It is also important that Jacqueline refers to South Carolina as home in this poem. Essentially, Woodson shows religion to be a force that Jacqueline confronts, rather than embraces. She sits in the back of the bus with her purse in her lap, looking out the window at darkness and feeling hope. "You are from the North, our mother says. Share Cite. As the woodstove symbolizes Jacquelines comfort and sense of warmth in the South, she thinks about her weakening connection to the North and her father. Jacqueline makes use of her highly active imagination and penchant for storytelling, as she often misses parts of the conversation and makes them up later. Before, their mother told her to let them choose their own faith, but grandmother feels differently. When called by their real names, Jacqueline's grandmother would mush all three together, but her grandfather would speak slowly and give each name individuality. Jacquelines lack of memory is a blessing, but her sense that she will remember her mothers second departure suggests that she will not be exempt from sad memories in the future. Before this event, the family did not realize how beautiful a voice Hope had, and when they hear it they are stunned. Jacqueline Woodson, quote from Brown Girl Dreaming "When there are many worlds you can choose the one you walk into each day." Jacqueline Woodson, quote from Brown Girl Dreaming "Then I let the stories live inside my head, again and again until the real world fades back into cricket lullabies and my own dreams." Brown Girl Dreaming: Part 2 Summary & Analysis Next Part 3 Themes and Colors Key Summary Analysis our names. As they rub her feet, she tells stories about the terrible conditions of the houses she cleaned that day. Jacqueline clearly carries memories of being treated badly at stores in the South because she shares these experiences with her friend Maria later in the book. . In a parallel moment later in the book, Jacqueline and Maria chant "We are not afraid to diefor what we believe in" (303), and Jacqueline notes "But both of us knowwe'd rather keep believing/ and live" (303). When Jacqueline's mother comes back from New York, she has a plan for the family to move there together. When Jacqueline steps on a mushroom, Cora and her sisters say that the Devil is going to come for her. Woodson again shows the close relationship that Jacqueline has to her grandfather, and her happiness in her life in the South. Section 1, - Making up what I didnt understand or missed when voices dropped too low, I talk until my sister and brothers soft breaths tell me theyve fallen asleep. The presence of tobacco plantsalong with the legacy of slavery that they evokeis another contradiction inherent to the garden. She tucks them back into bed where they sleep together in a bed covered with quilts. "This is the way brown people have to fight, You can't just put your fist up. Again, Jacqueline does not describe her immersion in Jehovahs Witness theology as a positive influence or a particularly spiritually meaningful experience. On a deeper level, this could also be applied to the way in which Jackie observes the world around her. Im not ashamedcleaning is what I know. Stories are also a major theme in the story, especially beginning in Part II when Jacqueline starts to tell lies, or made up stories. Mother sends home brown dolls from New York and writes about all the beauty and wonder of the city. Jackie is known for telling stories when asked questions. This quote comes from the poem in which Jacqueline writes the letter J for the first time. Part II of Brown Girl Dreaming is titled "the stories of south carolina run like rivers" (43). There are many themes you can consider. The fact that the news is delivered in the form of a letter, rather than a phone call, perhaps foreshadows the fact that, in the third part of the memoir, its writing (rather than speaking) that will take precedence as Jacquelines primary mode of storytelling. He sings a song as he walks slowly down the road, and Jacqueline wonders whether her aunt Kay can hear it calling to her in New York. They walk home quietly and contentedly, eating their ice cream before it melts. She realizes that she's grown so big that she overflows her grandmother's lap, and she is sad that she'll be losing her position in the family to become "just a regular girl" (135). Jacquelines description of Georgianas daywork clearly highlights that cleaning for white families is an act of desperation for her grandmother, rather than a choice she happily makes. This title ties rivers and stories together by comparing the ways they flow from place to place and person to person. She recalls that her grandmother told the children to "Let the Biblebecome your sword and your shield" (112), and she critically notes in her mind that, "we do not know yet/ who we are fighting/ and what we are fighting for" (113). explain how it develops over the course of a text. The fire occurs during a school dance, and mother says it was probably retaliation for African American students at the school having protested. 