Lyell Champagne Mrs. Schaefer American Literature 23 February, 2017 The Eeriness of Not Doctor Street Cloudy skies, harsh wind, stomach sinking smells, steamy sewer vapor coming from the belly of what is named “Not Doctor Street”. The neighbors that live here as a part of their everyday lives reside in this eerie neighborhood. The name “Not Doctor Street” is just as haunting as the names of the family that live there, known as the Dead family. The name that haunts the street as if it were an uncovered trail of miserable darkness that flooded the skies around the place. This street suffocates the residents that live there as if you were in the eye of a tornado being lifted in a high atmosphere. The grimly vibe of this neighborhood affects the family of the Dead’s. A character named Ruth Dead, has this street haunting her for her dauntly impression of her deceased father. Walking down this street is …show more content…
He is the son of Macon Dead Jr and Ruth Dead. He has lived on this miserable street his whole life and there has been no positivity to it besides him having an affair with his cousin. Milkman made a best friend who goes by Guitar Bains and they have been friends since they were kids. Throughout the long drawn depressing years Milkman struggles as a black man trying to fit in society. This is the same street that houses the most awkward family in the neighborhood, the Dead family. It is so depressing because of Macon Dead Jr, a ruthless landlord who collects rent money from a building there, and won’t stop at any cost until he is paid. Milkman grows up seeing his father treat his mother with the utmost disrespect and does not show any attention towards her. The events that play a big role in Milkman’s life shape him into the man he has become. He has also experienced being a person who has a limp to their walk for having a shorter leg than the other, but making it into a style that people remember him
He has a friend named Guitar, who messes around with drugs, and alcohol, and I would like to think that Milkman is just a kindhearted boy who was just led in the wrong direction, due to Guitar’s nature. Milkman’s father, Macon dead Jr. is the literal example of someone being “wrapped up in their work,” since the beginning of the story, where he stopped caring about his wife Ruth, and started abusive towards her, and his relationship with his children is close to nothing, and this alone makes me dislike him. However, his wife Ruth Foster, is a very kindhearted person, and tries to lose herself in little activities. I think that Macon may be able to reveal a theme towards us, and I think it may be along the lines of a time for work, and a time for
The significance of Milkman’s name represents his immaturity throughout his life starting from a young age as he floats aimlessly throughout his years. Milkman has, "stretched his carefree boyhood out for thirty-one years," and cannot seem to let go of his childish ways. Never does he focus on more adult like things, but rather be juvenile about everything that comes into his way of life. The connection between Milkman and his mother and the odd yet overbearing relationship of both sexuality and indifference shapes him into the forever childhood stuck boy he was raised to be. The sucking of his mother’s breasts till he was ten made the whole town and himself identify him as Milkman, due to his inability to get away from his over charismatic
The origins of Milkman Dead’s name are based on an anecdote from his childhood, and this name accurately reflects on his rather childish and immature persona. Milkman was given his name because he was breastfed by his mother, Ruth, far past the appropriate age of breastfeeding. At the very beginning of the book, narration paints the story: “...he was old enough to be bored by the flat taste of mother’s milk, so he came reluctantly, as to a chore...and tried to pull the thin, faintly sweet milk from her flesh…” (13, Morrison). This scene reflects on Milkman’s character as he is very childish, immature, and relies on others. Many other characters in the book realize these traits that Milkman has, and some are not afraid to talk about it. At the end of Part I, Lena says, “You’ve been
Milkman’s struggle in that cave reflects how he is feeling inside because like this struggle, Milkman is struggling with finding his identity as well from his family history. Similarly to this obstacle, Milkman is all alone with no one to protect him. After he
He is responsible for putting a gay rights ordinance into place that will protect gays and lesbians in the workplace. The ordinance would protect gays and lesbians from being fired from their jobs due to their sexuality. He was also openly against Proposition 6, an initiative that would forbid gay teachers in schools. He leads a campaign, and it is, thankfully, successful. The next year, Milk is, unfortunately, assassinated. Dan White, former city supervisor, is the assassin. His actions were motivated by jealousy and depression, rather than
Macon jr.’s father, Macon Dead sr., began milkman’s curiosity about his family’s history. Macon Dead sr., puts his personal fears on Macon jr., making it harder for him to find his personal identity. Macon Dead sr. became obsessed with money after his father, Jake, was shot and killed for his property. This devastating event from his childhood made him close-fisted, insensitive, and stingy. Macon Dead sr. becomes a money hungry machine, because he does not want to suffer the same fate as his father. Macon Dead sr. does not to tell
. I can’t help but feel out of place in this town, my every public move watched by people by the dozen. I feel like a complete foreigner in my own land, the townsfolk were bitter, cold and unwelcoming. It felt like there was something here, a spooky vibe radiating of every little thing. The town belonged in a book not a thing out of place, not a drunk to be scene, it was every preachers dream.
