For my extended analysis I decided to do an artistic interpretation of the scene where Nel and Sula are walking down Carpenter Road under the watchful eyes of the men of Medallion. Also, I was interested in visualizing how Medallion was actually laid out so I made a map after finding the scenes where it was described in detail. The stores or the Bottom and the important characters' houses are on the map. I didn't think my drawing showed the proper layout of Medallion so I also created a topographical map that matches with the first to show the elevation of the Bottom compared to the river.
This analysis took me about three hours to complete and although I'm not a great artist, I think I got the general effect on paper.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Sula--Close Analysis/Comparison Analysis
Cultural Healing
“[When] will those people ever be anything but animals, fit for nothing but substitutes for mules, only mules [don’t] kill each other” (63) thinks a white bargeman before he throws the corpse of a young boy into the river to ensure it doesn’t foul his cargo as he drags the body of Chicken Little behind his ship. His thoughts are completely normal for that of a white male in 1927; minorities seemed more inclined to violence, drunkenness, and crime than white people. Why would he not have such convictions? When non-dominant cultures are treated as inferior a stigma is created on the minority cultures which cannot easily be removed. Toni Morrison and Thomas King prove this in their novels Sula and Green Grass Running Water. The adults of the African American and American Indian cultures find themselves trapped into a caste system which leaves their children with little motivation to succeed. Since the time of Sula many have tried to remove whites’ stigma on other ethnicities. But even after the racism of the past has been swallowed, there is still a bitter aftertaste we cannot remove.
Even though the adults of the novels would like to move their lives forward, they often can’t because of their societal roles. The men of medallion spend much of their time “on sills, on stoops, on crates and broken chairs they sat tasting their teeth and waiting for something to distract them” (48). They had little else to do since they could not have many jobs. This reality is especially apparent in the case of Jude who sees “those white men laughing with the grandfathers but shying away from the young black men who could tear that road up” (81). He yearns for the labor. When he cannot work himself he needs “some of his appetites filled, some posture of adulthood recognized” (82). This shows that even though Jude is a provider for his family and full grown, he cannot feel a true sense of self because he feels like he is still a child. Helene is also treated as less-than-adult by white people; the train conductor addresses her as “‘gal’” (20) almost immediately after she leaves her town. Even Charlie, who has assimilated neatly into white culture, can only get a job when it is advantageous to white people; “They hired him because he was Blackfoot and Eli was Blackfoot and the combination played well in the newspapers” (126). King’s Indians and Morrison’s African Americans have been neatly allotted into non-white areas; the reservation and the Bottom both have very low employment levels which holds the characters back. In every aspect of their lives the non-white characters are subjected to inferiority and soon it begins to affect them.
After constant reminders of their place in society the “minorities” acquiesce to the will of the white people and must resign themselves to venting their emotions in new ways. Amos tries to drown his worries in beer and comes home so inebriated that he can’t function, “He tried to stand but pitched forward onto his face, lay there not moving, as if he had been shot” (96). Eva’s husband BoyBoy is obviously a prime example of being stuck in childhood just because of his name. Because of this he too tries to vent his emotions; “he liked womanizing best, drinking second, and abusing Eva third” (32). Others become incredibly bitter towards the white man. The Indians on the reservation council are a prime example of this bitterness; they feel that all they ever got from the government was a “goose” (127). Jude shares this resentment when he says “‘White man running it–nothing good” (102). Although he tries to channel his identity into his family and keep his sense of self, ultimately it is useless and he leaves Nel after having “smashed her heart” and leaveing her with “no heart just her brain raveling away” (117). Even Eva, who loves her children so much she sacrifices her leg for her family, has no time to nurture her children and give them the love and attention they need. As she points out, this is logical; “‘What would I look like leapin’ ‘round that little old room playin’ with youngins with three beets to my name” (69)?
