New Characters
Elihue Micah Whitcomb (Soaphead Church)– A self-styled spiritualist, “Reader, Advisor, and Interpreter of Dreams,” Soaphead’s mixed blood keeps him free from label of being black, although his racial and sexual ambiguities confine him to a life of no identity. Pecola consults him in her quest for blue eyes.
Aunt Jimmy– A kind, generous, earthy woman, she rescues and raises Cholly Breedlove.
Blue Jack– Blue befriends a young and impressionable Cholly, because of his storytelling and gentle ways, he becomes a father figure whom Cholly remembers all his life.
Darlene– Cholly Breedlove’s first girlfriend; they suffered a humiliating sexual encounter when they were interrupted by jeering white men.
Samson Fuller– Cholly Breedlove’s father, he abandoned Cholly before the boy was born.
Miss Alice– A close friend of Aunt Jimmy
M’Dear– A respected midwife, she is known for her knowledge of herbal medicine
Essie Foster– A neighbor and friend to Cholly and his Aunt Jimmy, her peach cobler is blamed for causing Aunt Jimmy’s death.
O.V. – Aunt Jimmy’s half-brother and Cholly’s uncle.
Jake– Cholly’s 15 year old cousin that he meets at Aunt Jimmy’s funeral.
Chicken and Pie– Pauline Breedlove’s twin siblings, who were under her care before she married Cholly.
Mr. and Mrs. Fisher– The well-to-do white couple who employ Pauline as their maid and brag that she is the “ideal servant”. They call her Polly.
“Spring”- This particular section is pretty long.
Claudia recalls spring and her memories sting, for whenever she was punished that spring, she was always whipped with fresh forsythia twigs that bent but never broke. Spring is also associated with sexuality. Claudia and Frieda were further introduced to the deceptive world of adult of sexuality. Mr. Henry, the boarder, touches Frieda’s budding breasts. Mr. MacTeer tries to kill Mr. Henry because he fears that Frieda might be “ruined”. The girls think “ruined” means fat, because whenever their mother has used the word “ruin”, she is usually describing the large prostitutes down the street.
The girls set on a journey to help Frieda lose her fat by attaining alcohol and drinking it. They decide to go find Pecola, beacause her father, Cholly is always drunk and she would know where to get some. They arrive at the Fisher house, where Pecola’s mom, Pauline is working. Pecola is in the kitchen with her mom and accidentally knocks over some blueberry cobbler onto the floor and burns her legs. Pauline screams at Pecola and ends up comforting the Fisher’s daughter instead of her own child. Caroline and Frieda are disturbed by the way Pecola is treated by her mother. Pecola calls her mother, “Mrs. Breedlove” and the Fisher’s daughter calls her, Polly.
Pauline’s background is discussed. She hurt her foot by stepping on a nail. She raised her brother and sister while her parents worked. She dreamed of meeting a loving man, and she met Cholly Breedlove, got married and moved to Ohio. She is quiet and private. She would love to go to the movies and see Clark Gable and Jean Harlow. At first when she had sex with Cholly, she would see bright colors like a rainbow. Cholly started to distanced himself from her, she got bored and started to work and go to church. She started to resent Cholly and became a ” church” woman who uses Cholly’s sins to cast her as a moral authority or on a higher moral plane. She no longer saw rainbows or felt laughter with Cholly.
Cholly’s childhood is discussed. He was left on a trash heap wrapped in newspaper by his mother. His father abandoned his mother so he was raised by his Aunt Jimmy. Cholly has essentially lead a rootless existence. At his Aunt Jimmy’s funeral, he meets Darlene and they go into forest and have sex. While being intimate, two white men came jeering and forced Cholly and Darlene to do it again while they watch. Cholly became embarrassed and ashamed. He started to feel hatred toward Darlene. He runs off to look for his father in Macon, GA. He doesn’t trust his Uncle O.V. , so he searches for dad and doesn’t know or care if he got Darlene pregnant. When he finally finds his father and tries to talk to him, Cholly is shooed away by father for a craps game. He becomes angry, cries and soils his underwear. Embarassed, he cleans his clothing and undergarments in the river and is reborn. He becomes free and determines he can do whatever he wants. His life is trail of excess of crime(sex, thefts, debauchery, and even murder), until he meets Pauline. He doesn’t know how to be a parent to his kids, since he never really had one. He ends up raping his daughter, Pecola twice.
Soaphead Church, is a light skinned misantthrope. His family has carefully tried to separate themselves from every aspect of African culture and heritage. They use their white blood for power. they also believed that their academic and intellectual achievements were based on their mixed blood. Soaphead hates people, but has been involved in several indutries where he has to deal with them. He has been an Angelican Priest, social worker, and now he is a faith healer/minister. His skills in language and self-deception have allowed to be successful. He stays with an old woman who has an old dog that he can’t stand. He also has an affinity towards little girls and constantly questions God about why his marriage failed. Pecola comes in to put in request to make her eyes blue. He notices she is unattractive little girl, and is sad that she can’t make herself beautiful. He notices her small tummy.
He gets Pecola to feed the old dog rancid meat with poison and unknowingly kill the dog.
At this point of the story we have been introduced to three black characters, who it their life’s work to deny their blackness; Maureen Peal, Geraldine, and Soapbox Church. All of them have found Pecola ugly, and have victimized her because of her strong African features.
Please feel free to discuss.
Next week, on April 26th I will discuss the last section entitled, “Summer”.
I look forward to the discussion.