GLBT Motifs in The Mee Street Chronicles

GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgender) is a smaller acronym of a bigger concern faced in modern society as well as the years in which The Mee Street Chronicles; Straight up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life was taken place. This memoir describes the battle of Frankie to claim her sexual identity while she also encounters other issues such as racism and alcoholism.  The experiences that are expressed in this memoir written by Frankie Lennon depict certain motifs that the narrator is going through.  Motifs are defined by Encarta Dictionary as “recurring themes or ideas in a work of literature”, which is defined by my own self as a theme shown throughout a selection. Three GLBT motifs that I found attention-grabbing were the Fear of Sexual Identity being Discovered, Camouflaging, and Affirming Sexual Identity. In the memoir The Mee Street Chronicles, The Party and Fever are two selections that expressed these GLBT Motifs.

During her adolescent age, in the selection The Party, the narrator refuses to accompany a boy to a party where her friends planned for them to meet. Since she despises the idea of them meeting, she fears that her friends will know she is not attracted to boys but rather the same sex. Trying to not be rejected or pushed away by her friends, the narrator faces conflict with her sexual orientation and has the Fear of her Sexual Identity being Discovered which is one of the motifs established. This motif is shown when the author writes, “Something weird was going on with me…It was different than what was happening with other girls” (68). She lives in fear that her sexual identity will be discovered once her friends find out the truth.  As the party continues, Bobby, the boy that didn’t know why Frankie would not show interest, tells Frankie, “Maybe you don’t know it, Frankie, but you be acting like you don’t like no boys. I think you one of them- them Bull daggers!” A bulldagger was a reference to being homosexual and for Frankie; she did not want that truth to be out and her sexual identity being discovered.

From that fear of being discovered I came across a second motif. The second motif I noted was Camouflaging which deals with Frankie trying to blend into the crowd. The motif is established in the story when the author begins to tell the audience of her sexual thoughts and feelings. Throughout her high school years and up until college she tried to keep one image of herself by dating guys that she had no particular interest in to retain that image of being just like everyone else was; Heterosexual. In a short passage, the narrator’s voices tell her, “Put on the mask, girl”(111), expressing her actions to cover herself and hide from everyone and make a fake appearance for others to believe that she was straight.

            Lastly, the third motif that I found was negating sexual identity. Different from the other two and how they relate to Frankie alone, I found this one to relate to Stacey, her lover, in the selection Fever. Frankie felt that Stacey negated her sexual identity to try and blend in and the narrator tells herself,

 “Never mind the voice pointing out that Stacy couldn’t even say the word Lesbian, couldn’t fix her mouth to dignify us with the proper name but was always using the other lowdown words like dyke, butch, bulldagger, to draw some kind of fine line, put up some kind of imaginary, protective wall. Never mind that Stacey had never really said she loved me, and had always cut me off from saying it to her. Never mind any of that. Because I had to believe we had a future-had to believe that it wasn’t crazy to think two Lesbians could have a future together.”

With these words, the narrator comes to terms that Stacey does not want others to know about both of their sexual identities. Frankie feels like she has to make excuses to cover for Stacey so others won’t find out the truth.

            The narrator overcomes struggles in her life as she deals with her same-sex attraction. During her life, she passes through certain phases which is the Fear of Sexual Identity being discovered, Camouflaging  to fit into the social norm, and dealing with Stacey her lover which was Negating her Sexual Identity. I cannot relate to the narrator since I am not a women with the same sex attraction, but I do understand her struggles and difficulties in accepting herself. The narrator creates a message that is that one should accept themselves regardless of others disappointment or rejection.

           

Analysis of Skirmishes in the Mee Street Chronicles; Straight up Stories of a Black Womans Life

            By the definition of Webster’s Dictionary, Skirmishes is defined as a minor dispute or verbal conflict between opposing parties. In the memoir, The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life, the author Frankie Lennon writes about her personal struggle with alcohol in the selection, Skirmishes. The title of this selection is relevant since Frankie is the protagonist and the monkeys that constantly bombard her with comments are in fact her own thoughts that she has tried to escape from, is the opposing party. This selection is set in the 1980’s in the narrator’s Alcohol Anonymous meetings in South Central, Los Angeles.

