Chapter 9
This chapter offers quite a lot and seems to raise just as
many questions as it answers. We haven’t seen much of either of Milkman’s sisters
until this chapter, but man, they do take over this chapter in a powerful
way. We also learn more about Pilate,
and her ability to both play into stereotypical gender roles and transcend
them.
Please take notes on your assigned character/questions. List at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with
analysis in full sentences. You MAY NOT REPEAT.
Read what everyone else assigned to your group wrote first, then try to
add to what they wrote (with new evidence) or respond to a different question
(with new evidence) for your character. DO NOT try to answer all of the questions.
Females:
Corinthians
Males: Lena
Anyone (guys or
girls) who fits any of the following criteria: Pilate
Is left-handed
Is double-jointed
Listens to Country on a regular basis (at least 3 or more x
a week)
1) Corinthians:
What were her/her parents’ expectations for her life? Why aren’t they working out? Why isn’t she married? What are black, moving-into-middle-class men looking
for in a wife? Any of this remind you of
Death of a Salesman?
How does Corinthians change, first, by working for
Michael-Mary, and second, by taking up with Porter?
Who is Henry Porter (what do we know about him from previous
chapters)?
How did you react to the scene of Corinthians throwing
herself across Porter’s car? Is this the
act of a “doll-baby” or “grown up woman”?
Explain.
Significance /symbolism of the rose petals for
Corinthians?
What are Morrison’s overall messages in Corinthians’ story
about love, about the life of women, about individuality?
2) Pilate:
How does Pilate transform herself in order to get Milkman
and Guitar out of jail? Be specific.
What story does she tell? How
does this act demonstrate her understanding of her society? Is she being weak or strong here? Why?
Milkman says that this whole incident makes him feel
“shame…stuck to his skin” (209-210).
Why? Is this “shame” a step
forward or a step back in his character development? (To what extent is he
ashamed of himself, to what extent is he ashamed of his aunt?)
3) Magdalene called
Lena:
How does Milkman dismiss/disrespect Lena in earlier chapters
and/or leading into their conversation at the end of chapter 9?
Why is Lena angry with Milkman (one specific action, and
then more generally)? What does she mean by “there are all kinds of ways to pee
on people?” (214)
How has sexism and stereotypical gender roles played out in
this family, according to Lena? How does
Milkman’s statement that “I don’t carry no stick; I live and let live” (214)
reveal his fundamental misunderstanding of how these gender roles function?
How is Lena’s attitude toward the roses significant?
What are Morrison’s overall messages about the life of women
and the life of men that she is communicating through Lena’s story?
Corinthians:
ReplyDeleteHenry Porter is a man Corinthians meets on a bus. He was the man shouting for sex or "I'ma blow my brains out!" (pg.25) Porter is a man that Macon would never allow Corinthians to be with because of his outspoken and vulgar mind. When they first interacted she was hesitant, "she should be afraid of him, for something in his manner suggested waiting- a confident, assured waiting" (pg192). The two are a couple no one would ever put together. Corinthians has so much potential in her as she has received higher education and provides for herself. Porter is a man that is a part of the Seven Days and is not the successful man every one wishes Corinthians to be with. It is understandable that she does not wish for the relationship to be public because she has this expectation to be with someone that is of the same class as her. By bringing this relationship to the public she would face rejection and disappointment from her family, which she did. Milkman was disappointed she settled for one of her father's tenants. To be with someone of a lower status hurts a reputation that was built for years. She was with a man that was viewed as insane and inappropriate in her neighborhood. However, Porter was hurt to find that she was ashamed but knew her love for him was too large to let him go.
Corinthians parents want more for her than what society has to offer.During that time, men are looking for women who are easy to control or someone that depends on them for everything.Corinthians keeps herself isolated from the other maids. When she first sees Porter she doesn't even want to make eye contact with him, but wants they start to talk and she is has these "wishy washy" feelings towards him. She wants to be with him but she is scared.Porter is not on the same level as Corinthians.He isn't educated, he has no future goals, his mindset is just completely different from hers.He is like the bad boy your parents tell you to stay away from. The ones that will "ruin" your life.I felt that she is a "doll baby". Its as if she was throwing a tantrum.Someone told her the truth about how they felt. She didn't like it so she got upset.I think Morrison is trying to tell us don't change yourself completely for a man. Don't dumb yourself but don't be afraid to let people know who you care for or who you love.
