"The Rock pile" shares several parallels with Go Tell It on the Mountain, but it also deviates from the novel in its portrayal of the character of Elizabeth. The story recounts in concentrated detail the incident of Roy's fight and injury which, in the novel, takes place on the Saturday of John's birthday. Baldwin apparently found the story form too constricting in what it allowed him to accomplish in the development of Gabriel's character as well as Elizabeth's. They both have features similar to those they have in the novel, but the background information on how they came to be as they are cannot be handled very effectively within the story. For example, Gabriel is presented as an angry man
Monday, March 12, 2018
Rock-Pile Reflection
The Rock pile is a pile of rocks occupying the empty space between two houses. The two boys, John and Roy, are forbidden by their mother, to play in the rock pile. More specifically, it is Roy who is directly forbidden because the mother knows that John would probably not take the risk anyway. Therefore, each Saturday morning, the boys sit on the fire escape of their home and longingly watch other boys playing on the rock pile. Their mother, Elizabeth, usually sat in the room behind them and sewed or helped their younger sister Delilah, or took care of the baby boy Paul.
"The Rock pile" shares several parallels with Go Tell It on the Mountain, but it also deviates from the novel in its portrayal of the character of Elizabeth. The story recounts in concentrated detail the incident of Roy's fight and injury which, in the novel, takes place on the Saturday of John's birthday. Baldwin apparently found the story form too constricting in what it allowed him to accomplish in the development of Gabriel's character as well as Elizabeth's. They both have features similar to those they have in the novel, but the background information on how they came to be as they are cannot be handled very effectively within the story. For example, Gabriel is presented as an angry man
"The Rock pile" shares several parallels with Go Tell It on the Mountain, but it also deviates from the novel in its portrayal of the character of Elizabeth. The story recounts in concentrated detail the incident of Roy's fight and injury which, in the novel, takes place on the Saturday of John's birthday. Baldwin apparently found the story form too constricting in what it allowed him to accomplish in the development of Gabriel's character as well as Elizabeth's. They both have features similar to those they have in the novel, but the background information on how they came to be as they are cannot be handled very effectively within the story. For example, Gabriel is presented as an angry man
A Worn Path Reflection
The main character of the story is Phoenix Jackson, an old and poor woman who tracks through many different settings on her way to town. Phoenix undergoes many different character changes as the story progresses. The changes in Phoenix Jackson are visible as she walks through the pine trees, crosses the stream, and while sitting at the doctor's office.She shows her determination as she struggles along the trail. She walks side to side in a manner that would suggest quickness in her step, maybe a little quicker than she would normally be maintaining. She needs to return home before the sun goes down with the medicine for her little grandson. Phoenix knows the trail very well and walks with confidence, not even looking at where her feet are landing. Along the way she stops to warn the foxes and other small animals to stay out of her way saying, "Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons, and wild animals! Keep out from under these feet, little bob-whites .Keep the big wild hogs out of my path. Don't let none of those come running my direction. The tone Phoenix uses suggests that she means business and must finish what she set out to do. .
As Phoenix approaches the creek, and it becomes obvious that her character changes to that of a child. She takes a large first step raising her knee high, walking onto the log resembling a child marching, while holding the small cane straight out, as if to point the direction as other children follow her. This image of Phoenix is one a person would most likely associate with children. As she crosses the creek, she sits down to rest and finds herself hallucinating.
As Phoenix approaches the creek, and it becomes obvious that her character changes to that of a child. She takes a large first step raising her knee high, walking onto the log resembling a child marching, while holding the small cane straight out, as if to point the direction as other children follow her. This image of Phoenix is one a person would most likely associate with children. As she crosses the creek, she sits down to rest and finds herself hallucinating.
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