“Nothing Like Ellen” by Eve Sherwood is a wonderfully written and relatable piece. This short story talks about how it feels when it seems you are living under someone’s shadow, and not feeling as if you are your own person. Eve describes this situation, wishing she would be more like her sister, Ellen, than herself. Because of how their parents admired Ellen because of how fashionable she dressed and beauty she possessed, Eve yearned to be like her. Ellen was more talked about in the family compared to her. However, at the end, she realized her sister was a different person from her, and that being you was more important than wishing to be someone else.
As I read through this story, I completely understood the situation, as I had encountered some of the similar problems faced. I always felt like I was compared to my older cousin, who does work much faster and is better dressed. Like Eve, I was surrounded by self doubt and wondering if what my family thought was true, that I wasn't as good as her. However, this story concluded perfectly with the lines of “It was time to start finding what I liked about myself.” It showed that though others seem to admire someone more than you, you should try not to be more like them too much, and instead focus more on what you yourself like. I loved this story for these reasons, and found myself rlating to it.