Milkman’s journey for an identity takes him down a road in which he becomes as callous as his father.
I disagree with Lauren Slater’s theory that throughout a person's life, one will only surround themselves with ideas and people similar to their own because, it is easy to see that people enjoy controversy and over the course of our lives, our beliefs and ideas can change.
Even before his life journey also started Milkman those who were supposed to love him unconditionally tried to end him. Milkman 's father was that person; Macon dead was jealous of both his wife 's father and his unborn son. "I know he never told you that he killed my father and that he tried to kill you." (Morrison 124). Milkman 's mother Ruth told him the truth about his father, the man he was supposed to look up to and cherish. When his mother told him that his father tried to make her abort him, he was told that his aunt Pilate was the reason why he was alive. "Pilate was the one who brought you here in the first place ... Pilate? ... Milkman was coming awake" (Morrison 124). The moment in which he found out that his aunt was the reason for his existence was an end to what he felt against his aunt and a beginning. Milkman was starting to become less narrow-minded, he was beginning to leave his child like ways of thinking and started to noticed things and acted in them. Finding out that his aunt saved him made him realize that Pilate was the catalyst in his life. That his aunt someone who his father despised so very much was someone who helps give Milkman a chance in life. As the door that leads to his existing relationship with his father closed another opened; the one that further enhanced the
Family has an affect on everyone, no matter how they feel towards them, or even if they don’t want them to. In Milkman’s case family helps him to finally realize who he is and help’s him find out how to be free as a bird, and learn to fly. While in Sharlimar Milkman discovers that one of his forefathers, Solomon, flew back to Africa and tried to take Jake, Milkman’s grandfather, with him, but dropped him. Solomon was a Slave and like milkman felt he couldn’t survive without his rightful freedom. In order to get this freedom he flies back to Africa, his homeland. Milkman is a lot like his forefather, Solomon, in the since that he was looking for freedom, and just wanted to go where he felt he belonged. Both men are willing to leave everyone behind, including the women who love them, to find this freedom. By them not being free, they are unable to find themselves, or their true place in the world. Although Milkman doesn’t realize it until the end, his family
Materialistic possession plays a pivotal role within Milkman’s family and life offering a means of escape from dispossession, despite its eventual development into greed. Early in the book, when Milkman believes that his father was the absolute power within his household, Macon Dead Sr. is telling his family about buying some vacation homes on the lake and selling them to colored folks during the summer. He questions, “Who’s going to live in them?” This questioning tone reveals his distrust of his father and his agreement of the belief that “There’s no colored people who can afford two houses.” (Morrison 33) Milkman sees his father trying to fill and fix his dispossession but doesn't agree with his methods. Here he must confront his father's
Although Milkman lived in the Twentieth-Century and is not physically a slave, he is repressed by his family. Milkman's parents love him; however, Morrison refers to their love as an "anaconda love" as they squeeze the life out of Milkman and leave little room for growth and maturity. Ruth Dead is so possessive of Milkman that she continues to breast-feed him long after he should have been weaned as "his legs [were] dangling almost to the floor" (Morrison 13). When Freddie caught them in the act, Milkman "had been rechristened
The spooky outdoor setting is made to prepare the reader for the appearance of a cozy indoors, whereas the landlady’s scary features on the inside are covered up by her warm but deceitful personality. She tricks unsuspecting young men with her generous and very motherly personality.
On their walk they would pass one house and one house only which was in the heart of the woods. It was a dark brown house with white curtains. The house was very old and looked to be falling apart. They assumed it was abandoned and thought nothing of it. But every time Derek walked passed he would get a minor headache not even recognizing