I am born on a Tuesday at University Hospital Columbus, Ohio, USA a country caught between Black and White. Struggling with distance learning? Part II takes place in South Carolina. Fearing the South. From the very title, the theme of race permeates Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming, intersecting with many other themes such as gender, age, family, and history. But I want the world where my daddy is and I dont know why anybodys God would make me have to choose. Specifically, it shows that though Jacqueline's mother was from the South herself, she saw speaking in a stereotypically Southern way as an indicator of low social class. Mama uses her lush descriptions of the city to try to instill in the children an excitement about their move to New York . Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. We are not thieves or shameful / or something to be hidden away / we're just people. As the woodstove symbolizes Jacquelines comfort and sense of warmth in the South, she thinks about her weakening connection to the North and her father. This foreshadows her own familys future and supports her fathers assertion (and the sense among the community in Nicholtown) that there are more opportunities for black people in the North than in the South. To participate in the peaceful protests at restaurants and other locations, young people go through trainings about what to do when people curse, throw things, or try to move you. These bookmarks can be don This Study Guide consists of approximately 46 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Brown Girl Dreaming. Your questions are rather vague. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. In downtown Greenville, they painted over the WHITE ONLY signs, except on the bathroom doors, they didnt use a lot of paint so you can still see the words, right there like a ghost standing in front still keeping you out. Here, Woodson shows Jacqueline successfully comforting her grandfather in his illness by distracting him with stories of her own invention, which marks her progress as a storyteller over the course of the book. Jacqueline begins to use her skills as a storyteller, not only to bring herself comfort, but also to comfort others. And all the worlds you are Ohio and Greenville Woodson and Irby Gunnars child and Jacks daughter Jehovahs Witness and nonbeliever listener and writer Jackie and Jacqueline gather into one world called You where You decide what each world and each story and each ending will finally be. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Because her beloved grandfather is a non-believer, she thinks, "I want the word where my daddy is/ and don't know why/ anybody's God would make me/ have to choose" (123). Jacqueline Woodson, If You Come Softly. They sit quietly with him and answer his questions about New York City. Grandma Irby says this in response to her grandchildren wondering why she still rides in the back of the bus, even though she does not. In this quote, the author alludes to many significant figures in the Civil Rights Movement. Daddy's garden is bountiful, colorful, and ready to harvest. Essentially, Woodson shows religion to be a force that Jacqueline confronts, rather than embraces. Jacqueline seems to feel ambivalent about this social segregation although it is clearly born out of racism, Nicholtown is also a place where she is surrounded by people like her, and where she feels comfortable and welcome. The superstition is linked to religion, as Cora evokes the idea of the devilthis shows the negativity that can be tied up in religion and spirituality. At night, she reads the Bible to herself, and in the morning she tells the children Bible stories. He begins to cough often and not have enough breath to sing on his walk home. The way the content is organized, LitCharts makes it easy to find quotes by Jacqueline, though comforted to be back with her mother, clearly worries about the impending move. Page 22: There was only a roaring in the air around her. In this intimate moment, Woodson asserts once again Jacquelines love for and deep interest in storytelling, writing, and the possibilities of imagination. Jacqueline says that the children "don't know to be sad" (79) the first time their mother goes to New York because they are beneath a blanket of their grandparents' love. Rather than simply focusing on sounds and words, though, Woodson shows a slightly older Jacqueline beginning to be excited by more complete forms of storytelling. This statement explains the depth of Jackie's love for her grandpa as she aligns her loss with her grandmother's. At the fabric store, were just people. She brought kittens home and soon her grandmother came to love them and let her keep them. Making up what I didnt understand or missed when voices dropped too low, I talk until my sister and brothers soft breaths tell me theyve fallen asleep. Our feet are beginning to belong in two different worlds Greenville and New York. Having to consciously reject Southern vocabulary or mannerisms intensifies Jacqueline's feelings of not having a true home. She tucks them back into bed where they sleep together in a bed covered with quilts. Jacqueline and her siblings run to him. This section contains 512 words. Woodson seems to be implying that the expectation that protestors should endure such degradation and violence without ever reacting is difficult, and perhaps unfair. Jacqueline says that there is a war going on in South Carolina, and even though she doesn't actively join in, she is part of it. I keep writing, knowing now / that I was a long time coming. Dont you know people get arrested for this? It is interesting that Georgiana, who is the most religious character in the book, does not feel drawn to leave the rural South while her children, who are not very religious, have the blind faith referenced in this poem. Jacqueline states that she will remember the smells of the Greenville air, showing the reader how, before she even moves, Jacqueline is attempting to gain control of her memory by giving it a narrative. Jacqueline is amazed once again that her grandfather's skill and care can create food where there was nothing before. They learn all kinds of information from these conversations, and after they go inside together Jacqueline repeats the stories until her siblings fall asleep. Woodson writes, "They say a colored