Even though the children grow into better times, they are largely the same as their parents. All of their role models are drunk, bitter, or too tired to love them, and it affects them negatively. After “Amos never came back” (97) Alberta has trouble trusting men and thus can’t choose between Lionel and Charlie. As she grows up she feels a need for control which stops her from riding in planes because she feels “helpless” (90). It is highly possible that Alberta’s need for control stems from the uncontrollable events of her childhood and her relationship with her father. Morrison uses the Deweys to symbolize the stunted growth of those who are not nurtured and lack identity. The three of them physically never grow to be more than 48 inches tall because they have nothing to grow into. Lionel is torn apart by his identity and longs to be John Wayne. Perhaps the child most affected by her lack of true role models is Sula. One of the only times Sula shows any emotion in the book is when she finds out that her mother “‘just don’t like her’” (57) and feels a “sting in her eye” (57). After this point everything goes downhill for Sula. Soon after she throws a little boy into a river and is never the same. Even in adulthood she is “incapable of making any but the most trivial decisions” (101), and has “no center, no speck around which to grow” (119).
In point of fact the characters are all suffering from cultural trauma. The onslaught of whites onto American Indians and African Americans has disturbed the culture so greatly we cannot expect the culture to bounce back. It can take an traumatized individual years to get over a traumatic event, they may feel abandoned and alone, and their sense of safety and relationships with others is destroyed. If this can happen to an individual, can we expect entire ethnicities who have endured centuries of humiliation and degradation to act normally in society? Morrison ends by stating “Nobody colored lived much up in the bottom any more” (166), not because they have gained any status, but because “hill land was more valuable now” (166). Although the Civil Rights movement has come and gone and the government has a special bureau for Indian affairs, little has changed. Lionel stands among the wreckage of Eli’s old house ready to reside in the wreckage as a symbol because although the weapon of discrimination has been removed, the wound remains gaping open.
“[When] will those people ever be anything but animals, fit for nothing but substitutes for mules, only mules [don’t] kill each other” (63) thinks a white bargeman before he throws the corpse of a young boy into the river to ensure it doesn’t foul his cargo as he drags the body of Chicken Little behind his ship. His thoughts are completely normal for that of a white male in 1927; minorities seemed more inclined to violence, drunkenness, and crime than white people. Why would he not have such convictions? When non-dominant cultures are treated as inferior a stigma is created on the minority cultures which cannot easily be removed. Toni Morrison and Thomas King prove this in their novels Sula and Green Grass Running Water. The adults of the African American and American Indian cultures find themselves trapped into a caste system which leaves their children with little motivation to succeed. Since the time of Sula many have tried to remove whites’ stigma on other ethnicities. But even after the racism of the past has been swallowed, there is still a bitter aftertaste we cannot remove.
Even though the adults of the novels would like to move their lives forward, they often can’t because of their societal roles. The men of medallion spend much of their time “on sills, on stoops, on crates and broken chairs they sat tasting their teeth and waiting for something to distract them” (48). They had little else to do since they could not have many jobs. This reality is especially apparent in the case of Jude who sees “those white men laughing with the grandfathers but shying away from the young black men who could tear that road up” (81). He yearns for the labor. When he cannot work himself he needs “some of his appetites filled, some posture of adulthood recognized” (82). This shows that even though Jude is a provider for his family and full grown, he cannot feel a true sense of self because he feels like he is still a child. Helene is also treated as less-than-adult by white people; the train conductor addresses her as “‘gal’” (20) almost immediately after she leaves her town. Even Charlie, who has assimilated neatly into white culture, can only get a job when it is advantageous to white people; “They hired him because he was Blackfoot and Eli was Blackfoot and the combination played well in the newspapers” (126). King’s Indians and Morrison’s African Americans have been neatly allotted into non-white areas; the reservation and the Bottom both have very low employment levels which holds the characters back. In every aspect of their lives the non-white characters are subjected to inferiority and soon it begins to affect them.
