Son’s struggle to win Jadine over only leads him astray in his search for his identity. Ironically, the two fight more as they spend more time with each other. Jadine’s stereotypical white view of black men manifests itself when the two argue and after hearing Son speak she surprisingly repeats, “Lazy. Really lazy. I never thought I’d hear a black man admit it” (Morrison 170). Son and Jadine cannot truly love each other because the two come from different cultures and have different values. By calling Son lazy, Jadine makes her view of black men clear. She sees them in the same egregious way many whites do, but Son fails to realize such a view is too egregious for him to correct. As a result, he wastes his time trying to make her see the beauty
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Jadine leaves Son in New York and the narrator highlights their differences by asking, “Mama-spoiled black man, will you mature with me? Culture-bearing black woman, whose culture are you bearing?” (Morrison 269). Son wants to have a family with Jadine in Eloe, but such a life is boring to Jadine. She wants to do big things in Paris while Son is content with settling down in Eloe. Son is not a “Mama-spoiled black man” but a black man who loves his family. Jadine thinks he desires to stay in Eloe because he is immature and lazy. She does not understand what Son sees in Eloe and family life, as she bears white culture. In keeping in line with white values, Jadine urges Son to stop being complacent with his future. Son disagrees with her when he mockingly thinks of her complaining “He needed a job, a degree” (Morrison 262). Son, unlike Jadine, does not have a trajectory for his life. He is not focused on planning ahead and thinking of how he will have a stable income. Rather, he wants to discover who he really is. Jadine’s vision of having money and living in a big city like Paris distracts Son from finding his identity and their contrasting visions lead to strife. While Jadine’s suggestions are valid, they are not in Son’s best interests. Her many attempts to pressure him into school and stable work detract from his goal of discovering who he is through his …show more content…
Therese, a black woman who Son admires because she is a part of black culture, helps him deciding if he will continue looking for Jadine after frequently fighting or if he will let her go. She highlights the irreconcilable differences between Son and Jadine when she leaves Son at a foggy part of the island far away from where Jadine could be and counsels him to “Forget her.” There is nothing in her parts for you. She has forgotten her ancient properties” (Morrison 305). Therese, unlike Jadine, is in touch with black culture and has no misguided notions of white cultural superiority. While she gives advice to Son about what he should do, only he can decide. He is lost but still must pick one of the paths as he runs “looking neither to the left nor to the right” once he reaches land (Morrison 306). Son has to weigh many factors as he makes his decision, and he will either deepen his search for his ancestry or will chase after Jadine. She exposes him to foreign thoughts and ideas that often diverge from his own, so in reaching a decision he must choose his values. If he follows Jadine he is choosing to let go of his desire to discover his heritage. If he joins the horsemen he is affirming his allegiance to black culture and
Jadine leaves Son in New York and the narrator highlights their differences by asking, “Mama-spoiled black man, will you mature with me? Culture-bearing black woman, whose culture are you bearing?” (Morrison 269). Son wants to have a family with Jadine in Eloe, but such a life is boring to Jadine. She wants to do big things in Paris while Son is content with settling down in Eloe. Son is not a “Mama-spoiled black man” but a black man who loves his family. Jadine thinks he desires to stay in Eloe because he is immature and lazy. She does not understand what Son sees in Eloe and family life, as she bears white culture. In keeping in line with white values, Jadine urges Son to stop being complacent with his future. Son disagrees with her when he mockingly thinks of her complaining “He needed a job, a degree” (Morrison 262). Son, unlike Jadine, does not have a trajectory for his life. He is not focused on planning ahead and thinking of how he will have a stable income. Rather, he wants to discover who he really is. Jadine’s vision of having money and living in a big city like Paris distracts Son from finding his identity and their contrasting visions lead to strife. While Jadine’s suggestions are valid, they are not in Son’s best interests. Her many attempts to pressure him into school and stable work detract from his goal of discovering who he is through his …show more content…
Therese, a black woman who Son admires because she is a part of black culture, helps him deciding if he will continue looking for Jadine after frequently fighting or if he will let her go. She highlights the irreconcilable differences between Son and Jadine when she leaves Son at a foggy part of the island far away from where Jadine could be and counsels him to “Forget her.” There is nothing in her parts for you. She has forgotten her ancient properties” (Morrison 305). Therese, unlike Jadine, is in touch with black culture and has no misguided notions of white cultural superiority. While she gives advice to Son about what he should do, only he can decide. He is lost but still must pick one of the paths as he runs “looking neither to the left nor to the right” once he reaches land (Morrison 306). Son has to weigh many factors as he makes his decision, and he will either deepen his search for his ancestry or will chase after Jadine. She exposes him to foreign thoughts and ideas that often diverge from his own, so in reaching a decision he must choose his values. If he follows Jadine he is choosing to let go of his desire to discover his heritage. If he joins the horsemen he is affirming his allegiance to black culture and