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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
informative
sad
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"There’s an old oak tree up the quarters where Aunt Lou Bolin and them used to stay. That tree has been here, I’m sure, since this place been here, and it has seen much much, and it knows much much. And I’m not ashamed to say I have talked to it, and I’m not crazy either. It’s not necessary craziness when you talk to trees and rivers."
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Miss Jane was born into slavery, and we follow her incredibly long life all the way into the Civil Rights Movement. Her story is gutwrenching at times, particularly when characters are killed for fighting for a better world; but she can be funny, too. Gaines really captured the meandering style of an elder retelling stories from their youth.
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I want to conclude with Miss Jane's philosophy on life, which we should probably all pay more attention to:
"It’s good for you—fish. Fish and work. Hard work can kill you, but plain steady work never killed nobody. Steady work and eating plenty fish never killed nobody. Greens good, too. Fish and greens and good steady work. Plenty walking, that’s good. People don’t walk no more. When you don’t walk you don’t drink enough water. Good clean water and greens clear out your system."
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Miss Jane was born into slavery, and we follow her incredibly long life all the way into the Civil Rights Movement. Her story is gutwrenching at times, particularly when characters are killed for fighting for a better world; but she can be funny, too. Gaines really captured the meandering style of an elder retelling stories from their youth.
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I want to conclude with Miss Jane's philosophy on life, which we should probably all pay more attention to:
"It’s good for you—fish. Fish and work. Hard work can kill you, but plain steady work never killed nobody. Steady work and eating plenty fish never killed nobody. Greens good, too. Fish and greens and good steady work. Plenty walking, that’s good. People don’t walk no more. When you don’t walk you don’t drink enough water. Good clean water and greens clear out your system."
Wrenched my heart over and over.
Still thinking about this:
First time I realized that slavery meant not having pockets. Not owning anything meant not owning even the littlest thing a child could pick up and carry around in a pocket.
Still thinking about this:
Then I found the flint and iron Big Laura had used to light the fire with. Both of them looked like pieces of rock, so anytime anybody asked me what they was I just told them, "Two little rocks." I gived them to Ned and told him it was go'n be his job to see that they got to Ohio same time we did. After I had covered up Big Laura and the child with some clothes, I put the buncle on my head and we started out. Every now and then I asked Ned if he was tired. If he said no, we went on; if he said yes, we found a good place to sit down. Then I would take something out the bundle for us to eat. Ned would put the rocks on the gound while we ate. But soon as he was through eating he'd pick them up again.
First time I realized that slavery meant not having pockets. Not owning anything meant not owning even the littlest thing a child could pick up and carry around in a pocket.