person can do well going [to the City]./ All you need is the fare out of Greenville./ All you need is to know somebody on the other side,/ waiting to cross you over./ Like the River Jordan/ and then you're in Paradise" (93). To Jackie, words are the most important thing in the world, they are the thing that ties everything else together. This poem serves mostly to forward the plot, as Mama leaves the children with their grandparents to explore the possibility of a life in New York City. Though Jacqueline likes the South, she and her siblings are somewhat isolated from their peers there in this poem, Jacquelines loneliness is palpable. Segregation is no longer legal in South Carolina, yet blacks who walk into previously "Whites Only" stores are subjected to humiliation as paid workers follow them around to ensure they do not steal. This causes Jackie to wonder about her own gift and what she will be able to bring to the world. This part is just for my family. Furthermore, even those not directly participating in the protests, such as children and elders, still felt as if their lives were on the line. Despite a desire to participate in such things as the "Pledge of Allegiance," she obeys the caveats of her religious upbringing, even if she is not sure that she truly believes or agrees. Jacquelines reference to the movement as a war reflects both the real danger activists in the 60s faced and the importance of the political movement. Presumably, these pictures, along with the stories theyve heard about the economic prosperity there, spark Jacquelines imagination of the city. Course Hero. Jackie Woodson is an obedient child who follows the expectations of her mother and grandmother. Jacquelines description of Georgianas daywork clearly highlights that cleaning for white families is an act of desperation for her grandmother, rather than a choice she happily makes. Im not ashamed if it feeds my children. Need analysis for a quote we don't cover? Christmas season comes and Jacqueline and her siblings are angry. It expresses the core internal conflict of the book, which is Jacqueline's feeling of lacking a home and wanting to find one where she will feel her presence is stable and accepted. After their move to South Carolina, Jacqueline notes that people start to refer to her, Odella, and Hope in relation to their grandparents (saying, for example, they are " Georgiana 's babies"). Meanwhile, the season is changing from summer to autumn. Woodson also shows how racial injustice is embedded into even the most pleasant and unremarkable moments of the childrens lives. The fact that the smells mentioned are biscuits and burning hair plays upon the motifs of food and hair throughout the book. Even though it is a painful process, Jacqueline can forget her discomfort when Odella reads stories to her. Refine any search. Always take the time. The ambiguity of the metaphor allows it to carry a variety of possible resonances. Course Hero, "Brown Girl Dreaming Study Guide," December 20, 2019, accessed March 1, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Brown-Girl-Dreaming/. Jacquelines fixation on stories and storytelling is clear again in this poem. 20 Dec. 2019. Brown Girl Dreaming Quotes Next Characters Find the Perfect Quote LitCharts makes it easy to find quotes by part, character, and theme. When mother leaves, grandmother begins making the children Jehovah's Witnesses like her. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Although Jacqueline feels quite at home in South Carolina, Hope longs for the North, where he spent his early childhood, and for his father. (approx. This is a thematic question. She mulls the stories over in her head and adds detail, testing her ability to invent and embellish. When Jacqueline steps on a mushroom, Cora and her sisters say that the Devil is going to come for her. Jacqueline learns the days of the week by their engagements at Jehovah's Witnesses on each day of the week. Jacqueline refers to the abundance of the garden when she worries that the earth makes a promise it can never keep. This suggests that tobacco plants, rather than providing nourishment, are, in fact, very destructive. Jacquelines early interest in the sounds of words foreshadows her interest in poetry. He asks for a story so she tells him one. Definition. "Saturday night smells of biscuits and burning hair". The Civil Rights Movement continues to feature prominently in the childrens lives, as it is frequently discussed and explained by adults. Mother sends home brown dolls from New York and writes about all the beauty and wonder of the city. Web. Sometimes they don't listen to him because, as Jacqueline puts it, "Too fast for them./ The South is changing" (53). Jacqueline shows that she is susceptible to believing fantasies during this poem. While Part I focused on Jacqueline's father's side of the family, Part II introduces many important characters from Jacqueline's mother's side. When grandmother takes Jacqueline and her siblings downtown, there are many stores grandmother won't go into because they treat African Americans differently. Jacqueline knows that when her mother arrives, she will no longer be the baby of the family. There is a boy with a hole in his heart who the three children spend time with; they tell him stories about New York City and Ohio, and they don't ask about the hole in his heart because their grandmother tells them not to. Death is a theme throughout Brown Girl Dreaming, both in the deaths of Jacqueline's family members and in the rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement. Although Jacquelines own sense of belonging in South Carolina is tied deeply to the land (she refers again and again to the soil), Mamas seems more tied to people, and many of Mamas loved ones have moved North. Again, the discussions that Jacqueline recalls from her early childhood are primarily conversations about words and names, reflecting Jacquelines interest in language. Through this practice, Jacqueline builds her storytelling skills. Share. Jacqueline has a great sense of smell, and her childhood observations about the smells of places work as vivid reminders of those moments. Jacqueline Woodson, Brown Girl Dreaming. Jacqueline Woodson, Part 2, Section 1. Woodson shows again how race affects the dynamics of work, and how necessity brings Georgiana to take a job that makes her feel racially