Alice Walker
As I was reading this story I could not help but think that it could be turned into a good Hallmark movie. There is a good lesson to be learned from the characters in this story and I believe that everyone should at least think about if not learn from. It seems that more educated and advanced people become the more they begin to forget their roots, where they come from. It was so ridiculous of Dee to want to try and save her heritage and denounce her family name at the same time. It sort of reminded me of Beneatha in “A Raisin in the Sun”, waltzing in with some crazy African name claiming she is too good for her family name. The mother did the right thing by Maggie by standing up to Dee; yes things like butter dishes and quilts passed down through the years deserve to be put up and preserved but they were created to be used and loved by the family members of those who created them with love. I have a quilt that my great grandmother hand stitched and I keep it on the guest bed to be used but I make sure that nothing happens to it; I hand wash it and line dry it to keep it in good condition. I can understand both sides of the argument but I do believe I side with Maggie and their mother because the things that Dee wanted to take belonged in a place where they would be loved and used like they were intended to be used. I really liked this story and I can relate to it in several ways. I do believe that when I have children and it is time to pass on my family things I will think back to this story and tell my children to love and cherish the things I pass on to them but never forget to use them every once and a while; and always love and cherish them.
Bobbie Ann Mason
This story was a little on the odd side, but I liked it. It just made me think about how common it is for relationships to go sour after so many years and especially after the death of a child. I only hope the same thing doesn’t happen to some old friends of mine; their baby girl died of SIDS two days ago. I really hope that they can make it through this alright. Another bad thing for couples to do is to not allow each other to have dreams and help each other achieve those dreams. If Norma Jean had listened to Leroy’s dream of building a log cabin instead of shooting it down immediately, maybe things would have turned out a little differently. Then again, I think she may have had her mind already made up about leaving him not too long after his accident. It is really sad that the more time Leroy spent at home with his wife, the more he fell in love with her but his wife was going in a completely different direction and he had no idea. It is sad that many people try to express their love for their spouse but only end up pushing them further away. As much as I liked this story, I did not like the way that it ended; I really think that Norma Jean should have noticed how hard Leroy was trying to fix things and give him another chance; try to make things work. I believe she wouldn’t have made such an irrational decision if her mother hadn’t been so nosy and pushed her buttons so many tines. The loss of their child, the fact that they were so young when they got married and that Leroy was always out on the road, made their marriage very hard to begin with but I think that if they truly loved each other they should have been able to work things out.
Jamaica Kincaid
I have read this poem quite a few times but it is much better to hear Jamaica
Kincaid read it herself. I have always liked it, no matter how I receive it. I think any girl can relate to this train of thought because all of us have been nagged by our mothers or grandmothers about how to live or clean or act. Ever since the first time I read this poem I have thought that if I ever have a little girl, I will read it to her or even have a copy hung in her room. It is a shame that as women our lives have changed so much that now we don’t have such wonderful things to share and pass on to our daughters. We wash clothes when we find the time and dress in what ever feels good or act the way we want around any and everyone; there are just not many lessons to be learned or passed on now.
No comments:
Post a Comment