"What you think you doin', gal? Helene looked up at him. So soon. So soon. She hadn't even begun the trip back. Back to her grandmother's house in the city where the red shutters glowed, and already she had been called 'gal.'" This to me just made me think of a woman who had worked so hard to get out of the lifestyle she was born into, but on the way back to visit, she felt herself being put back into that lifestyle by people around her who didn't know her. To me, this kind of reminds me of when I go home. I have been pretty independent since I got my first job at the age of 16. I have worked hard to make it as far as I have and when I go home, people make comments about me because I have decided to go to school. These comments are usually how I think I am smarter or better than people, especially my family, because I will be the first one to graduate from a university. I just don't think it's fair that people think it is okay to put down people who are trying to better their lives.
Another passage that struck me was " The two women did not speak for the eyes of each were enough for the other. Then Hannah closed hers and ran toward the voices of the neighbors calling for water." I couldn't imagine having to watch a child self destruct and suffer, and then Eva decided she had had enough and was going to put him out of his misery. This statement to me just shows the strength of the relationship between the mother and daughter, as well an understanding. This reminded me of The Revolt of Mother! because both mothers got fed up and took action. Eva easily could have watched her son slowly kill himself, but decided they would all be better off not waiting around. This is like the mother having her children gather up their things and move into the barn. They decided that they were going to act instead of being submissive to the behaviors around them.
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I was really struck by the first passage you mention as well. I feel that because Helene was so obviously degraded that she sort of disappeared and became submissive for the moment because she was put back into her old life. I think this is why Helene resorts to smiling at the man who degraded her later. I feel she is so taken back that she just becomes under his control. This entire scene is very sad.
ReplyDeleteThe first passage gave me the same reaction while reading it. Helene is said to have alot of respect in her community but at the same time people dont call her by the right name, which is how people identify you--kind of important! But when the guy calls her gal and she smiles she is like "custard." It is sad how that guy calling her gal can make her so weak for a second.
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