Who are these people?

Who Are These People?

Good Lord there are a whole lot of characters in this book! But anyway, as we go on to read we are introduced to five new characters all with their own unique personality that holds an important role in the story. 

"That'll teach you to draw on me, you apple-headed, horse- thieving, nigger-loving bastard" (McBride113) 

Reverend Martin was formally apart of John Brown's army, but it seems once Onion joined the mixed Reverend Martin began to show his true colors. He may not be 100% anti slavery after all. He is rude to Onion and shoots Fred to send a message to John Brown trying to tell him do not mess with me. I personally don't like Reverend Martin I think he's annoying, like come on! You go from being with John Brown SUPPORTING free states to seeing  a black 'girl' and instantly act as tho they are less than you. Ugh Martin Luther King Jr had dreams that people like you would not exist, sad to say you guys share a name. 

"This women had the kind of rhythm that you could hear a thousand miles down the Missouri. I wouldn't throw her outta bed for eating crackers. She was all class" (McBride 144)

Many say 'sweet like sugar' but I guess in this case it's 'sweet as pie'. Pie is a character that I think will hold a major role later on in the story. Pie is a prostitute, and she has no issue in speaking her mind. She stands up to Chase to ensure that she gets her money, and she has no issues in pointing out that Onion is one ugly girl, but does that make her a pretty guy? See I don't get that. Anyway Onion said Pie is the first colored women that he has seen in two years, so I think that seeing Pie and getting close to her she may become a love interest. 

"That women was so ugly she looked like a death threat" (147)

Miss. Abby, is a white female who tends to wear a whole lot of make up, unfortunately for her it doesn't make her any better looking. Miss. Abby is kind though, very feisty at times but kind. She takes care of the girls in the house and although is very vulgar by cussing Pie out on several occasions, she is kind of like a den mother.

"Don't stretch your mouth to nobody about this, especially Pie. If you do, I'll know about it, and you'll wake up with a heap of knives poking out of that pretty neck of yours. Mine's be the first" (Mc Bride 166)

Sibonia is all over the place. She kind of has character ADHD, like she's constantly changing her mood and going from one place to another and you don't know if you should like her or not! Onion on one hand doesn't like her at first and I am interested in seeing how the two characters interact coming later in the novel. 

"That fool was ugly enough to make you think the Lord put him together with His eyes closed, guessing" (McBride 169)

Darg, an ugly monster. Yeah, Onion isn't his biggest fan. He is a pervert and in his first interaction with Onion he is already trying to get some ass, or how they say in the olden days 'some sugar'. But basically he is just gross and perverted and ew I wouldn't want to mess with him so I hope Onion doesn't have to. 

Reading Log Questions #1

Jannah El Hassan

ENGW 1001

Prof. Young

February 4th, 2016

Reading Log Questions #1

Our first clue into discovering the importance and meaning of the Good Lord Bird comes about when the 'Old Man' AKA John Brown shares a feather with Henry. John Brown went into his pocket and took out a feather and placed in Henry's "curly napped hair, then paused a moment, reflecting, staring at the feather" (McBride 25). At that moment the reader knows that the Good Lord Bird must be something important, not only is it the title of the novel but John Brown proceeds to tell Henry, whom he believes is Henrietta, how special that feather is, although John Brown does not share what makes the feather so special but his son Fred does. 

During the time spent between Fred and Henry, Fred points out a bird saying "They call that a Good Lord Bird...It's so pretty that when a man sees it, he says, 'Good Lord'" (McBride 33). He proceeds to stare at the bird almost hypnotized by its beauty, but Henry still does not seem to understand what is so great about it, and as a reader neither do I. 

