Feminist Perspective - Week Four

I believe The Flowers by Dagoberto Gilb questions the traditional view of gender. There are three main female characters in the novel. One of those characters is Cindy, the 19 year old girl that lives in an upstairs apartment, practically alone. She strips to pay rent, and has a husband who deals dope, and is seldom home except to eat or use Cindy for sex. Next to her apartment there is Nica aka Veronica aka Guadalupe aka Lupe aka Cathy aka Carmen aka I want to be anywhere else other than where I'm at because my father deprives me of an education, and makes me iron his clothes make him lunch, and do everything that he should be doing himself including taking care of his child. He is Nica's step-dad and is always yelling at her for not living up to his standards. I think Margarito is exploiting his daughter. By making her stay home and tend to the house, he is already molding her from a young age to believe that she is worthless and her place is in the home. I don't believe it's a coincidence that her sibling is a male. This further goes with their family theme, of the female having to tend to the men. It's unfortunate that the Mexican culture still holds this belief. Most Mexican women are raised to believe that they must give up their dreams, sometime having to sacrifice education and career goals, to take care of the men and always put their family before their own happiness. This holds especially true for those Mexican girls who's family has a strong traditional upbringing, like Nicas. She is treated like a slave by her father. Her father is always belittling her, asking things like why can't she iron right, and if its too hard for her to use starch on his pants? etc. etc. Her father is running her life in a patriarchal form. By denying her an education, making her stay in the house to take care of her brother and do the chores, he is asserting his power as a male.
           I believe the female character Silvia plays tries to break away from the traditional role that females play in American homes, as well as the traditional values held for women in the Mexican culture. Silvia doesn't stay home to clean and cook for her husband. Instead she spends her time doing things that she wants to do. She goes out with her friends and does her shopping and other feminine things like spending time at the beauty parlor. She is envied by other women like Mary, who believes that "Beautiful women can do no wrong." (186) This is a value that can transcend different cultures. Mary is always fighting with her husband, and tends to believe that if she was pretty like Silvia, she'd get in less arguments and be able to get away with more things.
           Nica is also troubled about her appearance, she believes if she lived in Spain that she'd ,"Have pretty white skin and straight black hair, and I'd listen to music and dance beautifully." It's sad that she has to wishes she were someone else so much, and isn't comfortable or happy being who she is. Her dance doesn't allow her to listen to music, and she is self conscious about her image. I believe this self-consciousness and low value she has of herself is derived from her dad always punishing her and scolding her. Nica should be allowed to go to school, and shouldn't be forced to stay home and take care of her younger brother, she is too young and it's unfair for her to have such a responsibility. Margarito should figure out a way to pay the rent and all his expenses without forcing his daughter to take a mother role as a young teenager. He spills his inadequacies as a Man onto his daughter, displacing his anger onto someone else.

Funny Quote

"They don't talk French in Mexico." (179) This quote by Cloyd made me laugh. lol.