debased. Mother leaves for a long weekend visit to New York City. The familys pull between the North and South causes Hope pain and discomfort. Have study documents to share about Brown Girl Dreaming? The moment is also meaningful because it is a positive experience between siblings whose relationship will later become somewhat strained by the expectations of formal education. This quote encapsulates Woodson's tone throughout the book. They must be absolutely silent or else they will be sent to bed. Gunnar works at the printing press, and even though he's a foreman and should be called by his last name, the white men who work there only call him by his first name. At 3 years old, Jacqueline learns to write the letter J with the help of her sister Odella. This statement refers to her and Roman's actions when Odella and Hope are playing games they don't understand. Mama also makes her children promise to never say maam, because, for her, it represents black subservience. Although penned by Jackie, this statement is meant to refer to the feelings her mother, Mary Ann Woodson has regarding her return to Nicholetown, South Carolina. . Woodson seems to be suggesting that religion without genuine religious feeling lacks real significance, and that forcing religion upon people is ineffective. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Woodson begins to show the extremely close relationship that Jacqueline has with Gunnar, with whom she shares many personality traits. Women's History Month: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson In a series of autobiographical poems, Jacqueline Woodson vividly brings her childhood and adolescence to life. Like. They want to be old enough to stop wearing ribbons and hope they will blow away while they dry on the clothesline. Jacqueline clearly carries memories of being treated badly at stores in the South because she shares these experiences with her friend Maria later in the book. This is the only time in the story that corporal punishment is inflicted on a child in the story, and it has a clear impact on all of the children even though Hope is the only one physically affected. Jacqueline's interest in the many possibilities opened through writing and language later lead to her career as a respected author. Jacqueline's grandmother is very religious. He stays in bed all day and Jacqueline takes care of him. (2019, December 20). "Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. However, they know that by the time they come back Greenville will have changed, and so will they. Retelling each story. This quote communicates the confusion and fear that accompanied being thrust into her grandmother's religious routine at such a young age. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. You can check them out below: https://www.gradesaver.com/brown-girl-dreaming/study-guide/themes. She realizes that she's grown so big that she overflows her grandmother's lap, and she is sad that she'll be losing her position in the family to become "just a regular girl" (135). Roman gets quiet and looks at Dell trustingly. The River Jordan, which is a long river in the modern day Middle East, carries significance from many important stories in the Old Testament and New Testament. This statement identifies an aspect of her character that believes in avoiding problems and creating conflict. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. In this poem, Woodson links Gunnars favorite pastime, gardening, with the history of his family, and, disconcertingly, with the legacy of slavery. With mother gone and the knowledge of leaving soon, evenings become quiet. Grandmother chides the children, telling them that everything, from the swing set to each breath they take, is a gift from God. This statement conveys Jackie's belief in the tales she tells and the power of memory. Woodson highlights the way that, despite equal job responsibilities in the workplace, social and geographic segregation is rampant in the South. Through this, Woodson shows naming to be a politically significant act, and self-naming to be an important aspect of self-possession and liberation. Jacqueline's grandfather loves to work in his garden. Im not ashamedcleaning is what I know. The relationship that is built during this part of the book is important because the roles will later reverse; Daddy Gunnar grows weak from lung cancer as the story progresses, and Jacqueline must care for him in his last days. Again, Woodson tests the limits of memory and of memoir by using other peoples memories and not just her own. We assign a color and icon like this one to each theme, making it easy to track which themes apply to each quote below. Georgianas assertion that the Civil Rights protests are not a new phenomenon reflects Woodsons interest in portraying African-American history and racial justice not as a series of disconnected events, but as a continual, interconnected stream of history. Jackie Woodson. Published by Nancy Paulsen Books, a division of the Penguin Group, the memoir won the National Book Award, the Newberry Honor Book Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award. A letter comes from mother, written in print so the children can read it. Maybe Mecca is the place Leftie goes to in his mind, when the memory of losing his arm becomes too much. When Mama arrives in Greenville at last, Jacqueline takes in some of her last breaths of Greenville air, which represents the South to her. Though Odella has more talent for school, at this young age, she is willing to help her younger sister get a head start on writing. Page 78: It's Friday night and the weekend ahead is . You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Odella, meanwhile, begins to become a foil to Jacqueline (meaning her character contrasts emphatically with Jacquelines)Woodson shows Odella reading (a fixation on written language), while Jacqueline becomes more and more fascinated with storytelling (spoken language). When Jacqueline and her siblings call Gunnar daddy, it suggests a much closer relationship than the average child has to a grandparent. Part All Parts Character All Characters Theme All Themes Part 1 Quotes The Civil Rights Movement is considered to have taken place between 1954 and 1968, meaning Jacqueline is born nearly a decade into the historic period. 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