Traditions are an enormous deal in most cultures, typically Latino or Middle Eastern heritages. What is a tradition you may inquire? Well, a tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with a symbolic meaning behind it or also a special significance that has origins from the past. Most traditions are celebrated for different meanings or different purposes. However, they actually do hold certain things alike to one another, for example, most or almost all traditions have links to cultural heritage.
Three traditions that we will be talking about are the Quinceanera, the tradition in the short story “The Lottery”, and finally the Satara- Mawe Initiation. All these traditions have a couple of things different. Firstly, the purpose of a Quinceanera is to mark a young woman’s transition from a child to an adult. In a Quinceanera, girls are taught traditional homeworking skills, such as weaving, cooking, and cleaning to prepare for marriage and children. They also separate this tradition into two different parts: The Mass, and The Fiesta. At this Mass, the girl receives Holy Communion, makes an act of consecration to the ‘Virgin Mary’, gifts the Virgin Mary with a bouquet of flowers, and also receives blessed gifts given to her by the priest such as a ring, a tiara or also a necklace. After the Mass is done the girl has a party which consists of music, traditional dancing, and traditional food. The short story “The Lottery” is mostly about a tradition held by a small village carrying about three hundred people. The Lottery is something that everyone is forced to participate in and is believed to bring in a good harvest. Instead of this lottery being something people are happy about and joyful about because they are about to win money, it is actually what people are terrified of due to if you get picked you will be stoned to death. Due to this scarification of a winner the popularity of the tradition is mostly dying. Last but not least, The Satere-Mawe Initiation is a tradition held by Native Americans where children under the age of 14 have to participate in gruesome bullet ant initiation. These children must wear gloves filled with venomous Bullet Ants for four minutes. No initiate can be considered a true Indian, a warrior until he has worn the gloves not once, but twenty times. This tradition shows the bravery of the kids in order to become a part of the tribe. All these traditions show a different way of becoming a part of something or a different way to move on in life.
However, all these traditions have a similar side to them. For example, all three traditions show a sign of bravery and aging in a child’s life. The Quinceanera shows bravery and aging by learning traditional homeworking skills and receiving Holy Communion. The Lottery shows bravery from all the people participating in it. The Satere-Mawe Initiation shows bravery from the kids putting their hands in the bullet ant glove and aging into men to become true warriors and be a part of the tribe. They also all have links to cultural heritage, The Quinceanera shows cultural heritage with the dress they usually use passed down by older relatives. The Lottery has a cultural heritage because of the use of the same black box every year. And finally, The Satere-Mawe Initiation uses bullet ants and hand mad gloves every year. All three of these traditions also have a purpose due to their being important to their culture.
Introduction to Margaret Mead’s Ethnographic Study
Coming of Age in Samoa by Margaret Mead is perhaps one of the most famous ethnographies ever written. In it, Margaret Mead discusses the lifestyle of adolescents in Samoa in order to determine which behaviors are caused by physiology and which behaviors are caused by the culture or environment the person grows up in. Each chapter of the book presents a new observation Mead talks about the life of the inhabitants of the island of Ta’u. Mead reports in her book that for the Samoan women, adolescence is not particularly stressful. She attributes the lack of trauma from the adolescent period to the differences in sexual freedom between American and Samoan girls. She also mentions that American girls are presented with so many choices and ways of doing things that it is harder to make the right choice.
Methodology and Observations in Samoa
In this ethnography, Margaret Mead observed groups of girls living in three villages on one coast of Ta’u. Additionally, she observed ceremonies from all seven of the villages in the Manu’a archipelago. She studied six hundred individuals than other studies in order to create a richer and more detailed account of their lives. Using island cultures as a means to study different behaviors has become more popular since Mead’s trip in 1928. Islands extremely filtered areas, making them less diverse and more culturally pure than cultures that exist on a continent. This cultural purity was important in Mead’s study, as it allowed her to look purely at the Samoans for what their culture naturally promoted. In order to collect data, Mead employed what are now standard anthropological tactics: she selected informants and interviewed them. Each of her interviewees was spoken to in their own language and were asked questions about their approximate age, questions about their family and their standing within the family (for example, the order of birth). These interviews allowed Mead to compare what she observed to what actually happened. Because Mead is a woman, she was able to gain the trust of the girls and was allowed a deeper look into the lives of these young women. While Mead doesn’t actually reference these interviews in the book, it does make her observations feel more real. Without the knowledge of her interviews, parts of the book feel like she is focusing on minute details of life that do not actually matter that much. For example, chapter five discusses the different friend groups girls have grown up in. While it is true that people make different friends and have different friendships as they age, the way she described them felt like it was too hyper-focused on a small detail of life that people do not actually think about. However, knowing Mead talked to women about their life experiences and knowledge that they probably described this phenomenon validates the observations expressed in the book.
The Role of Thick Description in Ethnography
Thick description is also standard practice in ethnography writing, so to see it expressed in one of the most well-known ethnographies is not a surprise. Mead is exceptionally detailed in her descriptions of everyday activities for these women. These descriptions are essential in placing the reader on the island of Ta’u. Perhaps the best description comes from the second chapter, where she describes the way young men and women find their way home after a romp under the palm trees: “As the dawn begins to fall among the soft brown roofs and the slender palms trees stand out against a colourless, gleaming seam lovers slip home from trysts beneath the palm trees,” Mead’s use of thick description effectively allows readers to place themselves in the life of a Samoan woman, which makes her writing valuable in construing the message that taking away complicated social interactions and decisions makes young women much less stressed and less traumatized by their adolescence. Additionally, describing, in detail, how women are able to be sexually active without being ashamed of it is essential in supporting the argument that love can be controlled without being restricted. Some sociologists argue that love needs to be controlled and restricted since it is the basis and prelude to marriage, and not controlling it weakens the bonds between lovers. Thick description allows readers to understand in greater detail, her point that shameless sex leads to a more less stressed life because it allows them to put themselves in the narrative, where they can see lovers leaving their trysts and not feeling ashamed over it.
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis of Samoan Adolescent Life
Each chapter of the ethnography presents a new aspect of life for girls (and sometimes boys) in Samoa. This organization was effective because it allows readers to focus on each aspect of life that Mead felt contributed to the lack of stress amongst Samoan teenagers. Analyzing each chapter and understanding how the lack of options makes life less stressful is made easier by the separation of each task. For example, in chapter six Mead explains the roles women have in the community. There are a limited number of roles available and usually, the role women choose has to do more with skill than interest. In American society today, it feels like there is an ever-growing pressure to pick the perfect profession and there are also millions of jobs that can be held, each with varying skill and education requirements. This adds massive stress to young adult’s lives because of their desire to do what they think is interesting and makes them happy instead of what they are skilled at. Without the chapter by chapter breakdown of women’s lives in Samoa, it would be difficult to understand just how limited the possibilities are for Samoan women.