Journal Prompt #1 - Week Three: Theme

I believe people having prejudice of minority groups is a reoccurring theme in the novel, The Flowers. Cloyd is a character in the book that exemplifies the racism that exists in present day America. This racism affects the lives of all the tenants living in The Flowers apartment complex. "You know what they say? They say they don't like black folk living in their nice apartment complexes, like they got some kind of right black folk don't. But they ain't got no right. They are blue-eyed-devil motherfuckers and fuck 'em." (190) Racism obviously impacts the life of Pink, a character that is an albino African American. Cloyd expresses his distaste of black people throughout the novel. He doesn't like the fact that Pink sells his cars exclusively to black people, thinking Pink is "working some angle" but doesn't figure out what that angle is. I found it very ironic that Cloyd openly dislikes black people so much and would never allow one to live in his apartment building, and is oblivious of the fact that Pink is African American. "'You wouldn't let them move in here, would you?' I didn't say I would,' Cloyd said. 'Fact I wouldn't'" (110) Pinkston knows Cloyd wouldn't allow him to continue living in The Flores if he found out about his albinism. I believe Pink is sort of sticking it to Cloyd by living in the apartments, and selling cars to African Americans, all while Cloyd believes he's just a really pale weird looking white male.
         Sonny is impacted by racism as well. I believe Cloyd is racist against Mexicans as well. Even though Cloyd is married to a Mexican woman, I believe he still has an underlying hate towards Mexicans and all other races. I think he is married to Silvia because she is a really attractive woman, and he likes her cooking, and the idea of being married to a Mexican must be sort of comical for him. "'Don't you love Mexican food?!' said Cloyd. 'Here I thought you only married her for her looks,' said Bud."(pg. 54) I think he feels like he is superior to people of other races, including Mexicans. He yells at Sonny on page 126 about addressing him as "man", and demands to be talked to in a more respectful manner. I don't think this has to do with Sonny showing disrespect to his elder or step-dad or whatever, but has to do with the underlying distaste Cloyd has of non-whites. "Don't ever talk to me like that again!" (pg. 126) He goes on to punching a hole through the wall like The Incredible Hulk. I believe Cloyd's true feelings come out when he's drunk. Cloyd owning an apartment building gives him the power to segregate whatever races he dislikes.
         There exists a lot of tension between Sonny and the other people he encounters on the streets. When Sonny and his friends are eating at a fast food place, there are two black dudes that pull up on them and stare them down. The twins don't realize whats going on, but Sonny is aware and prepared. Tension exists during this event, and later on when another two black males make fun of the twins about being Mexican.  I believe this tension is presented as a foreshadow of the events that happen later on in the novel and in history. I can identify this theme in the novel to symbolize the tension that had come about in Los Angeles and other cities across America during the early 90s. Tension that existed between African-Americans, Mexican-American,Whites, and Asian-Americans, and still exist till this day. I believe racial tension to be a central theme that is present in the novel.

Free Writing

My Father always... knows the wrong thing to say at the right time. I haven't been getting along much with him lately, and have been finding it hard to be in the house at the same time as him. I hope this is some kind of phase I'm going through, but I'm not sure. Things have been getting more and more awkward as tension has grown. I hope I don't act like he does when I get older, and become a dad myself.

Character Description

            Sonny's mother, Silvia, can be described as neglectful.. "It was that my mom, if she wasn't at her job, was out on dates, and whatever."(5) Silvia was never home to make Sonny dinner, and would often complain to her son about the mess he'd make. Sonny would say, "She could yell at me how she couldn't afford a maid to clean up after me..."(5) This can be seen as a neglectful characteristic because she neglects her responsibilities as a mother to look after her son and tend to her home.
             I think she'd also display teenage behavior that you'd expect from Sonny's older sister. "My mom would be around for maybe an hour or two, and she'd either change clothes and leave or be so tired she went into her bedroom and went to sleep."(6) I know when I was a teenager, I'd often do the same thing. I'd only come home to eat, change clothes, and sleep, before I'd be out the door again to hangout with friends and party. This is not behavior you'd expect from a mother, especially one a child at home and no father to look after him.
             It seemed like Silvia would always have a new dress and her hair and nails done each time Sonny would see her. She liked looking good, and being out, which I don't believe to be a problem, except that she invested more time in her own appearance and happiness and not much on anyone else. She didn't like the fact that Cloyd was tight with his money. It also seems like she would of liked to marry someone who was rich. "'Didn't she marry some really rich guy?' I asked. My mom made a face. Obviously she didn't want to talk about that, and she snapped at me."(82)
             Silvia was admired by other women, for her beauty. "It seemed like she was always going to a beauty parlor to try a new hairstyle, which everyone complimented her on... no matter what style."(18)
             I think she recognized her faults, and felt disappointed in herself as a mother. "I'm going to get to be a mother for you. I know I haven't been. I haven't had any time for you, have I?"(18) I think she may have chosen to get married and move in with Cloyd because he owned an apartment building, and she might of been promised not to have to work if they were to get married. Because she would not have to work all the time, she'd have more time to spend with Sonny. She'd even given Sonny an anonymous apology, "I'm sorry."(74) during one of the silent moments in their conversation while they were in front of the television. I felt like she might of been apologizing for making him go through the adjustment of having a new step-dad, and moving them out of their home.  She may have also been apologizing because she wasn't always around to spend time with him, and now found it difficult to have a conversation with her son. "'Buenas, m'ijo,' she said. I swear there was disappointment in her voice. I'd never heard that in her before."(74) Prior to their conversation, Sonny had been spending time with Cindy, and came home weeded. The disappointment in her voice can be interpreted in many ways. One way would be that she noticed he was high, and was disappointed that her son had gone out to smoke weed, however I don't believe this to be the case. She  had said that she had tried calling everyone of her friends and due to he fact that she was now trying watch television, it can be concluded that she was bored, and might of wanted to have been out like Sonny. I think she may have been bored and was disappointed that her son wanted to go to sleep instead.