ReplyDeleteList at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with analysis in full sentences.
DeleteMiss Dugan, please copy and pastell this with your class. I missed it when I was grading.
DeleteMiss Dugan, please copy and pastell this with your class. I missed it when I was grading.
DeleteCorinthians
ReplyDeleteThe the velvet roses signify the countless things Corinthians will never be able to truly achieve. The faux roses symbolize how artificial Corinthians, as well as her sister’s, life is. The fake roses simply serve as distractions from their upper class lives, they spent their days, “sitting like baby dolls before table...with scraps of red velvet.” (pg 10) The sisters also sell the roses to “Gerhardt’s” (pg 10), however, they have no need for money further supporting the fact that Corinthians and her sister make the fake flowers to distract themselves. If real red roses symbolize love, then the fake flowers are a cheap substitute for love. They are “Bright, lifeless roses” (pg 10) that symbolize the loveless life Corinthians leads, that is until she meets Porter. Before she met Porter however, it seemed her father would “[knock] the ice out of [Corinthian's] hand into the dirt”. (pg 216). Once Macon found out about Porter he knocked him out of Corinthian’s hand as well.
I agree with you entirely. Corinthians' life up until she meets porter is stagnant and repetitive.Upon reading that "Corinthians climbed up on the fender..across the hood of the car"(pg.199), I felt joy from witnessing her take control for once. That joy i felt for Corinthians vanished when i realized her choice was influenced by Porter rather than being completely her own. Porter's manipulative words of "I don't want a doll baby...i want a women"(pg. 195) propel Corinthians into running back into his arms. By falling for these words, Corinthians ultimately ends up becoming the person she spent the entirety of her life trying to avoid. Porter is the type of man corthians wanted to avoid by getting an education and valuing herself as more than her maid counterparts. By choosing Porter, she throws those things away and trying to prove that she is the "grown-up woman not scared of her daddy"(pg 195)- she ends up being the doll-baby as previously mentioned on page 10.
Deletelovely insight, I particularly like:"Corinthians ultimately ends up becoming the person she spent the entirety of her life trying to avoid."
DeleteCorinthians and her parents expected her to marry well, but hopes were higher for her because she went to college. “Her education had taught her how to be an enlightened mother and wife, able to contribute to the civilization--or in her case, the civilizing-- of her community.” (pg. 188) If marriage didn’t work out, “there were alternative roles:teacher, librarian, or… well, something intelligent and public-spirited.” (pg.188) These things aren’t working out for Corinthians because she was somewhat picky when it came to eligible bachelors. Some men were too old and some men had too much baggage. Other eligible bachelors were not even interested in Corinthians. At one point, Corinthians considered becoming a teacher. Unfortunately, she made this decision 21 years after she had been out of college. “She had none of the ‘new’ courses now required by the state teachers’ school to take the required courses. But the sight of those torpedo breasts under fuzzy blue sweaters, the absolute nakedness of those young faces, drove her out of the building and off the campus like a leaf before a hailstorm.” (pg. 189)She isn’t married because she doesn’t fit the “qualifications” in what some women were looking for in a wife. “They wanted wives who would sacrifice themselves and appreciate the hard work and sacrifice of their husbands. Corinthians was a little too elegant. Bryn Mawr in 1940. France in 1939. That was a bit much. Fisk, Howard, Talledega, Tougaloo-- that was their hunting territory.” (pg.188) Corinthians was too educated to be anyone’s wife. She actually went to college and went overseas. Some men want their wives to stay at home and cook and clean be dominated by them. With Corinthians knowing and doing so much, that wouldn’t be able to control her like they want to. She has the ability to outsmart the men and that’s not what they want.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHer mother in particularly expected her to marry prosperous man, especially a doctor, “hopes for her where especially high since she’d gone to college”. People assumed she would marry someone of her social status, wealthy, and educated. She did as well. However, nothing went as hoped for because she, “was a little too elegant”, and men did not like that. Also, they did not see her as an ideal wife because she was too educated, too refined, and too intimidating. Never did her parents think Corinthians would become associated and much less have a relationship with anyone lower than the family Dead. Naturally, they would not have allowed it either because it would affect them, and the way people viewed them. Therefore, Corinthians stayed single well past her mid-thirties.
ReplyDeleteand this important why and how in terms of theme?
