the Europe. Her mother said that it will become her big break. Of course Betty is glad to hear that. But Dave doesn’t agree if Betty does the tour.

The show starts in Germany, in Munich. For the first, Betty feels so happy. Every evening, before the performance, she finds a bouquet of white roses dropped up in her dressing room with the message: ‘for the little ice maiden’.

Then one night, her mom comes with a man. Her mother said that he is very important. He has lots of contacts in that business. Actually the man falls in love with Betty. But, when Betty’s mother knows about that, she is very angry and she asks Betty to back home.

Come back from the tour, her mother forces Betty to do exercise harder than before. And she is so angry when she knows that Betty is going steady with Dave. This condition makes Betty feel so stressed.

Finally, she choose Dave better than ice skating. Her mother seems crumple in wards when she knows that Betty has been six months’ pregnant. So, consequently, her mother has to back down and lets her dream go away. Betty fails to become an ice skater, but she is not disappointed because she gets married with Dave.