Week One Reading Journal

1.         I predict Sonny is going to get in a lot of trouble by the end of the book. The book starts of with Sonny describing the times when he'd sneak into peoples homes and look around and sort of lose himself in his thoughts. He started stealing money and once stopped his scrummaging to allow himself to feel a girls underwear. Now that Sonny is living in the apartment complex owned by Cloyd, he is going to have a lot of urges to steal and break into the residents apartments. His curiosity is going to draw him to want to know what the residents lives are like by looking through their belongings to get a better sense of who they are. He might want to steal some of their stuff too including money. Sonny might have a mild case of kleptomania. Although he says he doesn't enjoy stealing, he likes the feeling he gets when he counts his money, and likes going out and buying his own lunch. Cloyd seems to be really attached to his money, and tries to minimize his spending. I don't think It'd be wise for Sonny to steal any money from Cloyd.
            I also believe Sonny is going to have some arguments with his step dad, Cloyd. His step dad seems to be getting drunk a lot, almost everyday. It's obvious that Sonny doesn't like Cloyd. On page 19 Sonny says, "All you had to do was look around the apartment to know this Cloyd wasn't right for either of us."(19) I agree with what Sonny says, there is a big cultural difference between them. I don't think there is anything wrong with having an interracial relationship, however it seems like Cloyd is racist, and may not be right for the family. He doesn't like the fact that Pinkston is selling his cars to Black people. Sonny seems to really like Pinkston, and I think they're going to become good friends. I'm sure Cloyd is going to have a problem with Sonny hanging around Pinkston, and will create an argument between them. In the beginning of the book one of Silvia's ex-boyfriend, breaks into her home and attacks Sonny. Sonny was young and failed to defend himself with the kitchen knife he held in his hand. I believe Sonny and Cloyd will have some kind of fight similar to this one. Sonny might try and defend himself again with a knife, but this time I think he'll be able to fend of his step dad's attack.
3.         One passage from the book I found interesting was the one where Sonny is cleaning the window screen from apartment number 3. This passage begins on page forty with Cindy saying, "Hey, cutie boy! You trying to sneak in on me while I'm in the shower?"(40) I found this conversation to be interesting, especially the part were Cindy starts talking about her husband and her marriage. Her story is that she is eighteen now, and got pregnant sometime while she was in high school, which forced her to drop out. She married the dude, but unfortunately had a miscarriage. She later got pregnant again, but got an abortion. Now she lives in an apartment practically by herself because her husband is never around, and longs to go back to school.
The part I found the most interesting about this passage would be how she acted when Sonny says, "maybe your husband was glad too." At first she didn't really understand what Sonny meant by her husband. It was like she hadn't realized that she was married until that moment. She'd been impregnated twice by the same guy, and has been living with him for some time, but hadn't associated him as a "husband." I believe she still thinks of Tino as a boyfriend, and not a husband because he is never around. She must not be emotionally attached to Tino to want to flirt with Sonny, or maybe she's just bored of being alone in her apartment all day. Even though Cindy is married to Tino, I believe she will continue to invite Sonny into her apartment. Some sort of conflict has to arise between the three, and it will be exciting to find out what that is.

Introducing Myself

I am... a 22 year old student going to Gavilan College this Spring Semester. I'm really excited to be back in school, and hope to make it through and ace all of my classes. My academic goal is to attain a Bachelor's degree, however I'm not sure what I will be majoring in yet. I'm planning on taking the classes that interest me, and hoping I figure out what I want to do along the way. I am very much interested in literature. I love reading fiction, not so much textbooks though. I also enjoy writing, although I must admit I need more practice and could use some improvement. Some hobbies and interests of mine include running, biking, listening to music, reading, and playing my PS3. I have two younger brothers which I care about very much, and hope that I am influencing them in the right ways.  I would say I'm passionate about Art and Music, but wouldn't consider myself an artist or musician. If I had to describe myself in one sentence I'd say that I am a thoughtful individual who enjoys seeing and experiencing beautiful things.