"Trial Day" for Mojo Conjure Stories

1. Summary:  The story starts out with Lettita trying to convince her Father to go to brother's trial. She must battle her step mother Bernadette as well as sacrafice her cat  in order to perform voodoo to persuade her father

2. Setting: South, late 1920’s

   POV: third person omincient

   Protagonist: Letitia Reeves

   Antagonist: Daddy

   Others: Brother, Bernadette, Mama

3. Conjure Woman: Mamma, Lettitia, Bernadette

4.Main Conflict: Person vs Person

5. Reason For Conflict: Lettitia is trying to convince Daddy to go to Brother’s trial.

6. Flashbacks: None

7. Plot Order: Shifting

8. Theme: Sacrafice

                         AA Motifs in “Trial Day”

Family, Home, Community Traditions: entire story

Conjure Woman: pg 107 talking about Mama, Bernadette, Lettitia

Intimidation, Terrorism, or Acts of Violence:

·      pg 111 Daddy being intimidated by White people

·      pg 112 Daddy talks about the Klan

Mojo Conjure Stories

Mojo Conjure Stories by Nalo Hopkinson contains a collection of stories stemming from African folk tales. The book gives clear insight into elements African culture such as conjure women, voodoo rituals, and racism. I personally have enjoyed the book immensely because of the intriguing stories that keep the reader yearning for more. Particularly I have enjoyed the voodoo and magic element of each story that make readers believe in magic. While reading I felt as if I have been transported into a different time period experiencing and understanding what it meant to be African in the 1900’s. 

Growing up: Values in Conflict

Frankie Lennon’s memoir The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life tells the story of her childhood who has shaped her present. “Breaking the Rules” is no different. In this essay we learn about author’s efforts to discover her individuality while involving herself in the cultural “beatnik” phenomenon that took place in the South in the early 1960’s. In the essay the narrator is caught between her values to be different and not conform to the values of what is expected and deviate. During the era the narrator had role models such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcom X that symbolize positive change because of their daring actions to gain equal rights. Tradition was for African Americans to never speak or act out, but to adhere to all laws placed by white superiors. Lennon being a young African American female in South, she felt empowered to make change herself by being liberated by her role models.

            In the essay the school system distinctly valued tradition, in this essay this was school attire. Contrary to what is acceptable now, clothing was much more modest and not adhering to these customs was unacceptable. This can be seen by the principal threating to expel the girls for their clothing. Contrary to Nikki and the narrator’s who value individuality and freedom of expression. Likewise the White society valued African Americans to subject themselves to all white ideals. By dressing as beatniks this attracted negative attention to themselves as well as African American youth. However Nikki and the narrator were proud of their rebellious and non-conformist attitude. 

Values in Conflict

In the essay titled Adversaries, Lennon tells a story of the on going conflicts between the narrator and her Aunt. She tells multiple stories of reoccurring confrontations leading up to the Narrator's efforts to fight back. One can infer that the protagonist, or narrator can values healthy relationships, and respect for all individuals. The antagonist values children respecting elders, and the authority. In this essay the underlining African American motifs are survival skills and family, home traditions. The narrator must learn how to survive in her Aunt's home, while still trying to maintain some level of respect for her elder. 

            The Code goes behind the systems of values and rules of the African American community. All the characters in the essay value women’s efforts to become a homemaker. We can see this by the constant competition between the narrator’s sisters and their efforts to outshine one another. In the essay we see the African American motif of family, home and tradition. This motif can also be seen as the largest motif in her memoir as Lennon tells the story of Black folks in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Rosewood paper

Society today is filled with discrimination, racial stereotypes, and segregation. These social issues can be seen all throughout the U.S. history since the beginning of our nation. In the film Rosewood we view the extreme case of racism in Rosewood, Florida during the 1920’s as the White town of Sumner searches for an alleged rapist amongst the black community. This leads to a massacre of half the population in Rosewood in their efforts to intimidate the Blacks. The literary motif of terrorism and Intimidation can be seen as a social norm during this era. However, Emmett Purdy is a young boy who exposed to terrorism through the actions of his father as well as other elder white men in his town, but chooses to follow his own beliefs rather than the social norm.

            The film takes place in Rosewood, Florida, which is in the Southern most part of the United States. This area is commonly known as the center of racist ideals. The confederate states still carried the views of inequality that were taught from their ancestors who lived during a time when slavery was legal. Their views were carried out through actions of intimidation such as lynching. Along with the belief that African Americans were inferior to whites, the Jim Crow Laws also encouraged the social mistreatment of African Americans in their efforts to gain equality. Each particular state had separate laws that encouraged violence such as “never assert a white person is lying” which becomes the basis for the film’s plot. These laws condoned the idea that African Americans inferiority Caucasian race.

