The two stories present two main women, Moira and Lola. To
compare the two, you see them both existing in “man vs. self” conflicts within their
respective stories. Additionally, like their stories, the authors share some
information on their background; comparing the authors’ synopses can help with
understanding the connections between Little
Cogbert and Cotton Candy.
The author of Little
Cogbert is Phyllis Shand Allfrey. She originates from the island of
Dominica, the location of where her story takes place. In a somewhat similar
fashion, Dora Alonso, author of Cotton
Candy, hails from Cuba, which sets the setting in this story. The conflict in
Little Cogbert is more external, as
Moira was not in favor of the very different children she threw a party for; her
xenophobic nature was especially expressed towards Cogbert, the only child who
appreciated Moira’s gift from the start. The conflict in Cotton Candy is rather internal: It’s emphasized in this story that
Lola has had much trouble with finding a husband to marry due to her overbearing
mother. With the eventual passing of her mother’s death, Lola feels an “alleviating
remorse”. Lola later realizes she can still find love, despite her age and appearance,
as she’s reminded of her innocent youth.