Critiques and Controversies Surrounding Mead’s Findings
However, this method of organization also isolates each behavior from the overall life experience. Isolating each individual experience also makes it harder to make sense of the overall lives of Samoan women. For example, in chapter seven Mead discusses the relationships between boys and girls. She describes how girls around ten to twelve years of age are giggly and easily excited. In chapter four, Mead discusses how young girls take care of children and are essentially their mothers. Through the chapter by chapter organization, it separates these two groups of children. This makes it hard to imagine the giggly adolescents and children nursing and taking care of another human being as the same age group, even as the same girl.
Debating Mead’s Conclusions on Adolescent Stress and Sexual Freedom
This ethnography makes a compelling argument that adolescents in Samoa are significantly less stressed than American adolescents. However, the advertised lowered stress seems too fantastical to be accurate. In fact, most of the anthropological community has agreed that Mead probably makes Samoa more idyllic than it actually is. There are many voices in the anthropological community that want to blame Mead’s over-idealization on her attempts to push a sex-positive agenda. However, the only evidence that supports this argument is Mead’s publically positive stance on sex. Out of all the complaints about Mead’s first ethnography, one has been dividing people throughout time: Derek Freeman’s criticism that Mead was mistaken in her observations and shaped them to fit an academic theory, instead of using her research to understand island life. In an effort to prove his criticism, Derek Freeman went to Samoa and attempted to interview family members of the women Mead spoke to. His research resulted in relatives of the women explaining how Mead’s book ruined their mother’s reputation. Additionally, when he interviewed women around the same age as those in her study, they gave him different information. Freeman’s argument against Mead was taken as the truth for many years because of his standing as an expert on Samoa. However, in effort to save Mead’s reputation, many other anthropologists have researched Freeman’s claims and found that the reason the women wouldn’t tell him the intimate details of their sex lives (and lives in general) was because they were uncomfortable telling a man the same things they would easily tell another woman. This is generally the truth in any society. Even in a developed country, women generally feel more comfortable using female medical doctors than male doctors because they feel their problems will not be marginalized. Additionally, evidence was found that Freeman manipulated data in order to discredit Mead. Knowing that Freeman manipulated data discredits his claims, however, his argument is not to be entirely invalidated. Freeman may have gone too far in trying to discredit Mead, but it does still raise the important point of taking Mead’s findings with a grain of salt. The society presented in coming of age in Samoa was all too idealistic for it to be real, and while Mead probably didn’t make everything up, she may have generalized some points and glossed over others.
In fact, there is a whole chapter where Mead discusses the two sexual relationships that exist other than marriage. In this section, Mead practically glosses over the fact that sometimes there are very violent rapes that occur in the village. The concept of rape does not fit into her ideal society and so, while it is addressed, it feels much lighter in the book than it would actually be. Mead says that the first instance of rape was brought over with white visitors she says “[Rape] is far less congenial, however, to the Samoan attitude than moetotolo, in which a man stealthily appropriates the favors which are meant for another”. While this one line makes it seem like Mead is going to address moetotolo as a serious topic and issue within Samoan society, she then discusses how catching a moetotolo is considered a great sport and the possible reasons for why boys will violently rape a young woman while sleeping. Rape is one of the worst things that can happen to a woman and while she does allow the issue to penetrate her perfect society, she does not do it justice in merely discussing it for one and a half pages. Worse, Mead even describes the hardships that moetotolo boys have to endure after the fact and makes it seem like readers should almost feel bad for these sometimes charming men. Mead even goes so far as to say that “The moetotolo, therefore, complicates and adds zest to the surreptitious lovemaking which is conducted at home” To say something adds zest means that it adds an exciting quality to it, while she is not technically wrong, adding zest is usually associated with positive traits. While there were different attitudes towards rapists in the 1920s, Mead is also seemingly trying to make a horrific situation more ideal in hopes of making Samoa seem like a romantic paradise.
Reflections on Ethnographic Integrity and Cultural Idealization
Overall, I do not agree with Freeman that Mead made the whole thing up. I genuinely believe that women in cultures with fewer options are less stressed than women in cultures where every small decision impacts their life immensely. However, I also do not agree with Mead’s anger towards her society for being so negative towards sex. While sex is a positive life thing and regularly engaging in it has been shown to reduce stress, Mead is almost too messianic in her depictions of a culture that allows teenagers to engage in sexual activity with minimal consequences. In doing so she paints America as some sort of evil society that makes adolescents stressed out by making them sexually repressed. This anger may have influenced the integrity of her ethnography by allowing her to see this society in which the adolescents are more relaxed about their social lives. While they may be more relaxed socially, Mead chose to attribute this to their sexual freedom and not their simpler lifestyle. Attributing the lack of trauma to a simpler lifestyle may be more believable and realistic than attributing it to sexual freedom. Furthermore, the lengthy descriptions and the general idealness that Mead describes could not be possible. She admits there are conflicts within the village, but she describes only a place where the only stressors in life are those of making mats and achieving a decent title. In order to make her ethnography more effective and less controversial, it would be imperative to address the conflicts that arise in Samoan societies as well as positive experiences.
Coming of Age in Samoa was well written and used thick description to place readers in the scenarios described, however her conclusions from the data she collected felt like they were overly idyllic and lacked realistic details about conflict. This ethnography is one of the most famous in the field and provides an abundance of interesting content about how the culture people live in affects their life. Mead’s work is commonly cited in debates about nature vs. nurture and the importance of love. Mead’s description of the amiable and peaceful people of Samoa provides an amazing base for debaters claiming that nurture is the reason people develop into who they are. Her thick descriptions of lifestyles and excited lovers departing from a nighttime tryst allow readers to better understand her rationale for assuming sexual freedom makes adolescents less stressed. Overall this ethnography is exceptionally important in understanding the differences in behaviors and as a reference for how ethnographic studies should be conducted and written, however as with everything it is important to consider all sides of the argument and take every opinion witch a grain of salt.
“Tea Party” by Betty Keller is a captivating play that takes us on a thought-provoking journey through the lives of three generations of women. Set in a small Canadian town in the 1960s, the play explores themes of identity, feminism, and the struggle for autonomy. In this narrative essay, we will delve into the story of “Tea Party” and examine the experiences of the characters, shedding light on the emotional and social dynamics that shape their lives.