Fred then proceeds to explain to Henry the meaning of the Good Lord Bird is like an angel, and even a feather from the bird will “bring you understanding that’ll last your whole life” (McBride 33) at this moment I finally understood what the Good Lord Bird meant, or at least what it meant to Fred. The Good Lord Bird represents understanding, learning, and also eye opening. Yes, eye opening sounds odd but stay with me here. It relates to the novel in several ways, Henry in some aspects is John Brown’s Good Lord Bird, Henry is seen as a beautiful young girl although really being a boy shy, like a bird, and allows John Brown to understand how to take care of someone, to take in a black ex slave and take him in as his own. To give insight and understanding of slavery and how to abolish it. But it doesn't stop there, because the Good Lord Bird I feel will soon also become extremely important to Henry, as of now he finds it foolish gazing at a bird but I feel that soon that Good Lord Bird will soon represent a lot to him, and guide him through his journey with John Brown. 

First Henry is confused for a female, then he is kidnapped, and now he is left with a moldy onion with junk all over it and thinks he has to eat it. After eating it he discovers he was not even supposed to, so now he gains a stomach ache and a new nickname Little Onion. John Brown kept the onion with him for luck, along with his journey telling Henry “I had that thing for fourteen months…  I reckon the Lord must mean it to be a sign for me to lose it.” (McBride 24) describing that Henry eating the onion was a sign from God that he no longer needs any tokens or charms as sign of luck, and he then proceeds to give them to Henry, his Little Onion instead. 

From the beginning Henry felt odd about being Henrietta, a girl, but once John Brown hands him a dress and bonnet he feels it is the last straw until he does some rational thinking on whether or not to keep the lie going. He thinks to himself “my arse was on the line, and while it’s a small are, it do cover my backside and thus I am fond of it” (McBride 28) he feels he has to protect himself, fearful of what is to happen if he tells the truth and after mentioning that factor he then goes on saying “Plus, he was an outlaw, and I was his prisoner” (McBride 28) and therefore listens to the authority before him. Henry conforms to what he is told and continues the lie out of fear of what may happen that is his reasoning behind staying under the name Henrietta to protect himself of what could come. I feel that it is justifiable too, I mean if I was in his position and I was just kidnapped and surrounded by 3 white men I would just listen to what I am told, similar to how if someone were to be surrounded by 3 cops or around their boss they listen to what they are told because they are seen as higher authority. 

That is all, have a fab day byeeee

 

Everyone lies, so does that make it okay?

Jannah El Hassan
ENGW 1101
Prof. Young
February 1st, 2016

       Everyone Lies, So Does That Make It Okay?

Everyone lies, parents about Santa, kids underage about drinking, drivers about speeding, and boyfriends about cheating. So if everyone lies, does that make it okay? 

                                    

People look at lying as many different things; protection, unnecessary, rude and even a poor habit. When it comes to me I think lying is just an action taken before you get caught, because regardless of how well you lie you are bond to get caught at some point. Not to mention lying can just get boring especially those annoying compulsive liars that you can tell are lying but still try to tell you they're telling the truth while they're telling the lie and you just sit there not believing their shit but letting them talk anyway.

But anyway, to me I think lying should only be done in emergency situations for example if a creepy man comes to your door and you lie saying your mom is in the shower even though you're actually home alone because you fear he could kidnap or rob you. Or when your friends all want you to go out but you just want to stay in and watch Netflix so you say your parents won't let you go even though you didn't even ask them. And of course do not forget when you get pulled over by a cop for speeding and you start crying saying you had no idea even though you totally thought you just wouldn't get caught.

On a more serious note look at Henry’s situation and having to live a lie of being Henrietta in order to protect himself from John Brown. He had no idea John Brown was a real person let alone a real person standing right in front of him, not to mention his father was just killed the poor kid is in shock. After all of this happening, Henry is in the Tavern one second and the next John Brown “picked me up with one hand, stepped into the alley, and we was gone.” (McBride 21) not even being able to say goodbye to his father’s dead body. If I were to have gone through everything Henry is I would definitely lie too in order to protect myself and yes, once Henry hits puberty his secret is bound to come out, but at least he has some time to think about that before the time comes and figure out a game plan.

 

Lying is alright if it is needed, if it's an emergency situation and one feels they have no other way to go and Henry in the GLB is a great example of an emergency situation.