In the last chapter of Winter, or I believe to be the last chapter as The Bluest Eye does not divide this book into chapters, but instead divides it out into sections and different headings. But the last chapter involves the telling of a story of Junior and an attack on Pecola, who becomes the representation of his anger and frustration he has towards his mother and his mother cat. Also interesting in this chapter is Junior’s mothers attitude towards other black Americans, and keep Junior Isolated from other black children to keep him from falling into a crowd that she does not want him to associate with. Her perception is that her family is of a better class and quality than the “others” when society as a larger whole would have made no distinction between the two groups to begin with. In addition to this isolating that his mother creates for him, he is also neglected in the that his mother shows little or no affection towards him, and only provides him with physical comforts and no emotional attachment or support, and instead defers to shower the families cat with her affection instead. This isolating environment and the detached treatment of his mother lead to the climax at the end with him killing the cat, the object of his mother's affection, and the blaming of its death on Pecola, a convenient scapegoat.
Do you think he invited Pecola in with the intention of killing the cat and blaming it on her?
Was this act by Junior an attempt to exercise frustration towards his mother and directing it towards a class of people he felt to be lower then him?
Is there any symbolism in the cat and its relation towards the mother? If so why? Use examples from the book to justify your reasons.
I feel like he did. Bringing a second party is like an attempt in validating your actions by blaming it Pecola means the validation is exclusive to pecola an accepted secret
ReplyDeleteI agree with Grace, I think that Junior brought in Pecola in order to blame her for the cat's death. His mother has more authority over him so, in his frustration, he reasserts his authority by abusing someone that he felt was lower than him; Pecola. This killing of the cat also opens an opportunity for Junior. Now that the blame falls on Pecola, he can take the mother's side in hating the girl, and perhaps gain some affection from her. All of Junior's actions seem to be a cry for attention, desperately searching for the affection that his mother has neglected to give him.
ReplyDeleteGod the cat scene was so vivid. Not only does it show the sort of self hatred and struggle Black Americans found within their own communities, but Pecola and her inner struggle as well. The black cat closed it's beautiful blue eyes.. I'm not sure if junior intentionally killed the cat, but it already foreshadowed how violent he tends to be with other children. Future serial killer?
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with everyone's post so far. Junior intentionally brought Pecola along so that he could use her as a catalyst for his hatred toward the cat. By using someone like Pecola, who his mother looks down on (as a way of separating races even further via class) and uses this opportunity as a means of gaining attention from his mother. This is something he has not received due to her nature, and I would not doubt that he will continue to do such things if it meant gaining his mother's "affection".
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing is pretty messed up.
I agree i take this whole scenario as an oppressed party taking out it's frustrations of being oppressed by oppressing other people. She acts as his scapegoat for the cat killing, which i feel represents an act for attention (?) to further displease it's mother.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he planned on killing the cat per say from the beginning but he definitely knew he wanted to attack Pecola. Three birds with one stone. Hurt Pecola, hurt the cat, hurt the mom. The perfect plan.
ReplyDeleteAlso what a lovely home environment. No wonder Junior's so nasty.
Yes he already understood that she was being outcast. He saw her parents and heard them too but he ignored it. When he blames her for his violence, he's learning the same pattern from his father blaming her and using her as well.
ReplyDelete-Sebastian
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I don't think he brought Pecola in just to kill the cat. If anything I think he brought her in to play, well his form of play. This ment he would treat her like an object or some type of plaything instead of treating her like a person. He also did things in which he didn't get his way he would lash out at the nearest person. On page 88, it stated," When the mood struck him, he would call a child passing by to come play on the swings or seesaw and if they couldn't or had to leave to early he threw gravel at them". Basically all what he did to Pecalo, invited her over, she said no, he enticed her interest with kittens. He the (played) threw a cat in her face and when she wanted to leave, and he wasn't ready for her too he lashed out blocking her way from leaving then attacked the cat when he heard his victim calming down.
The sad makings of a future killer that likes to see things suffer.😒