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