            The emotional tone is ominous throughout the selection until the end where there is a tone shift in which Frankie has come to realize she will not lose this battle of alcohol addiction and stands and says, “I’m Frankie and I’m an alcoholic.”(pg. 199)  As I read through this short but powerful selection, I came to terms with the tone. Frankie walks into her Alcohol Anonymous meetings with unease, not sure of when she will show her true colors to the people in that room. The narrator also deals with the voices in her head who she calls the “The Twelve Monkeys” (pg. 192) who constantly trouble and influence her on taking another drink which was always her temptation.  Frankie understood her condition when she stated, “the chase was becoming a grind… it was something that was more work than fun.” (pg. 187) It became a lifestyle to her and a way of life which she no longer agreed with. According to the Six Stages of Integration, Frankie appears to be in the second stage which is “coming out to self”. In this stage she is realizing herself and coming to terms with what she wants in life. The feel of the story is very secluded yet hopeful, meaning Frankie wants to keep within herself but also open up to people by fixing her addiction problem and letting people know who she really is.

            One of the many descriptive passages that the author writes in her memoir is her temptation to drink again in her dream. She writes, “I watched myself putting the glass of mother scotch to my lips, smelling its fumes, struggling not to, but finally surrendering…”. As one of the most detailed sentences in my opinion, she writes of how she is driven by temptation to relapse. The narrator refers to the liquor as mother scotch which represents her willingness to offer herself to this so-called mother. She found the scotch to be a soother of her other problem which is dealing with her same sex attraction. Also, she describes the podium to be “edged with small, white Christmas lights that blinked on and off”. The descriptive details provide a visual of the setting since we see the podium and its lights which can symbolize the road she must take to get to that final outcome which flashes right in front of her.

The narrator’s main struggle is realizing and accepting her condition. She does admit to herself when she says she felt like every single person in the A.A room was struggling to stay sober, and so was she. As she decided to give into the monkeys, which are her conscience, and walk out from the meetings and what would be her new sobered up lifestyle, she hears the voice of Sam who asks of her to stay. His exact words were, written by the narrator, “Don’t leave five minutes before the miracle.” This brought Frankie to a halt; a stop in her life, her actions and her lifestyle which would soon enough change for the better. The struggles that Frankie goes through in the selection Skirmishes makes tension in the story by making the climax appear. The words that come out from Sam were true and good enough to convince Frankie of sitting back down and they were true because as she learned, they came from the heart. From reading this memoir of Frankie Lennon, it made me want to know more and continue reading the book without putting it down. The type of information that the narrator writes is very descriptive and can be visualized which helps the reader understand and become more engaged in her memoir.

            Even though Frankie is dealing with an alcohol addiction it can also be seen as an illness. For me, I have always dealt with being overweight. I have struggled with it all my life and it is not something you can ever come to terms with until you try and help yourself. What I have learned is that you have to be willing to accept others help.  I could make a connection with Frankie in the sense that I know how it feels to be put down for having a problem. My issue might not seem so similar yet the energy and the feedback is the same. The negative views of others such as pity, shame, avoidance, anger, rejection are all impacting in the same way. Once you have gotten to fixing your addiction or finding ways to help your problem, you feel better about yourself knowing you’re trying to make that difference.

            The entire memoir of Frankie Lennon is a powerful book that I have found to be inspiring. Skirmishes, in particular, was an interesting selection since it dealt entirely with her addiction to alcohol and her means of fixing her problem. The title of choice fits perfectly within the story since Frankie deals with the inner voices, known to her as the monkeys, and tries to win the battle. Just like in a battle, someone loses and someone goes home victorious. In the case of Frankie Lennon in her book, The Mee Street Chronicles; Straight up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life, Frankie has come out a winner by getting off her seat and introducing herself as who she really is.

The Gilda Stories Chapter 6 Review

When and where are we in this Chapter?

Down by the Riverside; 1981; New Jersey; October

How does this Chapter open?

The Chapter opens with Gilda at a party. The party is hosted by a a mortal friend named Ayeesha.

She (Gilda) believes that during this party a friend of Ayeesha, Effie, is flirting with her.