3.7 (3 reviews) Term. They pray to stay in Greenville. Jacqueline feels conflicted because Jehovah's Witnesses believe that everyone who doesn't follow their God will be destroyed in a great battle, but she doesn't want to believe in a God that would make her have to choose between him and her grandfather. His own grandfather had been a slave, and though he was born a free man, he still believes in the cycle of planting and waiting for the earth to "give[] back to you all that you've asked of it" (48). Jacquelines early interest in the sounds of words foreshadows her interest in poetry. What Jacqueline misses while thinking about this is her sister reading that her mother is having another baby. Its hard to understand the way my brain works so different from everybody around me. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Says, Our grandfathers our father now. On Saturday nights, grandmother does Odella and Jacqueline's hair in the kitchen. Grandmother always takes the phone first, telling the children they can talk to their mother soon. Quotes and Analysis Summary And Analysis Part I: i am born Part II: the stories of south carolina run like rivers Part III: followed the sky's mirrored constellation to freedom Part IV: deep in my heart, i do believe Part V: ready to change the world Symbols, Allegory and Motifs Metaphors and Similes Irony Imagery The American Civil Rights Movement Within this poem, Jackie is sharing her memory of a time when her mother brought board games for her and her siblings to play when it was raining outside. Page 32: A front porch swing thirsty for oil. Jacqueline Woodson 's memoir Brown Girl Dreaming is set in the places where she grew up and where other family members continued to live after she left. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. From the first poem where religion is introduced, "faith" (112), Jacqueline clearly has misgivings about the religion. The motif of hair is especially important, as different hairstyles and methods of doing hair are important to the African American experience. Though Georgianas reason for keeping the children apart is ambiguous, it seems to be out of some kind of elitism. My birth certificate says: Female Negro Mother: Mary Anne Irby, 22, Negro Father: Jack Austin Woodson, 25, Negro. Hope, Jacqueline's brother, does not respond well to South Carolina: his skin becomes rough and itchy, his pollen allergy makes him short of breath, and he is generally slow and sickly. Jacqueline's grandmother is very religious. Having to consciously reject Southern vocabulary or mannerisms intensifies Jacqueline's feelings of not having a true home. It is an apt title for Part II, because during this time Jacqueline connects with both nature and her family's history and the way they are intertwined. Roman gets quiet and looks at Dell trustingly. This quote communicates the confusion and fear that accompanied being thrust into her grandmother's religious routine at such a young age. Brown Girl Dreaming Questions and Answers - Discover the eNotes.com community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on Brown Girl Dreaming By protesting, Miss Bell risks losing her job, and Woodson makes clear the bravery and cleverness of Miss Bells solution to this predicament when she discusses Miss Bells secret meetings at her house. Alina and I walk through / our roles as Witnesses as though / in a play. This statement occurs when the author, Jacqueline Amanda Woodson, writes her name for the first time without anyone's help. Course Hero, "Brown Girl Dreaming Study Guide," December 20, 2019, accessed March 1, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Brown-Girl-Dreaming/. Im not ashamed if it feeds my children. Jacqueline's grandfather tells them that people are marching in the South because they were supposed to be free in 1863, when slavery ended, but they still aren't. As the children witness the sit-ins in Greenville first hand, and Gunnar explains why he supports nonviolent protest, the reader gets a better sense of the tone of and reasoning behind the Civil Rights Movement. Jacqueline observes African-American families migrating North in search of jobs. Again, the discussions that Jacqueline recalls from her early childhood are primarily conversations about words and names, reflecting Jacquelines interest in language. Like. "That's good. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. On Monday they have Bible study at home, on Tuesday they have Bible study at Kingdom Hall, on Wednesday they do laundry at home, on Thursday they go to Ministry School, on Friday night they are free to play, on Saturday they knock on doors to spread Jehovah's Witness beliefs, and on Sunday they study at Kingdom Hall again. Jacqueline also increasingly harnesses control of her memoryas her grandmother brushes her hair, she recognizes it as a memory-in-the-making, willing it into memory in the process. As the switch raises dark welts on my brother's legs, afraid to open our mouths. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. The way the content is organized, LitCharts makes it easy to find quotes by Born in 1963, she spent her . In Course Hero. Better Essays. Grandma Irby says this in response to her grandchildren wondering why she still rides in the back of the bus, even though she does not. 1731 Words; 7 Pages; Open Document. 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