            Emmett Purdy is the son of Duke Purdy, a white supremacist in the town of Sumner, Florida. Duke Purdy performed many acts of violence in the film such as, hanging, burning, and the killing innocent Black women, children, and men. Emmett was raised to learn and act upon the belief of racial hate crime including the many gruesome tactics he was subjected to. In the film we see Duke Purdy teach his son the steps of how to intimidate Blacks and other techniques such as how tie a noose, or knot specifically used for hanging. Although Emmett was raised to be a clone of his father and his beliefs Emmett had different view of the world and others.

            The massacre of Rosewood seems to disturb Emmett. He showed little interest in learning the techniques taught to him by his elders. In the last scene of the movie we see Emmett leave his father’s home to no longer be associated with the Purdy family. Emmett had the knowledge of the advantages he was born into, being a white male in the South, but chose an alternative path. In one of last scenes in the movie Emmett tells his father “ You ain’t no man” which displayed the lack of respect he has for his father’s recreational activity of intimidating African Americans. Emmett Purdy’s reaction to the intimidation and terrorism of Blacks is unlike any other character’s in the film.

            Emmett Purdy’s is expected to follow in the social stigma of a young white male during this time. However his courage to recognize that racism morally wrong brings hope to future generations. Emmett can represent the forward movement of equality amongst all individuals.

Mee Street Chronicles

Frankie Lennon’s collection of essays are placed together in her memoir that describes her experiences and childhood memories. In The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life the first essay is titled “Memory” which starts with the quotation “ The root of oppression is the loss of memory.” Oppression is defined as the unjust or cruel use or authority of power. Living in the South during the 1950’s the word oppression has a different meaning to a black female like Lennon. Oppression to a black female during the Eisenhower age means being forced to not repeat or speak about the common mistreatment of African American. Sharing stories, encounters, etc. was simply unacceptable due to the White intimidation on the Black race with the help of Jim Crow laws. The quote in the essay clearly states that the loss of memory or inability to share memories have forced oppression to continue for many years. “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” can distinctly express why racism and oppression occurred for many years.  However Frankie Lennon’s memoir pushes the boundaries while she gives her personal encounters and uncovers the disturbing truth behind oppression of African Americans. 

Avery

In The Piano Lesson by August Wilson the author gives us an in detail description of life of a working class African American from the South during the 1930s. A sub character in the play is Avery, an African American man in his late thirties who is in the midst of pursuing his yearn to become a Preacher. Avery’s character is touched by a higher power and gives us insight of his journey to spread the word of God.

Avery’s character was previously a cotton picker in the rural South, but migrated North to Pennsylvania for opportunities awaiting him. Avery has much integrity as to who he is and where he is going. Avery’s greatest strength is motivation to strive for success. Working as an elevator operator in Pittsburg, he is very determined to open his own church. Throughout the first act there is an underlining motif of finding the key or quest to freedom.

A motif is a reoccurring theme or idea present throughout a section of work. The quest for freedom motif is a character’s strive to over come the oppression against African Americans during the 1930s. The quest to freedom motif can be seen as the largest motif in the novel due to the fact that nearly every character is searching for their personal pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Avery’s however has a constant urge to pursue greater goals.

Through his monologue, Avery tells us his reasoning behind his efforts to be a preacher. A monologue is a prolonged talk or speech by a single speaker in a conversation. In Avery’s monologue he tells Boy Willie, Lymon, and Doaker previous acquaintances of his, a dream that altered his life plan. In his dream three hobos approached Avery and asked him to carry a candle and follow them. The three hobos led him to a lady, who led him to a room filled with people with “sheep heads” rather than human heads. Avery was asked by God to lead these people across the valley filled with wolves. Upon this walk Avery was followed by Jesus himself as both his protector and friend.

In the dream, the three hobos are a reference to the three wise men that were present at the time of Jesus birth. The woman that leads Avery to the sheep can be thought of as a reference to Mother Mary. Lastly the sheep in his dream can be thought of as those the common people who Avery is asked to aid.  Avery views his dream as an epiphany of God calling him to preach and be a servant of the Lord. However during the 1930 one can predict that Avery may come across many struggles his efforts; due to the oppression and sub standard pay of African Americans.

Avery’s monologue portrays to readers the strength of religion and God in his life. The power and strength behind his faith has led him to continue to find the key to success as well as share it with others. By answering God and by showing the “sheep people” the way, Avery’s willingness can also be viewed as him representing the working class to pursue goals out of their social and racial norm.