Gilda is at the piano singing for everyone at the party.

 What does Gilda2 do for a living?

We learn that Gilda is singing and writing songs and performing in different clubs and events.

 New Character: Effie;  Interested in Gilda. Lived in New Hampshire in a cabin. Wrote for a magazine. Has no relatives in the East Coast. Youngest girl in the group of friends. (pg.202)

 New Character:  Ayeesha; librarian in Schomburg Center in Harlem. Has dreadlocks and wears colorful bracelets. She is very social.

New Character:  Karen & Chris; a couple that Ayeesha brings to Gilda’s performance. She describes Karen as “sleek” and Chris with a “softened face and curls”.  (Pg. 200)

 New Character: Cynthia is described as “tiny and brown” and a “Nigerian work of Art”.

 New Character: Lavern; tall with long legs. Timid person.

 Old Character: Samuel; we learn that he has been following Gilda. He wants to get revenge since she is part of the reason that Eleanor isn’t alive; she was a “turning point in her existence.”(208) He is the one that makes Gilda’s mind go blank when she almost kills the man she draws blood from.

 Old Character:  Sorel: dealing/coping with the death of Eleanor. Samuel also wants Sorel to be “punished” with the “true death”. (209)

  Gilda’s Situation:

 Incident in the car: Gilda draws blood from a man in an empty street. She gets distracted and cannot get her thoughts together to make the exchange. She panics and helps cover the wound to stop the bleeding. She feels like a thief that she wasn’t able to give back anything.

 Dealing with Samuel: He is out to get her and she is being followed by him constantly. He wants her to suffer.

 Effie’s interest in her: Effie shows up to Gilda’s home and lets her know what she feels for her. Gilda learns that Effie is also a vampire older than she is. They get intimate and Effie asks of her to protect herself from Samuel by moving with her to her home in New Hampshire.

 From the “Family of Vampires” we learn that they are very protective of each other. Anthony worries for Sorel who worries for Gilda which shows how they all are very thoughtful. The family of vampires are very connected and as Effie says, “ information travels very quickly among us.”(215)

 The Chapter ends with Effie and Gilda discussing Gilda’s move to New Hampshire. There, Effie has a safe place where no one can find them unless invited. Effie offers Gilda to stay with her to protect herself from Samuel. She ends the Chapter by saying, “For the first time, the years ahead seemed rightfully hers.”

Analysis of Anthony and Eleanor in The Gilda Storie by Jewell Gomez

         The Gilda Stories is a novel written by Jewell Gomez that tells her audience about a young African American slave who goes on the ride of her life right after an incident where she would have been raped, but is rescued by a woman named Gilda. She becomes adopted into a brothel which is run by Gilda who she soon takes up as her identity. The new Gilda is taken on an adventure with her new family of vampires through Louisiana, California, Missouri, New York, and New Hampshire.
      Two important characters in Gilda's life are Anthony and Eleanor whom are both Vampires. Both characters offer different viewpoints on people and do not have similar values. Anthony is a very humble person who loves to offer himself to others; meaning he likes to comfort others and make sure they are doing okay. He is a helpful person since the beginning when Gilda became a Vampire by helping her learn the basics of being one. He is a very genuine person and doesn't like to be associated with the stereotypical horrid vampire. He teaches us that we should see the good in people and that way we can move forward and live how life may come. He defines mistakes or problems in life as life lessons which is what I think is the right term. Anthony, unlike Eleanor, believes that everyone can be family. 
      Eleanor is a woman I have a hard time understanding. From the novel, we see that she is a very selfish person. She only believes in the pleasure of herself and not giving back. She views others as nothing and with no comparison to herself. Eleanor tries to date Gilda in the middle of the novel and asks of her to where certain clothes only for her. Her requests make her seem as a demanding person,which is completely different from Anthony. 
       Anthony is a selfless person, always caring for others before himself, and Eleanor a selfish person who believes the world revolves around her. They both offer different perspectives on people which I have understood and applied to my personal life. I agree with Anthony in the sense that I try to please others and have them content before my own needs. At times, that may not be the right way of doing things and a hint of Eleanor's ways may come in by treating myself to a day all about me. I try to be the best I can be with others and not give the wrong impression that everything is revolved around my life and my wants which is why I tend to side with Anthony. The book overall has life lessons that people can apply to their lives to see if they are living the way they wish to. I recommend reading this novel to gain insight on issues in society and by reading between the lines we understand Gilda's messages about society. 