DeleteIt is important because it shows how no matter how hard they try, women are not validated in this story. It also correlates with the theme of suppressed women because Corinthians, from a very young age is being told who she can or cannot interact with. It was all to benefit her parents ”her mother approved”. Her mother as well as her father expected her “to marry well” not for her sake but for theirs. Ruth wanted to show off her family especially her well educated daughter. She would have loved the idea of having a doctor for a son in law because he would have reminded her of her father. It was not because she thought of Corinthians’ happiness.
DeleteIn a previous chapter, when Magdalene called Lena was a girl, and Milkman a boy, the pair went into the woods, so that the latter may relieve himself. The result: Milkman urinated on Lena, and her flowers and twig. Lena had later planted her collection of greenery. The flowers died, but the twig had grown into a maple tree, so Lena had forgiven the incident.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when Milkman had struck Macon Dead II, he essentially declared his authority over the household, inciting Lena's disaffection towards Milkman. Which was made clear in chapter nine, when Lena said,"Where do you get the right to decide our lives?" Which was referring to Milkmans decision to tell his father about Corinthians relationship with Porter, which resulted in Porters eviction, and Corinthians job termination.
When Milkman said,"What is all this about peeing on people!", and Lena's response,"You've been doing it to us all your life." Which indicates how Milkman has failed to understand how gender roles dictate roles in the household. In response Milkman attempts to defend his position by stating that,"I don't carry no stick; I live and let live, you know that." In which case Lena counters by mentioning how Milkman has for the duration of his life failed to cook, clean, care for, or thank the women of the household for working hard to maintain his home. Milkman fails to see how gender roles dictate the roles of his family within the household, where he and his father have occupations and "go out", while his mother and sisters are forced to do chores and stay home. This displays the sexist gender roles within the Dead house, and their establishment under male rule.
Corinthians parents want more out of Corinthians but society wont allow it. Her individualism wont allow her to get the attention of any "middle class" male.Middle class men didn't want her because “They wanted wives who would sacrifice themselves and appreciate the hard work and sacrifice of their husbands"(pg 188) .Then she met Porter who didn't mind her independence, but he was not in the same social class as Corinthians. Henry Porter works as a yardman and is a southside tenant of Macon Jr.. He is no where near the same social class as Corinthians so they have an affair.
ReplyDeleteAfter Pilate plays the act of being an ignorant old lady in order to bail guitar and Milkman, Milkman feels a sudden surge of shame. This shame is a step forward because it demonstrates his spiritual awakening. The fact that his leg was miraculously cures tells us that milkman is undergoing a deeper transformation. I believe that this is a turning point for Milkmans character development.
ReplyDeleteList at least 2 quotations (short, proper citation format) with analysis in full sentences.
DeletePlease paste this to the proper period
DeleteIn song of Solomon Corinthians is expressed as a woman being oppressed by her role .The role that society expects her to follow which is to be a stay at home mom ,cook ,clean and prepare the household for the man .But in Macon's view and Corinthian's view that was unnecessary and that is why she went out to get an education and surpass that. But when she finally gets out we see the complete opposite and she is manipulated and molded into the gender role that society has for: her out of desperation and the fear of being alone.Because at that time that is what men wanted they didn't want an educated woman they didn't want someone who could possibly make more than them and per say provide for themselves .They feared that, but because of the way Corinthian's was raised she believed the opposite and in her passage of mind she became this snobby stuck up female that everyone wanted but could never get . And she knew this and so did Macon and so did the rest of her family and that is why they didn't want her being a maid .They wanted her to be more they wanted her to be like them even though she was a female they wanted the dead name to be remembered and leave a legacy such as the one milkman discovers in Song of Solomon .
ReplyDeleteMy reaction to this scene was at first shock. A lady her entire life, Corinthians never broke out of her manners. As i kept thinking about it, Corinthians was very much trying her best to grab Porter, a yardman's, attention.
ReplyDeleteI later understood this is an act of a grown up woman who just needed motivation to break out of her eich and stuck up shell. Desperate for Porter, Corinthians needed a solution. On page 198, it is stated "For if Porter did not turn his head and lean toward the door to open it for her, Corinthians belueved ahe would surely die." Her only motivation was the live ahe had for Porter. Corinthians was also breaking off the Dead and women's stereotypes in the book. As recalled on page 196, "She didnt know any grown-up women. Every woman she knew was a doll baby." The comment from Porter enraged Corinthians for she believed she was always better than that. With her responisbilities self-taught such as being a maid. The comment would be motivation to prove this is not her by spending the night with Porter.