Gus faces Perfect for the first time after the truth has been revealed, regarding Perfect’s sex. Gus and Authorly, in this passage, are continuously hammering down on Perfect the idea that he has to change, to become more like what is socially accepted to be a man’s behavior, warning him that if he doesn’t adhere to the rules, then it will ultimately damage the remainder of his life. “Now, boy,” Gus lays on Perfect, “you got a had row to hoe…but whether you make it or not is up to you. We yo’ family and we gon’ help you, but we can’t save you from other folks talkin’. It’s gon’ be hard at first. Real hard. But you can do it” (141). This quote forces the reader to see the unforgiving community as the enemy. Everything is fine, so long as one conforms and abides by the rules and guidelines, but as soon as someone—whether it is their fault or not—strays from the path, there is a sort of social cataclysm, a violent upheaval.
Conceptions of communities change, when listening to the voices of the disenfranchised, by becoming more negative. The reason it is so easy to become enamored with the idea of hating Emma Jean for what she did to Perfect, is due to the harm that can—and will—be caused to an individual who deviates from the norm in any given community; it seems to almost be a part of human nature, the casting out of those who are different, as if they might be infectious. So, when Emma Jean decides Perfect a girl, she is knowingly doing something out of selfishness that will eventually be a source of great distress for the child. However, if the community was more accepting of different gender notions, which it is certainly not, then, and only then, what Emma Jean did could not ultimately be considered a traumatic or hurtful experience for the child.
I really like the scene you chose. I wouldn't so much say that the concept of community becomes negative, but the idea of no longer being a part of one is negative. I think the scene that you chose really highlights the way in which certain communities dictate the way that we have to live our lives, otherwise we don't fit in. This is incredibly unfortunate and in this novel it is particularly upsetting to see a character like Paul be turned into the outcast of the family and the community. Thankfully he is a strong child and is someone who can fight against all the crap...so many kids don't have the resources or the self-esteem. It's depressing, the negative effects a community can have on someone, but community can be so positive at times too. You just have to make sure you find the right community to belong to and unfortunately the community in which Paul grew up was not so much a choice as it was a lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteThe other Peace brothers are vital to Perfect's change into Paul, so this is a good scene that depicts community. I agree that community is a powerful thing in the life of an individual. Community can be a positive or a negative experience: a person can be included or shunned.
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