Themes and message

Growing up

Growing up is one of the main themes of the short story "Rendezvous" by Daniel Ransom.  This theme especially comes across through the character of Kim, who is depicted as an almost stereotypical 15-year-old who is fed up with her parents and their attempts to control her life. Believing that she knows better than them, she decides to run away from home to gain full control of her life.

However, this quickly leads to a loss of innocence as Kim receives harsh initiation into the adult world. This is symbolized through the apple that she eats - eating an apple is a traditional Christian symbol of losing innocence and gaining knowledge, but as Kim notes that "the apple tastes like hell" (p. 51, l. 36), we get the sense that the newfound knowledge she gains is that the adult world is an uncomfortable and possibly dangerous place.

Kim is also depicted as childish on several occasions, suggesting that teenagers may not always be as grown-up and responsible as they believe themselves to be. For example, she regards running away as a "game" (p. 52...