Secondary Research

Shaakira Jordan

Dr. Kim Middleton

Contemporary Fiction—Secondary Research

December 2, 2009

Hendrickson, Norejane J., Deborah Perkins, Sylvia White, and Timothy Buck. “Parent-Daughter Relationships in Fiction.” JSTOR, July 1975. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/583175>.

• In as comprehensive terms as possible, what is the author’s argument?  What terms or contexts might you need to include/explain/define for someone that has not read it as carefully as you?

The article Parent-Daughter Relationships in Fiction by Norejane J. Hendrickson, Deborah Perkins, Slyvia White and Timothy Buck provides a study which is based on the family as seen in fiction. Hendrickson, Perkins, White, and Buck conclude in study-based format that family relationships (specifically mother-daughter, mother-father, and father daughter relationships) are heavily reflected in American fiction. The study contains a “guideline sheet” that outlines the criteria for familial relationships such as consistency, conflicts, structure, focal problems (i.e money, status, marriage plans, etc), social distance, etc. The study also is based off of 42 books that represent family and familial aspects in fiction.  The books are not only compared to one another but contrasted as well.

• Give at least two of the author’s main points of support for his/her argument, and explain how they work to support it.

1. One of the authors’ main points is that concepts in fiction specifically relating to family are based off the current society.
2. Significant findings in the study:
   1. Families in upper socio-economic levels as pointed out in fiction
   2. Books that contained conflicted situations between fathers and daughters and their consistency.
   3. Emotional connections with father-mother, father-daughter, mother-daughter relationships.
   4. Stories in urban settings

• Note at least three other minor ideas/references  that the author makes that people might find useful in their papers

1. “One of the major concerns of the writers of the article is the seeming lack of quality stories about intact, happy families.”

2. “Mothers were often portrayed as prostitutes, illegitimate mothers, servant girls to the husbands, scatterbrains, and so forth. (Jonathans Mother, etc. )

3. “The unequal portrayal of mother and father roles.”

4.  Marriage is presented in a negative light.

• Finally, give at least two examples of arguments or points that a writer might use this article to support.  (Be specific here: mention particular themes, relationships, ideas, texts, etc.)

1. Particular themes in this article include familial relationships as seen in fiction that is adjusted to the society at hand. Specific relationships include parent daughter, mother-daughter, father-daughter, and father-mother.   
2. A point that a writer could find useful in this article when applying secondary research is the significant findings of mother-daughter relationships (i.e Beli and Lola, Sandy and Birdie). More specifically father-daughter relationships that are seen in fiction as inconsistent, socially distant, are reflective of that particular society.

Caucasia: The End :(

Upon reading the last part of the novel I was excited because I expected Birdie and Cole to finally reunite (hopefully).  I was happy to find that they did infact reunite, however I felt the ending was abrupt and confusing. Now, I have noticed when Birdie talks about “outter body experiences”, but what does this mean? Maybe that since Birdie and Cole are so close that it did not matter how much distance there was, they still could feel each others presence like twins??! However, the last page of the novel talks about Birdie taking a walk and seeing a “cinnamon girl” that resembled herself sand within an instant she disappeared–”She was black like me, a mixed girl, and she was watching me from behind the dirty glass. For a second I thought I was somewhere familiar and she was a girl I already knew. I began to lift my hand, but stopped remembering where I was and what I had already found. Then the bus lurched forward, and the face was gone with it, just a blur of yellow and black in motion” (Senna 413).  I believe I have two theories for this: #1. This apparition figure could be Samantha, or #2. It could Birdie’s old self (i,e, Jessie Goldman) and Birdie could be thinking about or envisioning finally putting Jessie Goldman to rest. However, the whole idea of Birdie having outter body experiences, and Cole’s dream of Sandy is quite interesting and I am really not sure what to believe about it. When I got to page 413 i assumed there would be more because I got into it and did not want it to end. I literally said “thats it??@!!” because I wanted to read more about Birdie and Cole’s after life. I am also wondering if there is a part 2?? if there isn’t then there should be! I guess this whole concept makes Danzy Senna very successful because through her the reader can’t put the book down and yearns for more (at least I can say this about myself).

Nice Job Senna!!   