Act I: Setting the Stage
The play opens with a tea party organized by Emily, a traditional and conservative woman who believes in upholding societal norms. Her daughter, Joanne, and granddaughter, Sarah, join the gathering, each bringing their own unique perspectives and struggles. As the conversation unfolds, it becomes evident that the generations are divided by their views on women’s roles, marriage, and personal fulfillment.
Act II: Unveiling Personal Struggles
In Act II, the characters’ personal struggles come to the forefront. Joanne, a divorced and independent woman, grapples with societal judgment and the pressures to conform. Her longing for companionship and acceptance collide with her desire for personal freedom and self-expression. Sarah, a young woman filled with aspirations and dreams, challenges the traditional expectations placed upon her by society and her family. She yearns to break free from the limitations that confine her potential.
Act III: Empowerment and Self-Discovery
As the play progresses, Act III highlights the transformation and growth of the characters. Joanne finds solace and support from a fellow divorced woman named Agnes, who shares her experiences and encourages her to embrace her own identity. Sarah, fueled by her grandmother’s secret past and her mother’s journey of self-discovery, finds the courage to pursue her dreams. Through their encounters and revelations, the women in “Tea Party” discover their own voices and realize the importance of challenging societal expectations.
Conclusion: A Journey of Empowerment and Resilience
“Tea Party” by Betty Keller serves as a powerful narrative that explores the complexities of women’s lives and the struggle for personal fulfillment and empowerment. Through the characters of Joanne and Sarah, the play sheds light on the challenges faced by women in a society that often restricts their choices and imposes rigid gender roles. It delves into themes of identity, feminism, and the power of self-discovery.
As the final act concludes, the characters of “Tea Party” emerge stronger and more determined to carve out their own paths. They reject societal expectations and embrace their individuality, standing as symbols of resilience and empowerment.
Betty Keller’s play resonates with audiences, inviting them to reflect on their own journeys of self-discovery and the importance of challenging societal norms. It serves as a reminder that each person’s narrative is unique and deserves to be celebrated and embraced.
In conclusion, “Tea Party” takes us on an emotional and thought-provoking journey, showcasing the struggles and triumphs of three generations of women. Through their stories, we are reminded of the power of resilience, self-discovery, and the importance of staying true to oneself despite societal pressures. Betty Keller’s play continues to captivate audiences with its compelling narrative and its exploration of universal themes that resonate with people from all walks of life.
Ethnographic research is aimed at understanding the main cultural peculiarities of the specific society with the purpose to understand their relations inside the society and with other cultures and societies.
Considering Margaret Mead’s ethnography, Coming of Age in Samoa, it is possible to say that dwelling upon that society she paid much attention to religion, education, upbringing and relation to each other within a family, the peculiarities of the temperament on the citizens of Samoan and the peculiarities of the development of the relationships of the adolescents between each other, their consideration of the surrounding world and other aspects.
Looking at the ethnographic research conducted by Margaret Mead, it is possible to say that the modern research should be conducted by means of using other methods and techniques due to the change of the situation in the world, political and economical changes, etc. Therefore, it may be stated that in comparison to Margaret Mead’s research, I would conduct my ethnography in Samoa differently nowadays.
Considering the possible techniques used for ethnographic research, it is important to remember the processual analysis discussed by Rosaldo (1993: 93). However, this is not the way for considering modern situation as the process is less important than the system which may be more informative.
Dominguez also believes that the consideration of the ethnography of the country is impossible without understanding the cultural peculiarities, legal aspects, social and political issues, etc. Thus, the system of the research should be implicated apart from the processual exploration.
Considering the problems which rise before modern Samoan adolescent boys and girls, it is important to conduct the ethnographic research using the systematic approach when different aspects of cultural and social life of the subjects are considered.
Before dwelling upon the particular methods for ethnographic research, it is important to understand which factors impact the development of the adolescents in Samoan and only then get down to the consideration of the Samoan ethnography. The current situation in the country is as follows.
The population in Samoan is reduced because of the migration of the country citizens to New Zealand, Australia, and the US. It is possible to predict that social and financial problems make people leave the places they were born and brought up. The very weak economy consisting of the tuna cannery (StarKist) is also influential. People want to have the financial stability, but its absence makes people change the place of their leaving and have other specific impacts of adolescents.
The country has a large service sector (tourism) and the public sector; and the unemployment rate is extremely high, raging from 25 to 30% depending on the region. Thus, it is possible to say that conducting ethnographic research and applying to different methods and techniques, it is important to remember about high impact of social and financial issues on the country development.
Conducting the ethnographic research of Samoan boys and girls I would consider the changes which have happened in the country for several decades. The changes have occurred and it is impossible to contradict this idea. Additionally, it is important to consider the sex differences, if any.
The consideration of the religious aspects is going to become the center of the research attention. More attention should be paid to language as the change of the language and the religious aspects may dwell upon the change of the impact on the nation and as a result the ethnography results may be interesting.
The changes of the attitude to religions and the language change may tell about the impact of another country on the life in Samoan. The ability to prove this aspect is rather significant for the researcher, thus, the historical documentation should be considered along with modern observations. The change of the territory density should be considered.
Thus, it may be obvious that the reduction of the population in one particular region may offer some particular reasons for citizens’ immigration to New Zealand, Australia, and the US. The language may be considered in the historical documents and compared and contrasted with the language used in media. The problems concerning the sex differences should also be considered as they may be important in understanding the social changes.
Coming closer to the discussion questions and trying to make sure that he correct strategy for research is used, the personal presence should be considered as the primary technique. Thus, being in the place which is going to be considered as long as possible should be one of the main instruments. The researcher is to observe the place having drawn some conclusions. However, the observation should not be considered as the most important aspect.
The researcher should make mapping, interviewing, and documentation as the primary instruments of the research. It is important to compare and contrast the results of the current research with the results of the research conducted previously or with the documents which depict the situation which was several years ago. The comparing and contrasting practice will allow the ethnographer to understand the changes which have happened in the society and as a result may follow the changes in the cultural and social spheres.
Focusing attention at one particular aspect, for example sex and the attitude to life, Margaret Mead tries to do all possible to consider only this aspect. However, living in the modern world and conducting ethnographic research under the current circumstances, it is impossible to consider the problem of sex from one singular perspective. It is important to consider the problem from different angles involving various situations and different aspects in its discussion.
Thus, while considering sex and the attitude to life in Samoan, it sis important to check social and political preferences, religious and family priorities, etc. It is important to understand that people are social beings and considering the ethnography of their lives, it is important to do it systematically as only the system may show the whole picture of the changes which have occurred and as a result help the research draw the correct conclusions.
