The Impact of Role Models
Do Reesa's role models -- her mother and father, Doto, Luther, and Armetta -- provide her with contradictory or consistent messages about human nature? For your response, use specific details (page references would be great!) to illustrate comparisons and / or contrasts between any two characters of your choice. Please provide two examples: 2 comparisons, 2 contrasts, or one of each.
I think that Reesa's role models are all consistent, and I think that they are consistent in similar ways. Doto and Reesa's father are excellent examples of role models that give both steady messages about human nature. On page twenty-three, Doto repeats the story of what happened in the restaurant (The KKK was talking about Marvin's death in a rude way). As she tells the story, you read about both Doto and Warren's expressions. "Her lips curl in distaste at the words she must use to tell it exactly. Beside her, Daddy's jaw mirrors hers in its hardening." Both adults show Reesa by their obvious expressions that they are both disgusted by the Klan's way to joke about a person's murder. Also, Doto and Reesa's father both show Reesa that it is okay to stand up for something. In chapter twenty eight, when Ren and his friend, Petey, were shot at, Reesa's dad is furious. Reesa's mother tells Warren not to call Emmett Casselton, one of the Klan members who shot at Ren, because it might start even more trouble. It is Doto, though, that calms down Reesa's mother, and tells her its something Warren needs to do. On page 194, Doto says to Reesa's mother, "Lizabeth, the Klan has pushed Warren one step too far today. He's got to push back." Warren shows Reesa that it's good to "push back" on something you are mad about, and Doto shows that,sometimes, its the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that Reesa's role models send consistent messages. Most if not all share the same beliefs in human nature. They all have a passionate dislike for the Klan. What they do, and everything they stand for. None of Reesa's role models show like towards the Klan, so it can't be a contradictory. The only possible choice is consistent. A strong way of this being shown in the book is when Armetta refuses to go to work in Miss Maybelle's house because the Klan was responsible for Marvins murder, and Miss Maybelle's husband is a member of the Florida KKK. Most of her role models have the same opinion about everything. I used the KKK, as my main example, because no one, out of Reesa's role models, likes what they do and what they stand for. Another reason is that most of the clans harm is done to Jews, and Blacks. Her life is surrounded by Jews and Blacks, and thats why her role models don't like the clan, and thats why she doesn't either.
ReplyDeleteReesa’s father and Armetta are very alike, but different too. On page two hundred and nine Armetta and Mr. Warren are very hopeful and supportive of Warren and Robert going into the Klan’s headquarters. They hoped Warren and Robert would be safe and find evidence that supports their suspicions. Armetta and Mr. Warren are both very helpful. Armetta is helpful when she works for Reesa’s parents. Reesa’s father is helpful to the F.B.I. when he goes into the Klan’s headquarters. Even though Marvin’s mother and Reesa’s father are alike they are also different. When Marvin was murdered, Armetta thought that her life was never going to get better, but Reesa’s father pulled her aside and told her that they were going to find the killer and that her life was going to get better. Another contrast is that Reesa’s father is white, while Armetta is black. Reesa’s role models are both alike, but at the same time different.
ReplyDeleteReesa’s biggest role models, her parents, were different in so many aspects. Reesa’s mother, when she was “dealt a bad hand” hid behind her poker face and showed no emotion for many months. Reesa’s father, on the other hand, wore his heart on his sleeve. He didn’t want to hide what he was feeling from his children and mother. He allowed them in, unlike his wife. His wife had been against the children knowing what was really going on. In the beginning of the story, Mrs. McMahon showed sparks of herself from time to time, in chapter nine, page 59, she had a spark of her old self according to Reesa. After that, we had rarely seen her show a personality. He father, however, would be himself, but just a more aware version of himself. He knew the dangers surrounding him more than ever now. In chapter 17 on page 123, he told Mrs. McMahon, “Forewarned is forearmed,” Daddy shoots back at her. “These are devilish times we’re living in, Lizabeth. There’s no hiding that from anybody, especially these children.” He shows that he does not want to sugarcoat anything from the children like his wife wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteReesa’s role models (her parents) are very different. The messages they are sending could either way because human nature is very complex. I think that human nature is driven by everything you believe in, your values, your personalirty, and your reactions. Reesa’s parents are sending consistent and contradictory messages, if you look at it that way. They are sending consistent messages with their values. Bothe parents bellieve that all human life is important and equal. On page one hundred nineteen, after Luther came over to tell them about the car chase to kidnap Thurgood Marshall, both parents were upset. The parents were upset because members of the Klan wre willing to commit a crime against someone because of the color of their skin. On the other hand, Reesa’s parents are gave her contradictory messages by how they react to the same situation. Reesa’s mother is more stoic and hides her emotions behind her poker face. For example, on page twenty four after Doto and the children come home from hearing people talk about horribly about Marvin, Reesa’s mother sits a’squietly, while Reesa’s father openly shows angry he is by yelling about who is a Klan member. Reesa’s father has a bad temper. Reesa even explains at one point in the book that, before he got Polio, her father had a worse temper than he does now.
