The Lesson

Not really my kind of story, I have difficulty relating emotionally to stories about social inequality considering I am an able bodied white guy. I mean, I have sympathy for people who experience inequality, by little to no empathy. I did enjoy the story just from the viewpoint of the stubborn, foul-mouthed little girl. Throughout the story, she proves her stubbornness in refusing the incorrect social balance weighed tremendously against her. When her best friend Sugar finally gets it stating "that this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don't it?" she is infuriated that someone would so blatently say what it is that she is trying to deny to herself.

A&P

The way this story is narrated immediately triggers my memory of Catcher in the Rye. “I stood there with my hand on a box of HiHo crackers trying to remember if I rang it up or not. I ring it up again and the customer starts giving me hell. She's one of these cash-register-watchers, a witch about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows, and I knowit made her day to trip me up” The way that he had a category of people which you know he ranted about to others in the past is actually quite funny. The story really is about the conformity of the times in the 1950's and youths urge to break way from it. The 'girls' in the story are certainly a symbol of this breaking away. So when he quits and follows them out the door, it's not so much him chasing the cute girls in bathing suits, but rather him following his desire for freedom from the norm.

Everyday Use

I am usually not a fan of African American literature, but this story was written quite well. There were even point where I let out a snicker from the awkwardness of Dee's interactions. Also, each character seems to represent a specific facet of the African American culture of the time. Dee being the superficial follower of the Black Muslim movement, more concerned with the look and style rather then true heritage. Mama is the embodiment of true heritage, unducated but resilient. And Maggie seems to just represent quite, good-heartedness. Dee burned down the house, right?

A Worn Path

The entire story was very symbolic. Even the main character's name: Phoenix, is representative of her power and persistence to come back again and again, just a the mythological bird would be reborn from its ashes. Even her clothing is reminiscent of the bird, with all of the reds and yellows. Also, I don't know if I am reading to far into the story, but does it seem that its possible her grandson has already died and her trip are just the result of dementia? Dunno.

A Good Man is Hard to Find

Absolutely great story. It almost gives me the feeling that if it was made into a movie, it could easily be made into a dark comedy. The grandmother's twist view on who is good colliding with the misfit's even more twisted view of the world makes for awesome conflict. At the final scene where she reaches out to touch him, claiming he is one of her sons is an epic finally. Especially when he puts the three bullets in her chest. On my second reading i realized at that exact momment he was really wearing her dead son's shirt. Symbolism? I dunno, but certainly interesting.