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I did a little research online about the book to see if I could make any other connections and I found this which seemed pretty cool: its a wordle that contains all words related to Caucasia in a sort of mural. Check it out if you have time!

<a href=”http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/211778/Caucasia”
  title=”Wordle: Caucasia”><img
  src=”http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/211778/Caucasia”
  alt=”Wordle: Caucasia”
  style=”padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd”></a>

Caucasia: Malicious Mona

Upon reading pages 135-289 what stood out the most was the character Mona. In this section we find that Mona is not only racist, but that she is extremely snobby and a jealous you know what! Mona acts big and tough and basically bullies girls that she doesn’t like and who she’s jealous of (i.e. Samantha). However, what I found hilarious was when Mona goes with Birdie, Jim, and Sandy to NYC where she is instantly taken from her “comfort” zone.  While Jim and Sandy admire the Impressionist paintings, Birdie and Mona ask to wait outside. While outside, Birdie discovers break-dancers and joins them while Mona immediately becomes uncomfortable looking like an outsider–”I clapped my hands, laughing at their expertise, and began to move to the music. Mona stood stiffly by my side, her hands shoved in her pockets…I was surprised at Mona’s transformation. She was so clearly uncomfortable, I almost felt sorry for her…” (Senna 261). While reading this I felt happy because Mona desperately needed a taste of her own medicine. However, Mona really gets it when Birdie finally decides to stand up for herself .

On the way back to New Hampshire they get lost and instead of asking for directions, Jim makes a “wrong turn.” They pull into a “sketchy” neighborhood and a kid decides to throw a rock at the car window. Jim decides to play hero and gets out and yells at the kid for “almost breaking” the windshield. When this happens Mona completely becomes horrified–”Mona had gone pale. She looked as if she were going to cry. ‘Mrs. Goldman,’ she called to my mother, ‘what’s he gonna do’….” (Senna 263). Birdie punches Mona (whooooo hoooo) and says “Shut the f*** up…What do you know.” Here we finally see Birdie fighting back instead of taking the insults. Mona becomes “other” and really deserves what she gets! After the incident Mona says “Oh my God. Oh my f***king  God. I shouldn’t have come. Dennis told me not to come” (Senna 264) This was HI-Larioussss! This seems to mark the first time where Birdie finally fights back and when Birdie begins to find her own identity.

LOL at Mona!

Go Birdieeee!

Birdie needs to drop Mona like a bad habit!

Caucasia: Shame & Silence

Upon reading pages 83-131 in Caucasia I found this section to be quite tragic and sad. What I seemed mostly drawn to were the words “shame”  ( the sisters constantly feeling ashamed) and silence. This is first seen in the first section when Deck mentions the word “ofay.” The girls seem to understand it when they remark “isnt mum ofay”, however they don’t understand because if their mother is white, why is daddy calling mommy a bad name? In this second section shame is understood by both Cole and Birdie as something bad; something far away from good, while “silence” is  not really understood, but frequented in the family. When Deck and Sandra split, Deck meets a light-skinned dark girl who is everything that Sandra isnt. Carmen knows how to braid and Cole really attaches herself quickly to her. Sandra on the other hand doesnt not know how to braid (or isn’t able to do the braid that “stick” to her head). Cole really identifies with Carmen and starts wearing African Head wraps like her. However, when Carmen meets Birdie, she treats her like “other”–”But Carmen seemed to have grown chillier toward me since we entered the diner. She didn’t make eye contact with me through the whole brunch, and spoke only to Cole and my father…” (Senna 90). Carmen is differentiating between Cole and Birdie, and because Cole is similar to Carmen, she favors her.

Silence seems to strike in this section with a vengeance in that questions about the visitors and the basement are never answered. Sandra becomes more disconnected with Cole, and as the distance increases, silence increases by ten–”Things unravel. Slowly. Without warning. We all had been going through out separate changes for awhile. Moving in different directions. My mother disappearing in to the basement. Cole disappearing into her adolescence. Me into my life with the Brown Sugars clique at Nkrumah” (Senna 91).  Carmen enhances the differences between the two girls and as the novel progresses they too become separated and begin to live up to the “differences” that everyone points out on a daily basis. This becomes relevant when Cole does not speak  in “Elemeno” as much. The sisters are taken away to separate places and Sandra does not seem bothered by leaving Cole and letting her go away to Brazil.  Brazil outlines the distance between the sisters and it’s really quite sad.