After constant reminders of their place in society the “minorities” acquiesce to the will of the white people and must resign themselves to venting their emotions in new ways. Amos tries to drown his worries in beer and comes home so inebriated that he can’t function, “He tried to stand but pitched forward onto his face, lay there not moving, as if he had been shot” (96). Eva’s husband BoyBoy is obviously a prime example of being stuck in childhood just because of his name. Because of this he too tries to vent his emotions; “he liked womanizing best, drinking second, and abusing Eva third” (32). Others become incredibly bitter towards the white man. The Indians on the reservation council are a prime example of this bitterness; they feel that all they ever got from the government was a “goose” (127). Jude shares this resentment when he says “‘White man running it–nothing good” (102). Although he tries to channel his identity into his family and keep his sense of self, ultimately it is useless and he leaves Nel after having “smashed her heart” and leaveing her with “no heart just her brain raveling away” (117). Even Eva, who loves her children so much she sacrifices her leg for her family, has no time to nurture her children and give them the love and attention they need. As she points out, this is logical; “‘What would I look like leapin’ ‘round that little old room playin’ with youngins with three beets to my name” (69)?
Even though the children grow into better times, they are largely the same as their parents. All of their role models are drunk, bitter, or too tired to love them, and it affects them negatively. After “Amos never came back” (97) Alberta has trouble trusting men and thus can’t choose between Lionel and Charlie. As she grows up she feels a need for control which stops her from riding in planes because she feels “helpless” (90). It is highly possible that Alberta’s need for control stems from the uncontrollable events of her childhood and her relationship with her father. Morrison uses the Deweys to symbolize the stunted growth of those who are not nurtured and lack identity. The three of them physically never grow to be more than 48 inches tall because they have nothing to grow into. Lionel is torn apart by his identity and longs to be John Wayne. Perhaps the child most affected by her lack of true role models is Sula. One of the only times Sula shows any emotion in the book is when she finds out that her mother “‘just don’t like her’” (57) and feels a “sting in her eye” (57). After this point everything goes downhill for Sula. Soon after she throws a little boy into a river and is never the same. Even in adulthood she is “incapable of making any but the most trivial decisions” (101), and has “no center, no speck around which to grow” (119).
In point of fact the characters are all suffering from cultural trauma. The onslaught of whites onto American Indians and African Americans has disturbed the culture so greatly we cannot expect the culture to bounce back. It can take an traumatized individual years to get over a traumatic event, they may feel abandoned and alone, and their sense of safety and relationships with others is destroyed. If this can happen to an individual, can we expect entire ethnicities who have endured centuries of humiliation and degradation to act normally in society? Morrison ends by stating “Nobody colored lived much up in the bottom any more” (166), not because they have gained any status, but because “hill land was more valuable now” (166). Although the Civil Rights movement has come and gone and the government has a special bureau for Indian affairs, little has changed. Lionel stands among the wreckage of Eli’s old house ready to reside in the wreckage as a symbol because although the weapon of discrimination has been removed, the wound remains gaping open.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Sula--REader Response
Sula was not my favorite book of the four that we have read thus far, but I did enjoy it.
Shadrack was my favorite character in the novel. Obviously suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome Shadrack is one of the deepest characters in the book and I hope we can discuss him very in depth. I wonder if he has any symbolism. One thing that I thought was interesting was that Morrison never actually tells the reader what happens to Shadrack that puts him in the hospital for so long.
Helene seems like an incredibly anal lady. Is there actually a difference between the pronunciation of Helen and Helene? I felt bad for Nel because her mother “drove her imagination underground” (18). I had difficulty understanding how Nel and Sula could become such good friends so fast when they were so completely different. Morrison says they’re the same in many ways but he never really explains how. They do share the similarity that they both want to find themselves as individuals, but the do it in completely different ways at completely different times. Both of their mothers are extreme and attractive.
When Nel prays “Oh, Jesus, make me wonderful” I could really relate to it. I felt like she was going to be a very interesting character when I read that and I was disappointed by her actions later in the book. Why do the girls appreciate being called “Pig meat”? That doesn’t make sense to me at all.
I was very happy for Nel when she married a “handsome, well-liked man” (80). I was incredibly disappointed when he cheated on her.
I wonder why Sula decides to leave after Nel’s wedding. If she hadn’t left, probably things would be much better, she would have been able to find herself more easily I think.
When Nel is on the train and she thinks her mother turns to custard (28) I didn’t really understand.