Thus, the ethnographic researchers are to be conducted in complex and according to system. Having considered the Margaret Mead’s ethnography, Coming of Age in Samoa, it was concluded that the modern conditions dictate some particular rules for research conduction.
Conducting an ethnographic research devoted to Samoan adolescent boys and/or girls, it is important to consider the changes which have occurred in the society and try to apply those changes to others. Additionally, one should understand that in case the changes are too obvious, it does not mean that a thorough research with the personal presence should not be conducted.
Works Cited
Dominguez, Virginia. Invoking Culture: The Messyb side of “Cultural Politics”. South Atlantic: Duke University Press, 1992. Print.
Mead, Margaret. Coming of Age in Samoa. New York: The American Museum of National History, 1793. Print.
Rosaldo, Renaro. Culture and Truth: The Remaking of Social Analysis. Boston MA: Beacon, 1993. Print.
By the late 1960s, the civil rights movement had seen huge successes but with tragic consequences. Essential anti-discrimination legislation had been bypassed, but in the regard of lots of civil rights campaigners, society had not modified enough. The civil rights movement itself was modifying, turning away from the diplomacy of Martin Luther King to a more confrontational stance characterized by Malcolm X. Into this bewilderment, in 1968, Moody issued her autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi.
This surprising depiction of what it was like to grow up a poor, southern African American imprisoned the attention of Americans around the state from all social strata and all backdrops. Moody, intimately entailed in the civil rights movement in the first half of the 1960s, created a memorable image of the inequities and aggression that featured southern community.
Containment ideology
Instead of concentrating on her years in the civil rights movement, Moody selected to start at the beginning – when she was four, the child of poor sharecroppers working for a white farmer. In narrating the chronicle of her life, Moody reveals why the civil rights movement was such a requirement and the depth of the unfairness it had to change; Moody’s story reveals the uphill battle that featured all southern African Americans.
More than thirty years later, Moody’s autobiography still preserves the power it had for its readers. Part of the book’s continuing appeal is its basic humankind. Despite herself, Moody gets drawn into the struggle for civil rights, regarding the challenge is extremely difficult but knowing she has no other way to take.
Coming of Age in Mississippi in Relation to women due to its first hand account Coming of Age in Mississippi proffers many insights into the behavior of black women during the 1950s and 1960s. It also offers good insight into the involvement of black women in the Civil Rights Movement. Moody remembers lots of stories of her family as she grew up and the complexities they challenged. The adversities against the women in her life who were attempting to endure in a sexist and racist environment are common.
She also offers good data on the role of women during the Civil Rights Movement. There are narrations where she is working along key participants of the movement. She tells her skills of having to work next to men at rallies and complaints and meetings, but still possessing to do secretarial work, cook and clean. She also argued on her aggravations with being a woman in the movement and possessing to deal with steady protection and suppression.
One of the most significant themes of Coming of Age in Mississippi is the unhelpful power of intolerance. There is the discrimination of whites against blacks, and also the chauvinism of lighter-skinned blacks toward darker-skinned blacks, and of citizens with money against poorer. Anne undergoes each kind of discrimination, which results in her great pain. In fact, being the casualty of prejudice tends to discriminate Anne herself against whites and lighter-skinned blacks.
Her discrimination is demonstrated by the fact that she almost declines to attend Tougaloo College, the place where she links the civil rights movement, as she is afraid that it has too many light-skinned black undergraduates. She also disbelieves her professors as they are white, and the Reverend Edward King, who is, worse yet, a southern white. Lastly, after meeting lighter-skinned blacks and whites who do not look down on her, Anne recognizes that not all members of these groups are unreliable. Nevertheless, prejudice nearly costs her significant capabilities in her life, and makes her a doubtful and distrustful person.
Reference
Moody, Anne. Coming of age in Mississippi. Dell publishers, 1992.
Black people nowadays still remember stories from their grandparents about those times, when the black race was under-humans. Anne Moody’s story was one of them. In the poverty and disrespect, one has to pull oneself together and struggle for his life and independence, but even more willpower is required to stand racism while trying not only to survive, but to make a difference, and if not the willpower, hatred is here to help.
Anne Moody is an Afro-American woman who was brought up in a poor family of workers. Being grown up, she joined the Civil Rights Movement, which served as a valuable experience for her book “Coming of Age in Mississippi”. The book begins with the childhood of the author, starting right with her attitude towards those times. Life wasn’t fair to a little Anne – the chapters about her childhood are alike to a chain of unfortunate events that happened to her and her relatives. During the childhood, her Mamma’s brother on many occasions beat her and her sister Adeline up, and that made relationships within the family static.
Nor was the elder generation merciful to her. Her father also gave her a hard beating, accusing her of starting a fire1. Anne’s Mamma came across as the only character that devotedly loved her daughters and did not let anger settle in their hearts. Eventually, after many mischiefs her father abandons the family. It is notable that little Essie Mae concentrates her story on the family, and of all the whites the only true racist was Mrs. Bruke – the first one of the kind she met. Moody first calls her “nasty,” she also calls the work for her a challenge, and that is how she finishes the story of her childhood.
Her entrance to a high school she associates with a new understanding of the times in which she lived. She heard many stories about Negroes of different age found in the Mississippi, which were alerting her constantly. The narrative of her school years is pierced with cases of blacks’ death. Whites here are presented in an equivocal way. The general mood is created by the facts of killing cases, but about herself she writes that she started to hate people when she was fifteen. She hated every white man who was at least thought to be connected to the murders.
The Brukes family, and Mrs. Bruke precisely, remains a constant direction of Essie’s negative emotions. In an occasion to air her opinion about her she notes that she was “plain tired”. And the woman herself was showing her detest in every possible occasion, even trying to frame her with something, as it was during a story with her purse. She is depicted as a person who contributed to her hatred the most.
However, an initial peacefulness of her nature was revealed in the chapter about the chicken factory, where she worked. The slaughterhouse is one of her most horrific memories about the work. Anne never ate box chickens after that. Only a few times during her school years she writes about hating a white. But even then it was a response, not an initiative.
Martin Luther was the activist of Civil Rights, who appeared in the monograph. During the first times when she saw him, she experienced disappointment. He seemed to be more of a dreamer, that of a leader. She decided that every politician was like that as she was watching him talking about his dreams. One of the patterns that made her even more determined was when they learned about bombings. Her hatred finds an outburst in her monolog to the God, during which she threatened to kill him. She claimed non-violence to have served its purpose, and that is the precise point she criticizes in Luther’s theory.