This book is deeep.

I like it.

Caucasia: Isolation

Upon reading pages 1-83 of Caucasia by Danzy Senna I found that the main theme that engulfed the first section is isolation. Sandra, Deck, Cole, and Birdie are very isolated in that they are a different or “other” family. Not only is this family isolated from the outside world, but they are isolated from each other. Cole is darker and takes after her father’s black side and Birdie takes after her mothers white side. Although Sandra and Deck make it obvious that the two are different by bludgeoning the girls with very different outlooks toward race—Sandra’s white influences and Deck’s black influences–The sisters plead deaf to that difference and embrace each other even more. The sisters form their own language (Elemeno) and even create an imagined nation. It seems that with Elemeno they have something that only Birdie and Cole can understand; something that Sandra, Deck, and even outsiders of the family will never understand or relate to–”When Cole and I were alone in our attic, speaking Elemeno and making cities out of stuff animals…we were the inside, the secret and fun make-believe, and that was where I wanted to stay” (Senna 7). This language seems like the only way Birdie and Cole stay connected and the way they keep themselves “alive” inside. What is interesting is that according to Birdie and Cole, the Elemenos are not only black and white, they are  interchangeable. The colors change from purple, green, yellow…etc. Now these children are young and it fascinates me that they understand that it shouldn’t matter what color or race you are. It is also sad that Cole and Birdies parents are simply confusing the girls not to mention outsiders they come in contact with everyday.

This novel is heavy on race and quite interesting….so far

The Incredibles: Cute and Complex

After watching The Incredibles I found the film to be quite interesting and is really the only family that I particularly can relate to. Although the movie is seemingly entertaining to children, it does possess depth in that underneath lies a biting denunciation on various contemporary topics. More specifically, it represents what a contemporary family may resemble. The Incredibles although they are super-heroes do not feel super at all. In fact, all they would like to be “un-super” or “normal.” However, The Incredibles only seem to come together in time of need which is analogous to a family.  The director of this movie (unsure who it is), could have told a regular cutesy kid story about a cartoon family, but instead he decided to make it more deep. Not only does the director make this movie extremely entertaining, but he complicates it by revealing  the frustrations of being a hero. This is seen in the opening newsreel footage in which Mr. Incredible compares himself to maid: “I just cleaned up this place! Can’t you keep it clean for ten minutes!” The Incredibles are prone to normal family trials and tribulations, but the children’s special abilities seem to add another level of complications. A great example of this is the son ”Dash” whose super-power is speed, and who could simply out-run anybody on the track team. His power is appreciated, but must be undermined in order for it to be “okay.” Dash is encouraged to place second because he is already great at being number one. I think this film says something about the Contemporary American family in that it targets incidents that occur in a family. Dilemmas are not just easily solved in a family, the dilemmas must be dissected and members of the family must unite and solve the issues at hand together.

Cute but Complex movie!

Wrap Up Post: Topic Idea

In reading Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee, I have found the novel holds a sort of vitality. Coetzee has a way of forcing the reader to recognize or become cognizant of issues that are important historically. Through language and dialog Coetzee manages to communicate a dark tone while presenting beautiful language at the same time. This indefinitely allows the reader to understand the seriousness of the issues at hand. However, while reading, one  appreciates the beauty of the language that works on the her/him tremendously. Towards the end of the novel I became drawn to the word “dark” and how it becomes a reoccurring symbol if you will. This word although short and simple holds great power within the novel by setting the tone of wrong or bad and “other”. This word also appears on almost every page towards the succeeding chapters. By sprinkling this word throughout the text, it reminds the reader of the dark  undertone that holds a decaying theme. This in turn forces the reader to be active and present while reading it.