I don’t like Sula at all. I wonder how she could not be upset that she accidently killed Chicken Little (the same goes for Nel). Also, I wonder how Sula could not have foreseen Nel’s anger when she slept with Jude. Reading “The Rose Tattoo” at the beginning of the novel, I am reminded of Sula’s birthmark which is described like a rose. What is the symbolism of the birthmark?
I thought it was interesting that the only child that Eva had that she doesn’t give a pet name to is the child one who stays with her. Why would Plum/Ralph keep a bottle of bloody water?
I have the strong impression that Morrison doesn’t like men very much. Shadrack is insane. Plum does drugs and his mother kills him. Boy-Boy abandons Eva. Jude sleeps with Sula. Ajax can’t handle commitment. Tar Baby does nothing but sing and drink. The Dewey’s are random. Teapot is spoiled. Are there any good males in the book?
The overwhelming theme of blacks’ oppression was written very interestingly. When the man of the boat asks “will those people [blacks] ever be anything but animals” it is ironic because the question is coming from the man who is prepared to leave people’s corpses in the water because it might inconvenience him not to.
When Hannah asks Eva about love I was surprised because Hannah had just said that she didn’t like her own child. Also, Eva’s answer gives great insight as to why she raised her children the way she did, but also why Hannah’s generation had so many problems. How could you be concerned with building your child’s mind when you were just trying to keep them alive.
It’s ironic that Hannah should die by fire when she killed plum by fire. Eva’s statement at the end of the novel that “It’s awful cold in water. Fire is warm” (168) provides interesting insight into Eva’s mindset when she killed her son and how she coped with her daughter’s death.
Shadrack was my favorite character in the novel. Obviously suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome Shadrack is one of the deepest characters in the book and I hope we can discuss him very in depth. I wonder if he has any symbolism. One thing that I thought was interesting was that Morrison never actually tells the reader what happens to Shadrack that puts him in the hospital for so long.
Helene seems like an incredibly anal lady. Is there actually a difference between the pronunciation of Helen and Helene? I felt bad for Nel because her mother “drove her imagination underground” (18). I had difficulty understanding how Nel and Sula could become such good friends so fast when they were so completely different. Morrison says they’re the same in many ways but he never really explains how. They do share the similarity that they both want to find themselves as individuals, but the do it in completely different ways at completely different times. Both of their mothers are extreme and attractive.
When Nel prays “Oh, Jesus, make me wonderful” I could really relate to it. I felt like she was going to be a very interesting character when I read that and I was disappointed by her actions later in the book. Why do the girls appreciate being called “Pig meat”? That doesn’t make sense to me at all.
I was very happy for Nel when she married a “handsome, well-liked man” (80). I was incredibly disappointed when he cheated on her.
I wonder why Sula decides to leave after Nel’s wedding. If she hadn’t left, probably things would be much better, she would have been able to find herself more easily I think.
When Nel is on the train and she thinks her mother turns to custard (28) I didn’t really understand.
I don’t like Sula at all. I wonder how she could not be upset that she accidently killed Chicken Little (the same goes for Nel). Also, I wonder how Sula could not have foreseen Nel’s anger when she slept with Jude. Reading “The Rose Tattoo” at the beginning of the novel, I am reminded of Sula’s birthmark which is described like a rose. What is the symbolism of the birthmark?
I thought it was interesting that the only child that Eva had that she doesn’t give a pet name to is the child one who stays with her. Why would Plum/Ralph keep a bottle of bloody water?
I have the strong impression that Morrison doesn’t like men very much. Shadrack is insane. Plum does drugs and his mother kills him. Boy-Boy abandons Eva. Jude sleeps with Sula. Ajax can’t handle commitment. Tar Baby does nothing but sing and drink. The Dewey’s are random. Teapot is spoiled. Are there any good males in the book?
The overwhelming theme of blacks’ oppression was written very interestingly. When the man of the boat asks “will those people [blacks] ever be anything but animals” it is ironic because the question is coming from the man who is prepared to leave people’s corpses in the water because it might inconvenience him not to.