Anne Moody happened to be put in jail for her actions. And her period in jail is another thing, about which she has something to say. Cells in jail had no curtains over showers, and every time the water was running guardians came to look at naked girls. Albeit the prisoners were able to deal with that, another print was left in Essie’s mind. Her mood elevated when she learned about the movement’s progress. They were singing songs for hours until guardians shoved them solitary chambers. During the period of her movement, we see changes in comparison to her early and school years. She is mentally stronger, but she gets mad easily. The aggressiveness of her character is obvious. Here she does not hate whites alone. She also hates her own kind for not trying to make a difference, neglecting their status. Only in a while could they finally put efforts in becoming recognized, elevating themselves and their cultural traditions into masses2.
Essie Mae has been through many troubles. Her life was hard but saturated. Her hatred supported her from her early teens and gave her enough strength to carry on the fight. Despite it is a negative feeling, Moody had all the rights and every reason for it to exist.
Bibliography
Luther Luedtke. Making America: The Society and Structure of the United States Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1992.
Moody, Anne. Coming of Age in Mississippi. New York: A Division of Random House, 1968.
Footnotes
1 – Anne Moody. Coming of Age in Mississippi (New York: A Division of Random House, 1968), 14.
2 – Luther Luedtke. Making America: The Society and Structure of the United States (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1992), 156.
Coming of age in Mississippi is a book written by Anne Moody. Her skilled writing leaves one with a clear picture of the hardships that the blacks went through because of racial discrimination in the United States. It also shows how as a woman she overcame challenges of male dominated society.
The blacks knew no rest and their happiness was all around hard work, poorly built houses and small salaries in contrast to their counterparts the whites who lived in well furnished houses, ate balanced diet and lived luxuriously.
To free herself and her people from slavery, Ann Moody had the urge to join civil rights when she was a teenager because she realized how much blacks were humiliated. This essay will discuss the importance of this book and show how racism had brought suffering to the blacks making them to live miserably though they worked very hard.
Overview
From the first chapter, the struggles of life in black families started from their young age. Father Diddly had married the narrator’s mother Toosweet who was known for her liveliness. She was beautiful and always sang as she walked to and from work. The narrator was almost four years old and her sister was past half a year old.
Their parents were working for very long hours from Monday to Saturday. However, they lived in abject poverty. They lived in wooden houses. Near their home was Mr. Carters’ house who the narrator‘s mother had always talked about (Moody 7).
The book captures a tough life of poverty which the Negroes lived. The busy schedule of Negro parents had forced them to always look for someone to take care of the children.
Their uncle, George Lee was given this responsibility. One day as they were at home with their uncle, his stupidity was seen as he tried to burn up the house while the children were inside. He did not like to stay at home looking after the children. The parents from the farm came running very fast so as to rescue their children. Their lives were always characterized by drama (Moody 7).
When the three children went to school, Essie Mae who later changed her name to Annie Moody after her birth certificate could not be changed; Adline and their brother Junior went without lunch to school. Their mother could not afford to buy them enough lunch. Essie Mae was nine years old when she got her first job in a white lady’s house (Moody 15).
Ann Moody’s involvement in politics began at a tender age when she was still a teenager. She was ready to pay for any price when she discovered how bad the white people despised the blacks. They were punished for very small mistakes, for instance, whistling. At this time, Ann Moody’s mother started getting worried about her daughter who was getting too much into politics.
She was putting her family to a risk of being looked after considering how those black people who were known to defend black people were brutally murdered. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was what she looked up when she became a college student (Moody 40).
Ann Moody was becoming influential and once she organized for a demonstration in her college. At all this time she was in a male dominated activity and being a woman was quite challenging for her but her focus could not let her quit. The most challenging moment was when they were in college and went for lunch in a cafeteria. The waiters refused to serve them because they were seated where the whites were supposed to sit.
Together with her colleagues, they refused to move out from their seats to be served. Tension grew and Ann Moody and her colleagues were suddenly surrounded by whites and beaten mercilessly. All their beatings were being watched by the policemen who could not rescue them from the mob.
Ann was almost giving up the fight because she felt helpless (Moody 92). She felt like all her efforts to make things better were running down the drains and she had sacrificed even her life for the sake of her people. The story ended by Ann joining another group of civil rights workers whereby they travelled to Washington DC singing songs of freedom that they were going to overcome all obstacles. Probably this gave them hope and it was better because there were more people than at the time they began (Moody 132).
Review of the book
This is a good book that describes how racism devalues human life. It is a true expression of how blacks suffered in the past doing hard work and treated like some wild animals. The vivid description of events from the beginning gives the reader a clear picture of a girl who was born in problems and in spite of her intelligence she always became a victim of circumstances. The following review brings out several issues from the story. These include poverty, racism, fighting for freedom, marital problems and the character of the narrator.
Poverty
Annie Moody was very hard working and created some time to work for the whites so she could help her mother to bring up her siblings. However, the more she worked hard the more she was bullied by her schoolmates laughing at what she had carried for her lunch (Moody 15).
Poverty was the other name for Negroes. Negroes worked all day in the farms of the whites or doing domestic work for them yet all they got they could not afford any good thing. They were segregated from the whites (Moody 7).
As Ann Moody grew, she was confronted with more problems because men were beginning to notice her beauty and she had to guard it jealously. She won a queen title in her school (Moody 31). This was when she started believing in herself and also her grades were becoming better. After her excellent performance she was awarded a scholarship. Going to a school with many whites was quite challenging because of discrimination.
Fight for freedom
Negroes had to free themselves from this kind of life. They had to fight for their freedom. Firstly, they were not allowed to become policemen. The whites were also not supposed to share public facilities such as cafeterias, schools, parks and libraries with the Negroes. The whites felt themselves as superbeings who could always control the blacks (Moody 94).
As Ann moved to college, her hatred towards the whites kept on growing. Many people had been brutally murdered and it had become insecure for Negroes to move about their area. One of the black families was burned in their house. Another man’s head was slashed and other blacks were just killed mysteriously. It required courage to engage in civil rights movement (Moody 42).
The burden that Ann felt for the sake of her people was so heavy even that when her mother warned her to stop being involved in the politics, she just could not control herself but continued with what she was focused on; not caring that she was putting herself and her family at a big risk of being killed (Moody 92).
Freedom meant sacrifice. Most of the people who were ready to hold demonstrations were only the courageous ones because they knew that they could end up in jails or graves. One day when the Negroes were in a meeting organizing a demonstration they were found out by cops and arrested.
Reverend King was courageous and bold and he kept on praying even after the arrest (Moody 94). When Medgar Evers was murdered, most of the people just sat in class like nothing had happened. The narrator felt sorry for her people because she thought they did not have feelings or emotions towards mistreatment of the blacks (Moody 95).