Disgrace: Alienation & The End

Upon finishing Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee one aspect that still lingers in my mind is David Lurie’s alienation from society. When David decides to return to Cape Town he comes home to a raided house where he discovers that someone was living there. Lurie finds that his finances are “in chaos” and his life basically his life has been turned upside down–”He wanders through the house taking a census of his losses….No ordinary burglary. A raiding party moving in, cleaning out the site, retreating laden with bags, boxes, suitcase (Coetzee 176).  After soaking it all in, David decides to get out of house and visits his old job where he finds his name on the door replaced by a “Doctor S. Otto”. The next day David takes a trip to the store where he finds an old friend (Elaine) that keeps the conversation short and sweet. It is obvious here Elaine wants to get away from Lurie fast by offering her spot in line up to him–”‘Wouldn’t you like to go ahead of me?’ she suggests instead, gesturing toward his basket. You have so little’” (Coetzee 180). It is as if David has now become “other” due to the scandal with Melanie Isaacs. Lurie has come home to a town where he is not welcome in which the community makes clear. It is in this that Lurie can sorta sympathize (of course not completely) with the events that occurred on Lucy’s farm. Of course these incidents are different in action, but the nature of the events are very similar. This incident has become increasingly powerful in that Lurie and Lucy (South African whites)  can begin to  understand “other” and empathize only through that disgrace.

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In evaluating and interpreting the end of Disgrace, I have found that although David Lurie has not changed and still does not view the affair with Melanie as wrong, he has seen through Lucy what kind of effects “incidents” have on women. He also has been able to identify love through his job at the animal shelter which has softened his view a little. It seems that through this job Lurie is able to reform and learn the strength of  love and what it represents.

Disgrace: Wrap It Up

After our class discussion I could not stop thinking about the heated discussion or argument that David and Lucy had. David is very adamant about getting the “real story” about the incident from Lucy, but when questioned about the affair with Melanie from the Vice Rector, he would not succumb to it. Although the affair David had and Lucy’s rape are two different incidents, they are indeed similar and David finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. I believe the reason Lucy does not want to share her story with her father because its something personal and David would never be able to understand because Lucy is a woman. David will probably never understand fully because he is not female. Here is the problem, this incident and the fact that David cannot understand Lucy creates a distance between them and will only grow bigger if they cannot connect. Perhaps the reason why David cannot understand Lucy is because he is too involved with himself. It seems that Lurie is unable to stop thinking about himself for a minute (paying homage to himself every other page). I am hoping that the job with Bev Shaw will soften him a little bit or at least serve as reformation for change. As I read the next section I am wondering if Lucy will have the confidence to report her rape? This powerful incident has changed both David and Lucy and created a distance between their views of the system. Will David ever understand Melanie’s side of the story through Lucy’s hardship?

So many questions….

I must read on

Disgrace: Relationships

Upon the completion of pages 47-105  I found that I was happy about David Lurie going to stay with his daughter. Although his superficial ways arose when he first got there, here is the first time we see Lurie as human. Lucy appears relatively accepting of her father’s affair with a student and offers him “refuge”. However, when Lurie first sees his daughter, the first think he notices is that she has gained weight and makes a living from selling produce and flowers. We also learn that Lucy has a girlfriend (Helen) which David fixates on for about a paragraph (once again forever lost in his superficial thoughts). Although they exhibit many differences it seems that they are able to live harmoniously. However, when both Lucy and Lurie experience an intrusion, the differences become crystal clear. The incident that has occurred seems to hold a sort of power. The nature of each incident (or better yet crime) that they have suffered separates them in that Lucy (having been raped) does not want to tell the cops about it–”David, when people ask, would you mind keeping to your own story, to what happened to you? You tell what happened to you, I tell what happened to me….” This suggests that they aren’t on the same side as each other, therefore dividing them.  However, Lucy’s decision to not report the rape is crazy (to me) but pertinent in that she understands the judicial system (like David) and knows that the men will not be persecuted for their crime. This seems familiar to me in the case of David’s “situation” in that he could never produce an adequate confession to the vice rector. Here is where Lucy is similar to her father in that they both possess knowledge of the judicial system . However, under the system where Lucy lives, the exposure to this system is very different in nature: Lurie is the rapist and Lucy is a rape victim. This crime placed Lurie in a heroic position, but also allowed him to focus on the situation at hand instead of filtering it through his head in how it should have happened. Given the brutality of the crime, I don’t even think it was possible for Lurie to transform it.

It is the reality that he needed to take him out of his fanatical filtered world!

I am LOVING this novel

So real. So authentic.