When Hannah asks Eva about love I was surprised because Hannah had just said that she didn’t like her own child. Also, Eva’s answer gives great insight as to why she raised her children the way she did, but also why Hannah’s generation had so many problems. How could you be concerned with building your child’s mind when you were just trying to keep them alive.
It’s ironic that Hannah should die by fire when she killed plum by fire. Eva’s statement at the end of the novel that “It’s awful cold in water. Fire is warm” (168) provides interesting insight into Eva’s mindset when she killed her son and how she coped with her daughter’s death.
Green Grass Running Water--Extended Analysis
For my extended analysis I researched Noah’s arc and canoes that Native Americans used. After doing this I made a canoe and an arc and two Noah’s and two wives. I will be presenting the models to the class tomorrow along with a little bit of the information I found on Noah and canoes. The arc version is based off the biblical Noah who brought his wife, his three sons and their wives with him. He also brought two of every animal with him they are not included in the model as they are below deck, where they do not defecate (such is the will of the Lord). The King version has a white Noah and his wife who has big giant breasts (in accordance with King). Once again the animals of every kind are not included. The King version of Noah’s wife is included in my model because I thought that she deserved more representation than she received in the novel. Though my craftsmanship may not be up to the par set by the original Noah’s seven year construction, I did spend an enormous amount of time working on this project. I considered putting real horse manure in the bottom of the canoe, but I thought that I would make use of artistic license in this case.
Green Grass Running Water--Close Analysis
The Christian religion is often charged with having shaped created a poor image of femininity that has caused the degradation of women for many centuries. Similarly, western civilization has perpetuated the idea that non-white people are not the same as white people. They have done this by enslaving, killing, and crushing the wills of “minorities” and bending history to make white people seem superior. In Thomas King’s novel, Green Grass Running Water, the similarities between the oppression of women and the oppression of the “colored” is often subtly noted to show that Indians and women are both being held down by white males.
Throughout the novel there are very few likable and strong male characters. Charlie is “slick” and “sleazy” (234) and can’t keep a monogamous relationship. Lionel can’t make decisions on his life. Amos comes home inebriated and yelling right before he abandons his family, and Bob can’t handle having an independent wife who won’t succumb to his every desire so he leaves her. Also, throughout the novel there are very few likable and strong white characters. Bill Bursum has almost no respect for Indians and he often generalizes his statements, saying things like “‘I’ll bet you get all that easy Indian business’” (89). Dr. Hovaugh is another white character who obsesses over the loss of the four Indians, but doesn’t really seem to worry about their well-being or what they’ll do, he just wants them to be gone. His sentiments are shown as he pleads with John Elliot. “‘They’re dead’….‘I can feel it. All four of them. We just need the certificates. Heart attack, cancer, old age. I don’t care. Be creative’” (49). Most blatantly, King shows his disdain for white people in the stories of the four Indian women, who are repeatedly imprisoned by white soldiers on the charge of “Being Indian” (77). The most antagonistic character in the book is actually George, a white male. Not only does George “beat the hell out of [Latisha]” (59), but he also disrespects the sanctity of the Sun Dance by trying to take pictures.
The strong female roles of the novel often humorously point out the inadequacies of the male gender or the white race. When Latisha tells her mother that she thinks George is “more stupid than Latisha t could ever have guessed whites could be stupid” (213), her mother makes the transition from whites to males when she says “‘Quite a few men are like that, honey’” (213). Latisha’s children even portray the difference between males and females. The two sons Christian and Benjamin waited for them mother to come help them in their crib, but the daughter is “silent and determined” (268) as she crawls out by herself. Latisha later states that “‘Men get bored easy…most of them don’t have much of an imagination’” (409). Her statement is emphasized as she looks back and sees her two sons slapping each other for fun. King makes these humorous yet meaningful statements about men to show that although men are able to beat their wives and gain more money, they are not smarter or more respectable.