Racism/Discrimination
At the beginning of the story, blacks were talking to each other in the evening facing one of the white family’s house because it had electricity. The rich white man was said to be counting all the money he had made out of his business (Moody 7).
Negroes were only allowed to proceed in academics up to their eighth grade (Moody 12). This made them to become less competent in finding good jobs. When black students got involved in demonstrations fighting for their rights, they were arrested. A small mistake could make them expelled from school in state supported Negro schools (Moody 94).
Negroes were mistreated by the whites. When Essie Mae was working in her first job, she realized that the white lady made them to share milk with the cats from the same dishpans. She sold what her eight cats had left over to the Negroes (Moody 15).
Divorce
Marital problems started when one of her father’s friends died living his wife as a widow. Meanwhile, Toosweet was pregnant and he started having an affair with Florence the widow, leaving his wife very frustrated. At her age she did not fully understand what was happening but she could sense that something was not right with her mother (Moody 16).
When the young one was born, her father started going out even more. The unbearable situation forced their mother and her three children to move out of the house to go and work in a far place. When the narrator reached the age of going to school she walked for four miles which made her very tired and hungry (Moody 9).
Poor upbringing of children
Toosweet had found a job as a waiter in a cafeteria leaving her children to stay alone at home. There were snakes which came to their compound making the children to stay scared all day long. One evening after work, the children explained to their mother about the snakes which she first doubted but believed because they looked very scared. That was when their mum got her brother Ed to stay with them. They felt good with Ed because he treated them well (Moody 9).
The narrator’s intelligence
The narrator, Essie Mae was very humorous in the way she observed her mother. Though her mother told her that she was eating a lot from the cafeteria, she observed her keenly and saw that her belly was growing bigger and she knew that she was going to have another baby. This time the baby belonged to another man Raymond who was a soldier. That time they had moved to a bigger house than the previous one.
Unfortunately the young child Junior set their house on fire and it burned down to ashes. Toosweet stopped working at the cafeteria and concentrated on domestic chores of a white family. This time she was able to take care of the children as she was staying at her work place (Moody 12).
The ending of the book leaves one with suspense and the author would have included what happened after the Negroes demanded for their freedom other than leaving it unfinished in that respect. The book is also important because it gives us a history which is relevant in making decisions by the government and even teaching the citizens how evil racism is. Racism does not benefit any person whether black or white but instead spreads out hatred even to the innocent children.
In conclusion, Coming of age in Mississippi is a relevant book because it educates us about racial discrimination effects. Racism brings out poverty, discrimination and denies people a chance to love and exploit their abilities. The story also reveals that blacks have good potential in terms of intelligence and ability and they deserve to be treated as humans. Though Annie Moody was brought up in a very challenging environment she made it through and stood out as one of the best students.
Works Cited
Moody, Anne. Coming of Age in Mississippi. New York, NY: Random House Publishing Group, 2011. Print.
Coming-of-age stories depict the protagonist who transfers from teenager to adult. Usually, these stories denote the young person who goes through certain events that make them aware of adulthood. In A&P by John Updike, the reader encounters the young narrator whose principles are developed with the flow of the story. It is essential to examine the link between coming of age and John Updike’s A&P to see the main character’s transformation.
Coming-of-Age Genre
The subject of this type of literature is typically teenagers or young people. Moreover, the coming-of-age genre is often interchangeable with bildungsroman, the story of moral growth and behavioral development. Coming-of-age literature is associated with psychological advancement from teenagerhood to adulthood. In addition, characteristics of this genre are mental or physical obstacles, conflict of interests, emotional responses, and changes, which lead to personal growth. Therefore, several essential concepts of the coming-of-age genre include teenagers or young people and the presence of struggles and emotions, which cause moral evolution in the protagonist. A&P by John Updike is a brilliant example of the relevant genre, as it contains the main character’s development through the conflict.
The Narrator Encounters Three Girls
This story demonstrates the main hero who works in the grocery. He faces three girls who come to the shop to buy something; it might seem that these females have visited the beach as they wear swimsuits. However, the text states that there is no beach around, as the action takes place in north Massachusetts, far from the sea (Updike 1). Girls’ appearance shocked people in the grocery store; usually, people come to the shop wearing clothes, not swimsuits. However, the protagonists quickly denoted every female and described them. For example, he sees the tall girl in the green swimsuit; he thinks the bathing suit is new and has enough time to examine it in detail. This image distracts him from doing his job; indeed, he proceeds to look at females.
Another girl is a female who does not attract the narrator; he seems to offend the girl by completely ignoring her. The last female whom the main character sees is a ‘Queenie,’ as he is embarrassed by her impressive appearance and behavior, calling her ‘striking and attractive’ (Updike 2). The narrator is not shy to glaze at her constantly, which flatters him. This episode shows the genuine interest of a young man in women. The narrator consciously emphasizes the importance of Queenie, as she varies significantly from other people in the grocery. Queenie is an example of a female free of judgments and presuppositions about people’s appearance. Although other visitors might condemn her for her lavish look, she knows why she is here and what to do. Unlike the main character, she does not feel shy or embarrassed by other people’s views. At the beginning of the story, he is the type of person who is inclined to value other people’s opinions more than those of him.
The Young Protagonist is Amazed by the Girls
It is vital to note that the main hero is nearly nineteen years old; it is possible to state that the young man is attracted by women’s beauty which is typical for his age. Moreover, he works in the grocery, giving a particular image of his ordinary life. He is a relatively responsible young man who can earn money at a young age. However, there is a twenty-two-year-old manager with a higher job title than the protagonist. Furthermore, Lengel, the manager is married and has two children; indeed, he is inclined to glance at three girls as well (Updike 2). Lengel represents the older figure, although having two children at twenty-two might seem surprising. Indeed, with the help of this literary technique, the author provides readers with a more confident and adult image of the manager. The narrator compares the Queenie to a ‘prima donna,’ describing her outstanding appearance and manner of behavior (Updike 2). He thinks the two girls are her escort rather than her friends, as the Queenie stands out from these two females. The narrator nearly forgot his job duties; the reader sees how he struggles with completing ordinary things such as interacting with the cashbox (Updike). Thus, the protagonist is shocked by three girls in bathing suits, but his attention belongs to the Queenie. It is an episode where the Queenie appears as a trigger for the protagonist to become more confident. The girl does nearly nothing to attract the main character; indeed, her behavior fosters his desire to change.