Just As I Am Motifs Expressed in Part Three of Novel

·         Fear of Sexual Identity Being Discovered

  Page 251; Paragraph 2: “I realized that I must…”

o    Raymond realizes that he has to come to terms with his homosexuality and fears that he is setting a bad example for his brother, Kirby.

·         Oppressed by Social Stigma

Page 258; Bottom of Page: “I was also checking my own…”

o   From the media and social norms, Raymond’s viewpoint of lesbians was the diesel truck driver’s type. He learns this stereotype from what he was taught and what he absorbed from society.

·         Hiding/Secretiveness about Love/Sex Relationships or Encounters

  Page 262; Bottom of Page: “The night before with Basil had…”

o   The hiding being done is by Basil. He is soon to marry Dyanna and he still wants to continue messing around with Raymond. Raymond is now growing as a character and wants to be true to himself and have a relationship or nothing at all.

·         Affirming Sexual Identity

 Page 273; Middle of Page: “Raymond pursed his lips…”

o   Raymond affirms his sexual identity to Nicole. He explains to her how he acts on the signal that he gets from men and he can’t control himself.

·         Loneliness/Sense of Isolation

 Page 287; Bottom half of page: “My phone rang but I didn’t answer it…”

o   Raymond begins to isolate himself from everyone after Kyles death. He makes all of Kyle’s last wishes his priority and while doing that he keeps himself distant from everyone.

Two interesting facts learned from Just I Am; A novel by E. Lynn Harris

    The novel of E. Lynn Harris, Just As I Am, is about Raymond who is a young black lawyer who is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. Also Nicole who wants to be a singer and actress, goes through a roller coaster of emotions in finding love. Kyle, a friend of both Raymond and Nicole, is the friend who brings them together in a time of crisis to help them face the reality of life. By showing the pains they go through in the novel, Harris shows the audience how precious life and love can be. 
     From reading this novel, two interesting facts that I learned was the epidemic of AIDS during the time that the book took place. I didn't understand why AIDS would be so common in this time period and from the novel I understood that AIDS was occuring in homosexual couples. Homosexuality was a topic that was not to be discussed since it was not seen as the social norm. Also from this novel, I learned that Gay men were the FIRST that were diagnosed with AIDS. Learning about this type of disease helped me gain a better understanding of the time period that E. Lynn Harris was describing. 
    My second thought was the effects coming from colorism.As I researched the definition from Dictionary.com, I learned that "Colorism disadvantages dark-skinned people while privileging those with lighter skin." In this novel, Nicole is not a light skinned African American and that separates her from all the other lighter women that have an advantage over her in auditions. Colorism affected the thoughts of black women between each other since they were separated not physically but mentally. The effects of Colorism were very high and it still effects the women of today. 

-Cassandra Reyes

Analysis of novel,The Mee St. Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman's Life

 Written by an amazing woman who underwent many struggles in her life to become who she is now, Frankie Lennon writes of her experiences as a child in her book  The Mee St. Chronicles; Straight up Stories of a Black Woman's Life. Published in 2007, Lennon travels back to the 1950's to tell about her childhood stories on Mee St. The narrator has many interesting traits such as her spunk, confidence, and her optimism. Although she has nearly no flaws, one of her week spots is that she has moments where she has low self-esteem. In the chapter Plaits, she describes how all the children, even her so called friends, laughed at her hair-do and she felt very embarrassed. Relating to her as a whole, she is much stronger than that for her hair to be a minor issue. Since she was young, I can understand that she felt this way since she is still naive. She has many strengths that she has carried out until now,which I see her as one of her student's, and it is that she carries herself like a lady. Lennon is very intellectual and has went through so much. Identifying her interest for the same sex was a hard time and yet that has made her a stronger person.  So far, the novel gives me a better understanding of who Frankie Lennon is and where she has come from.