Nelson sees the "coffee-colored" people for the first time on the train (pg. 216), and his reaction seems to be exactly the reaction Mr. Head wants him to have. Later on while in town, "Nelson's skin began to prickle" when they began drifting towards the black part of town (pg. 221).
It is quite a surprise, therefore, to see his reaction to the black woman on the next couple of pages. He is very enthralled, paralyzed by looking at her. The way in which O'Connor describes this scene makes it seem like it would almost be a spiritual experience for the boy. He wants "to feel her breath on his face" (pg. 223), and "he had never had such a feeling before." What do we think is going on here? Is Nelson experiencing "the other" ? someone that before this time he was taught was so different from himself that he is mesmerized when he finally interacts with this person? Or could it be that in talking to a black person, Nelson actually sees her humanity, and it is something beautiful, and she is no different from himself? Yet another idea of mine is that Nelson could possibly be yearning for a mother figure. We know that he never knew his mother and was raised by the grandfather alone. Perhaps Nelson is reacting to the woman's femininity, when O'Connor tells us that he wanted her to pick him up and hold him very tight?
I was wondering what ya'll make of this? What do you think O'Connor is trying to evoke in this powerful and puzzling scene?
4 comments:
"Reacting to her femininity" - that's exactly how I read it, as almost a sexual awakening, or (more likely) some kind of discovery of a mother figure. The "triangular path" he makes from her breasts to her arms to her hair, and then finally settling on wanting to gaze into her eyes, evokes a yearning for a deeper connection. Nelson just wants a hug, and something in the woman - or probably a lot of things - spells affection in a way that this grandfather doesn't.
I definitely read that passage as a sexual experience. But I also think you are hitting on something when you describe it as experiencing the Other. He sexualizes her as an unfamiliar object that arouses intense curiousity. Minorities are usually "Other-ed" in the sense that they are either viewed as asexual or hyper-sexualized. In this case, her dress shows her "exact shape," and Nelson "drinks in every detail" from her "glistening sweat" to her "tremendous bosom." The thing that puzzles me about this passage is the fact that Nelson doesn't want to take the action. He wants her to take the action on him, relinquishing control (which could be another way of objectifying the woman).
Also, I was intrigued by the fact that the woman clearly knew he was undone by her. She teasingly calls him Sugarpie. Does she resent his objectification? Does she enjoy the admiration? Does she find it empowering?
I found this scene particularly interesting mainly because I was expecting something climactic to happen. When Nelson and Mr. Head stop at the weighing machine that also tells fortunes Nelson receives a fortune that says, “You have a great destiny ahead of you but beware of dark women” (O’Connor 220). Since this story has the underlying theme of race I took the fortune to mean exactly as it says; beware of dark (black) women. So, when Nelson asks the black woman for directions I thought something significant was going to happen. To me, the woman was clearly trying to help them get back into town. But to Mr. Head she was mocking them. It is interesting how Nelson takes it upon himself to be the adult in this situation. Never having seen a black person before does not have the shame prejudice that his grandfather has, and therefore does not see the problem of asking this woman for directions.
I saw this scene as sort of a sexual awakening as well. I think "The Other" is also a very compelling thought. In this instance, I think "The Other" could be referring to her just being a woman as well. Since he lives with his grandfather, and has not really had a mother or grandmother and maybe doesn't see a lot of women in their town, maybe this is the first time that he sees a woman in a womanly way. Maybe she just seems very exotic to him.
I also think what Jessica brings up is interesting, that Nelson did not have the same prejudices as his grandfather initially. I thought it was very interesting that when Nelson first saw an African American man on the train, he thought the man was just tan and it wasn't until the grandfather told him what to think that he was shocked and had to look back. This scene was key to me, because Nelson was having thoughts imposed on him, and the reason he hated this man was not because he was African American, but just because Nelson felt "tricked" somehow.
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