Just like the rest of the characters we've met this year, Milkman, our protagonist, is a conflicting one. On one hand, his entire personality throughout the novel seems to be one of an adolescent in an adult's body, characterized by his immaturity and brattiness. Yet as the story progresses, the metaphor of a bird learning to fly seems to clarify, and we end with the baby bird leaping and finally flying. After learning about his family history, the change in Milkman is astounding, as he is able to let go of all his curiosity, trauma, and truly understand the implications behind his ancestry. Since this novel focuses on the lives of African Americans, I wonder how Morrison intends for us to interpret the ending of the novel. Initially, I thought the friendship between Guitar and Milkman was a subtle way of criticizing Milkman, of his lack of interest in black rights and equality. But the ending of the novel has proved otherwise. If anything, Morrison states that the power of kno...
I found the panel presentation on ecofeminism extremely interesting. I never realized the obvious parallels between Rochester's attitudes towards women and the island. Hearing the discussion, I could definitely see how closely the two are intertwined. Moments in which Rochester would criticize Antoinette, a criticism towards the island would also occur shortly after. The fact that the two are so closely intertwined is because they are both foreign and strange to them. The island's culture and people shock Rochester and even disgust him at times, just as Antoinette shocks and disgusts him at times. This eurocentric view that Rochester has of Antoinette and the island were extremely prevalent during the time period, and his obvious desire to dominate them both disturbs me even more.