King skillfully shows that women have to deal with similar problems that Indians have to deal with. Noah has a very specific conviction of how women should look: “Thou Shalt Have Big Breasts” (162). Hollywood producers have a very specific image of Indians as well; this is shown by the fact that Portland has to wear a fake nose just to get a job. Later Noah yells to Changing Woman “if you can’t follow our Christian rules, then you’re not wanted on the voyage” (163) because she won’t procreate with him. Alberta’s husband has a similar idea when he divorces her because she refuses to abandon her education and have children with him. In another instance Alberta tries to be independent and have a child by herself, but she is unable to do so safely because of the regulations of the clinic. The Indians try to be independent and perform their rituals, but they can’t because of the regulations of the American border patrol. King blatantly portrays women and non-whites as one in his telling of “Moby-Jane, the Great Black Whale” (220). Captain Ahab can’t stand the idea of being defeated annually by someone who isn’t white or male, so he pretends that his nemesis is both and kills anyone who says otherwise.
Although King’s novel centers around the oppression of Indians, he ties in male’s domination over females. From the satirical stories of sexism and racism we can learn that King is not simply worried about Indians, he is writing about the balance of power of society in general, not just the balance of power for different ethnicities.
Throughout the novel there are very few likable and strong male characters. Charlie is “slick” and “sleazy” (234) and can’t keep a monogamous relationship. Lionel can’t make decisions on his life. Amos comes home inebriated and yelling right before he abandons his family, and Bob can’t handle having an independent wife who won’t succumb to his every desire so he leaves her. Also, throughout the novel there are very few likable and strong white characters. Bill Bursum has almost no respect for Indians and he often generalizes his statements, saying things like “‘I’ll bet you get all that easy Indian business’” (89). Dr. Hovaugh is another white character who obsesses over the loss of the four Indians, but doesn’t really seem to worry about their well-being or what they’ll do, he just wants them to be gone. His sentiments are shown as he pleads with John Elliot. “‘They’re dead’….‘I can feel it. All four of them. We just need the certificates. Heart attack, cancer, old age. I don’t care. Be creative’” (49). Most blatantly, King shows his disdain for white people in the stories of the four Indian women, who are repeatedly imprisoned by white soldiers on the charge of “Being Indian” (77). The most antagonistic character in the book is actually George, a white male. Not only does George “beat the hell out of [Latisha]” (59), but he also disrespects the sanctity of the Sun Dance by trying to take pictures.
The strong female roles of the novel often humorously point out the inadequacies of the male gender or the white race. When Latisha tells her mother that she thinks George is “more stupid than Latisha t could ever have guessed whites could be stupid” (213), her mother makes the transition from whites to males when she says “‘Quite a few men are like that, honey’” (213). Latisha’s children even portray the difference between males and females. The two sons Christian and Benjamin waited for them mother to come help them in their crib, but the daughter is “silent and determined” (268) as she crawls out by herself. Latisha later states that “‘Men get bored easy…most of them don’t have much of an imagination’” (409). Her statement is emphasized as she looks back and sees her two sons slapping each other for fun. King makes these humorous yet meaningful statements about men to show that although men are able to beat their wives and gain more money, they are not smarter or more respectable.
King skillfully shows that women have to deal with similar problems that Indians have to deal with. Noah has a very specific conviction of how women should look: “Thou Shalt Have Big Breasts” (162). Hollywood producers have a very specific image of Indians as well; this is shown by the fact that Portland has to wear a fake nose just to get a job. Later Noah yells to Changing Woman “if you can’t follow our Christian rules, then you’re not wanted on the voyage” (163) because she won’t procreate with him. Alberta’s husband has a similar idea when he divorces her because she refuses to abandon her education and have children with him. In another instance Alberta tries to be independent and have a child by herself, but she is unable to do so safely because of the regulations of the clinic. The Indians try to be independent and perform their rituals, but they can’t because of the regulations of the American border patrol. King blatantly portrays women and non-whites as one in his telling of “Moby-Jane, the Great Black Whale” (220). Captain Ahab can’t stand the idea of being defeated annually by someone who isn’t white or male, so he pretends that his nemesis is both and kills anyone who says otherwise.
Although King’s novel centers around the oppression of Indians, he ties in male’s domination over females. From the satirical stories of sexism and racism we can learn that King is not simply worried about Indians, he is writing about the balance of power of society in general, not just the balance of power for different ethnicities.
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