The second part of the novel was different from what I expected it to be. After reading Huck Finn and Rise, Fall of the American Teenager, Charlotte Temple and my individual book Native Son, I expected something bad and unfortunate to happen to the characters. However, the only thing we find in this novel is that Regina, like many young girls today, is left abandoned and pregnant by her "beau" who turned out not to be the knight in shining armor, come to take her away and start a family.
This novel turned out to be pleasent to read. It mostly displayed to wondering, adolescent mind of Betsey Brown. I could very much relate to some of the ideas she had when I was her age: having a secret place to mellow out, secret romance, views about race issues, and micheviousness like when she made Mrs. Callhon leave. Before reading this book I was familiar with the bussing law passed during that era. This book gave me a sense of what black children had to do in order to abide by that law. It also gave me a sense of how they might have coped with this new experience.
Overall, this novel well represented not just a black family, but I think any family with adolescent children. There were ups and downs, problems and disagreements, but the fact still remaid that they were a family and the stayed together. I like this aspect Shange brought out.
Learning in the Age of the Trigger Warning
11 years ago
It was eye opening when I read the childrens aspect of the racial issues that were going on. I knew it happened to adults but I guess I was ignorant to the fact people picked on children too. I could never imagine my son coming home from school chanting that he survived the day. That had to of been insane to go through. It made me think if the children were better off closer to the city or in the higher African class area. I do know it must of have made them a stronger family to stick to going to the "white school" and being treated as less. Being there for eachother through the hard times was very nice to see. I do admit that it was a little scary waiting for Jane to come home. I was afraid she was going to end up at the hair salon with Regina. That would have been a twist to this novel.
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