ReplyDeleteBoth Armetta and Warren (Ressa's father) are consistent role models throughout the novel. But, they also have their differences. For one their general ways to go about life. Armetta is very soft and gentle, where Warren is much more stern and straightforward. On page 61,62 of chapter 9, Armetta has recently quit working for Miz Lucy in her home. She gives Ressa advice for dealing with the grief of Marvin's and is very kind and gentle. On the other side of things, Ressa's father is very forceful. In chapter 29, after Ren was shot at by a member of the clan, Warren tells Mr. Jameson to come and meet him because he is ready to go blow something up right away. Thankfully Mr. Jameson talks him out of it and they eventually go to the fishing camp and get what they need. A comparison between Armetta and Ressa's father is both have an extreme hatred towards the Klan. This influences Ressa because all of the negativity towards the KKK and she is obviesly not going to like them as well.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Reesa’s parents share similar opinions on most topics as Doto, Reesa’s grandmother, they do occasionally send Reesa contradictory messages towards problems such as violence and education. Doto is often more likely to get worked up quickly over things she finds unjust, where as Reesa’s parents often stay calm even in seemingly desperate situations. An example of this can be found on page 24, when Doto suggests angrily that they call the sheriff on Marvin’s murderers, an idea that is calmly dismissed by Reesa’s father when he mentions that the sheriff is in the KKK. On page 264, Doto leaves some of the dynamite in the barn, because she is suspicious of Emmett Casselton. Both of these examples of contradictory actions between Doto and Reesa’s father suggest different outlooks on human nature that they want Reesa to learn. In these cases, while Doto sends a ‘be quick to act’, and ‘trust no one’, justice seeking message, Reesa’s parents try to help her see that ‘two rights do not make a wrong’. A third example of these conflicting messages on human nature can be found on page 243, when after Luther warns Reesa’s family that the Klan may be sending people after them, Doto fumes, “This is abominable!” and announces that she will hire security guards. Reesa’s father then quietly tells her, “no,” and that they would deal with the problem on their own.
ReplyDeleteReesa’s major role models are obviously her mother and father. In the story Reesa’s parents provide a pretty contradictory message about human nature. When under stress her mother hides behind her poker face and tries to deal with it alone. Reesa's father on the other hand lest the stress flow out of him till there is no more, this can be very damaging to others, and himself. Examples of these 2 different reactions can be found on pages 141 and 198. Since this is a pretty big contradictory in Reesa's parents, it is the only contradictory I'll use, next up is 2 comparisons. First and most important being their mutually strong faith in God. This being a very important aspect of role models, Reesa is very lucky to have parents like hers. Her parents beliefs have obviously been passed on to Reesa, this is shown on page 247 when she asks Vaylie to pray for her. The last consistent message given by her parents, is that human life is completely inconsistent. Everyone is different, we all have different goods and bads, that is how God made us and nothing can change that.
ReplyDeleteReesa's role models send a pretty consistent message. They all seem to have similar beliefs in human nature. All her role models believe in the same beliefs. Her role models share the same dislike of the Klan which brings them together. I agree with 15stuckn when he says the only choice possible is consistent. When Armetta refuses to work for the Klan member that killed her son, it shows her dislike of the Klan. Her role models seem to always agree when it comes to the Klan. Reesa's Father and Luther always seem to agree when the Klan does something bad, they both know by instinct they need to rebel or do something. When it comes to Reesa's parents they seem to let out their emotions differently. Reesa's mother likes to conceal her emotions with her poker face. While (as Brooke Dart said)her Dad likes to wear his heart on his sleeve. Reesa;s Father like to let out and express his emotions toward the Klan. either way all of her role models send consistent message about the Klan and life.
ReplyDeleteWarren McMahon and Armetta both play as large role models for Reesa. They are similar in many ways, yet they are also different in many ways. For one similarity, both Warren and Armetta both share a very large hatred of the Ku Klux Klan. Armetta refuses to step in the house that she worked in because there was a Klansmen that lived their. That shows that she stands up for what she believes in. Warren tried everything to destroy the Klan. That shows that he is a very determined individual. One difference between the two is their personalities. Warren has a quick-witted, stern personality, while Armetta has more of a soft, gentle one. Another similarity between them is that they both care for Reesa immensely. That shows that each one of them has a large amount of kindness in their bodies. Another difference between the two is that Warren will tend to dive into danger, while Armetta is more passive and tries to avoid it. A good example is that when Armetta refuses to work at the Garnet’s because Reed is a Klansmen. She just avoids danger, while Warren is calling the F.B.I. searching for answers about Marvin and the Klan. Those are the similarities and differences between Ressa’s role models, Armetta and Warren.
ReplyDelete