The Protagonist Has Less Power Than the Manager
Apart from evident job superiority, Lengel, the manager, takes power into his hands, oppressing the protagonist. For example, closer to the end of the story, the manager expresses dissatisfaction with the girls’ appearance. He states that bathing suits in their shop are inappropriate and asks them to be clothed another time (Updike 2). It is a demonstrative episode that later leads to the conflict; Lengel changes his opinion rapidly. Although the manager stared at girls, he decided to express his superiority by this statement, humiliating girls in public. This episode makes readers think about the role of social standards, people’s perceptions, and freedom of opinion.
The Protagonist is Coming of Age
After the abovementioned incident, a conflict emerges between the main hero and the manager. The protagonist feels unsatisfied with Lengel’s public speech and takes the initiative. He says ‘I quit’ to his manager and argues why Lengel should not have embarrassed girls (Updike 3). It is the first time the reader sees the main character in a powerful and robust state. He frees himself from the manager’s oppression and expresses his honest opinion. The protagonist has nothing to lose anymore; he realizes that social norms and conventional views do not fit his standards. Moreover, his moral growth starts in this episode; he takes the position of an adult whose opinion should be considered. Accordingly, he realizes that the manager is no longer a powerful and almighty figure for him. In the adult position, the main character can say his opinion about the manager’s actions, which were inappropriate to the girls.
Conclusion
Overall, A&P by John Updike is a demonstrative story of a young man who experiences coming of age. Examining A&P‘s connection to the character’s development is essential for seeking factors that influenced the protagonist’s moral advancement. The three girls become a trigger for the protagonist, who realizes that he cannot stand the manager’s oppression by imposing social norms. This story contains components of coming-of-age literature; the main hero goes through emotional conflict with the manager, experiences controversial feelings, and achieves psychological growth. After the conflict, the manager takes the position of a teenager who blindly believes in social standards. The moral advancement comes when the main character quits his job, relying on his adult perception and principles.
Work Cited
Updike, John. A&P: Lust in the Aisles. Redpath Press, 1986.
The Coming of Age in Mississippi is one of the most influential pieces in African-American literature born in the period of active fighting for civil rights, against systematic racism and segregation. It was written and printed in 1968 by Anne Moody, a Black civil rights activist, as a form of autobiography. The story takes place in rural Mississippi in the middle of the 20th century and talks about her life’s hardships from early childhood through school and later in her enrollment at the historically black Tougaloo College.
The story touches on numerous issues the woman had to face as a civil rights activist, facing systemic racism from white people as well as sexist remarks from her male comrades. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the contents of the story, its main characters, and reflect on the changes that have occurred in the past 50 years.
Story Summary
Anne’s story begins when she is four years old, enough to be able to think and remember things that happened to her. She, her mother, father, and younger sister live in a small plantation shack. Although slavery had been abolished many years ago, the living conditions for the workers did not improve much. None of the sheds they live in has any amenities. The only house in the entire village that has electricity and plumbing is the house of the plantation owners, the Carters. This image demonstrates the inequality still existing between the black workers and their white exploiters.
Anne describes the troubles her family went through. Due to a fire burning down their shack, difficulties with money, and other tragedies, father had left the family, forcing her mother to support the children on her own. She switched over six jobs in the past six years, working as a waitress and a maid. Children are often left hungry, as the money is not enough to pay for the rent. This part of the story shows the difficulties that black single mothers had to face during that period.
Being uneducated left only the simplest of jobs available, and the lack of child support forced the family to starve. Nevertheless, Anne excels in school, which serves to show that despite the hardships, black people are just as gifted and talented as everyone else. The people Anne works for are friendly, for the most part, except for her late employer, Mrs. Burke, who is a racist and tries to make things difficult for Anne, eventually forcing her out of a job.
In her teenage years, Anne’s life revolves around school, where she is very popular among boys, and home since mother manages to remarry to a man named Raymond. Although this marriage alleviates some of the family’s financial struggles, it also brings conflict into the new family, especially between her and Raymond’s mother. Raymond is a farmer, which exposes Anne to a plethora of problems with the black farming communities. The number of grievances towards the society, the privileged, and the white population in general boils inside of Anne, and finds an outlet in 1955, when a 14-year old boy is killed over whistling at a white woman.
“I was fifteen years old when I began to hate people” – she recalls her feelings about the event. Anne’s desire to join the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is what distances her from her family. It pushes her towards her father and his new wife. Her greatest fear during that time was described as follows: “But now there was a new fear known to me—the fear of being killed just because I was black.”
Anne’s growing self-awareness goes through several stages, making her change her name as well as college, eventually enrolling in Tougaloo college, where she becomes a member of the NAACP. Her political thought transforms as well, as she bounces between violent and non-violent solutions to the issue of racism in America. She desperately fights for granting people voting rights, but in so doing, forgets about the needs and necessities of the regular people like Raymond, who is more down-to-earth and is having trouble privatizing his land.
The lack of results from her actions frustrates Anne, and she reminisces if NAACP lost their way and should focus on daily problems of the black community, rather than on distant concepts of equality and voting rights. The memoir ends with her, wondering if blacks could ever achieve equality in America.
Characters of the Story
The memoir covers a myriad of characters throughout Anne’s life. This section will cover the five most prominent personalities throughout the entire story. For example, Anne Moody is the main hero of the story; the events are told from her perspective. We learn about the hardships, injustices, fears, and hopes of the black people through her eyes. She believes in black rights and wants to promote equality for the people of color, which alienates her from her family.
Another character is Ann’s mother, who went through much hardship, which formed her view on life as inherently unfair. Having worked hard to achieve what she had in life, she is worried about her family’s wellbeing and does not want Anne to participate in any political activities.
Although Anne has an estranged relationship with her father, they later grow closer as she is tired of her family’s perceived cowardice. He is a flawed man but does not look down on Anne or anyone else for the shade of color of their skin. Anne’s relationship with Raymond is marred my many complications, including his romantic attraction to her. However, he serves as an essential screen to show the problems of black American farmers, whose issues were often neglected by the NAACP in favor of the “bigger picture.”
Moreover, Adlyne is Anne’s sister and is very serious and down-to-earth. Initially, she is not approving of Anne’s revolutionary spirit and dismisses her desire to attend college. As time passes, however, Adlyne learns to respect her sister and understand her motives.
Reflection and Expansion
Anne’s autobiographical story presents the emotions, hardships, fears, and worries of black rights activists of her time. Her frustrations and doubts are understandable, as the enormous racial and class struggle of that time was riddled with remains of fruitless attempts to change things, both violent and non-violent. The desperation, helplessness, and frustration go through the story like a red line. She doubts if actions of the NAACP were correct, and whether or not they have lost touch with the wants and needs of the black community.
These thoughts resonate well with the plight of Martin Luther King Jr. His intent was on winning rights for all black people rather than waste strength on a multitude of small battles that would eventually lose its momentum. He understood that equality of political for blacks and whites was paramount, as only then would the black community be capable of becoming a major political force and effectively defend itself and its rights.
Bibliography
Evans, Stephanie. Black Women in The Ivory Tower, 1850–1954: An Intellectual.
History. Boca Raton: University Press of Florida, 2008.
Hawkman, Andrea & Antonio Castro. “The Long Civil Rights Movement: Expanding Black History in the Social Studies Classroom.” Social Education, vol. 81, no. 1 (2017): 28-32.
Joseph, Peniel. The Black Power Movement: Rethinking the Civil Rights-Black Power Era. New York: Taylor & Francis. 2006.
Moody, Anne. Coming of Age in Mississippi. New York, Dell Publishing, 1968.
Many literary works are dedicated to the protagonist’s personal growth. An important point in the character’s development is their coming of age when they transform from naive to wise, from immature to mature, or from an idealist to a realist. In such stories, the young protagonist usually goes through pain, suffering, or various misfortunes. They serve as sources of valuable experience for the character that helps them change their worldview and grow up. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses this theme of coming of age in his literary works Young Goodman Brown and My Kinsman, Major Molineux.
Young Goodman Brown
The short story “Young Goodman Brown” describes the most frightful and fateful night in Goodman Brown’s life. The protagonist is a young Puritan, married to a beautiful woman called Faith. Goodman had to go on a trip and, though unwilling to separate from his beloved wife, he had to wave her goodbye. Faith tried to persuade him to stay, but he was determined to go. His way lay through the dark forest, and the young man was haunted by scary images of “devilish Indians” born by his vivid imagination (Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown” 3). He met a strange companion and then several revered people from his village who seemed to behave strangely. Ultimately, Goodman realized they all came to a witches’ sabbath where seemingly staunch and faithful Christians hailed dark forces. What shocked Goodman the most was the presence of his wife Faith. As he called for her and asked her to resist the evil influence, everything disappeared as if he was dreaming. Whether it was a dream or not is not clear, but this surreal experience changed Goodman overnight.
This story may be regarded as a metaphor for the process of maturing and can be divided into three parts: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The story’s beginning can be associated with childhood because the protagonist has a peaceful life where everything is simple and has no major worries. He is sure that his neighbors are virtuous and religious people, and his wife is a “blessed angel on earth” (Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown” 3). Goodman is naïve, and when he later meets with a suspicious person “whose description makes his dabbling with the dark world very clear,” he “fails to realize it” (Sahmadi 4-5). His views are superficial, but he has to leave his comfort zone and enter the harsh reality. Like many people, he is reluctant to do so, and it is metaphorically shown through his unwillingness to part with Faith at the beginning of the story, but eventually, Goodman realizes he has to go.
Then comes adolescence, presented via Goodman’s wandering through the forest, meeting with the stranger and all the respectable people of Salem. This period in human life is associated with doubts, the formation of critical thinking, and one’s own outlook and opinions on various major topics. Goodman leaves his peaceful, simple life and enters a new strange reality where he has to reassess everything and everyone he knows. It is a scary experience as everything seems to become unfamiliar. To show it, the author uses the image of the dark forest and the Indians, who serve as a symbol of something unknown, scary, and possibly hostile.
Finally, the sabbath is the “coming of age” point for Goodman as it destroys his original superficial worldview and reveals the world’s hypocrisy. He is not sure what happened that night: whether it was a dream or an omen for him. However, he cannot see the people around him with the same trust and reverence as before, and his adult life begins.
My Kinsman, Major Molineux
In “My Kinsman, Major Molineux,” Hawthorne tells the story of another young man called Robin Molineux. It starts with his arrival at Massachusets Bay at nine o’clock in the evening. The “youth of barely eighteen years” does not seem to come from a wealthy family. His coat is “well worn,” stockings are made by his mother and sister, and his hat probably used to be his father’s (Hawthorne, “My Kinsman, Major Molineux” 4). However, he seems to be optimistic and hopeful as his eyes are “bright,” “cheerful,” and “eager” (Hawthorne, “My Kinsman, Major Molineux” 4-5). Robin came to find his relative – a Governor Major Molineux whom he imagines as an important and respected official. Therefore, he expects a warm welcome in this unknown land, but instead, his hopes are shattered: nobody seems to know the major and care what connections Robin has. People only focus on his shabby garments and lack of money and treat him harshly based on these two factors.
This story can also be perceived as a coming of age metaphor. Robin’s life before the trip would be “childhood,” as at the beginning of the story, he is still presented as a naïve and hopeful young man. Then he comes to an unknown place, the harsh reality is revealed to him, and he enters “adolescence.” He wanders along dark, narrow streets, meets people whose remarks and behavior puzzle him. At first, he does not critically evaluate all the suspicious mishaps he encounters during the night. As Jenks notes, Robin is “rather easily deceived” by “mendacious townspeople,” despite his self-assured claim of being shrewd (100). However, it is a typical attitude of a self-assured teenager who has not faced any major trouble in life. Robin’s ultimate meeting with his relative becomes a “coming of age” moment as it destroys his initial beliefs and makes him question everything he knows. The young man is shocked by the lies and hostility of the townspeople and the misery and humiliation his honorable kinsman suffers from those who should respect him. As Robin awakes from his dream or hallucination, he is faced before his first choice as an adult. He has to decide whether he would stay and try to succeed in Massachusetts, relying on his relative, or he would leave and find his own way in life. This choice might be a symbol of accepting or rejecting the former naïve beliefs.
Conclusion
To conclude, coming of age is a significant point in human life, and many authors use it as a theme in their literary works. Nathaniel Hawthorne was not an exception as coming of age is one of the major themes of his short stories Young Goodman Brown and My Kinsman, Major Molineux. Both Goodman Brown and Robin Molineux are initially presented as idealistic and naïve young men who later go through devastating disappointment and lose blind faith in the people they regarded as virtuous and exemplary. They learned about hypocrisy and life struggles and became more realistic, critical, and mature.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. My Kinsman, Major Molineux. Shaf Digital Library, 2016.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Young Goodman Brown. Start Publishing LLC, 2012.
Jenks, Rod. “A Lucid Portrayal of Ambiguity: Locating Meaning in Hawthorne’s My Kinsman, Major Molineux.” Humanitas, vol. 30, no. 1-2, 2017, pp. 98-111.
Sahmadi, Linda. “The Earnestness of Humor: Hawthorne’s Puritanical Sense of Humor in ‘Wakefield,’ ‘Young Goodman Brown’ and ‘My Kinsman, Major Molineux’.” HAL, 2018, Web.