page 93: When Milkman got to Pilate's he walked in on a domestic crisis.Reba's new man friend had asked her for a small loan and she had told him that she didn't have any money at all . . . Hagar screamed to Pilate, "Mama! He's hitting her! I saw him! With his fist, Mama!"[description of Pilate getting a knife deleted] It didn't occur to Milkman to stop Pilate -- her mouth was not moving and her earring flashed fire -- but he did follow her, as did Hagar, around to the back fo the house, where, approaching the man from the back, she whipped her right arm around his beck and positioned the knife at the edge of his heart. She waited until the man felt the knife point before she jabbed it skilfully, about a quarter of an inch through his shirt into the skin. Still holding his neck, so he couldn't see but he coiuld feel the blood making his shirt sticky, she talked to him.
Questions:1) How does Pilate's reaction to the man beating her daughter differ from Milkman's reaction to his father hitting his mother?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
15 comments:
Pilate feels that she has to protect her loved ones and she will do anything to do just that. Her actions show how far she will go to protect Hadgar and Reba. This differs from Milkman’s reaction when his father hit his mother because he was sick of all of the things his father had done like lying and being a complete jerk. When Macon hit his mother he had had it with him and wanted to make a point about things. He wasn’t going to take orders from him anymore. Pilate was protecting her daughter and not trying to make a point. Milkman may love his mother but he never shows it and I think deep down he doesn’t really care that much. He just wanted a reason to yell at his father. In my opinion, Pilates violence was justified and I know I would do anything to protect the people I love.
Pilate's reaction was completely out of protection. She saw that her daughter was being hurt by a man and knew she needed to step in and save the day. Pilate also took her time to think about what she was going to do. She planned her actions. Morrison uses the word "slowly" twice to describe the way Pilate gets the knife and heads to the backyard. Milkman, on the other hand, suddenly exploded. He had seen all he could see and decided it was time to do something about it. Morrison even tells us that "Milkman hadn't planned any of it." He let his emotions get the best of him in a very heated moment.
The difference between the two situations lies in the spontaneous actions of Milkman and the calculated actions of Pilate. Pilate, after hearing news of violence directed towards Reba, selects a knife and ventures onwards to protect her daughter. Pilate had no intention of ever letting this man touch Reba again, and knew that her actions would have to dissuade him permanently. Pilate acted out of the singular notion that her family must be protected, and was not hasty. Her actions were calm and smooth; each thought out as the situation proceeded, and all cumulated into the single and forceful reprimand that caused the terrified man ran away permanently, proving the effectiveness of Pilate’s approach to the situation.
This methodology lies in stark contrast to the explosive nature of Milkman’s attack on his father. Carrying little weight of calculation or preempt, Milkman’s rage was brought forth as an immediate reaction, one synonymous to the instinctual response of a wild animal to an aggressor. The blow shocked and humiliated his father, a reaction different from the terror created by Pilate’s assault on Reba’s abusive boyfriend. Macon felt no fear towards Milkman, only shame in himself and anger towards the situation and the violent actions of his son. Milkman had acted on impulse and produced very different results. This opened a door of respect from Macon that had previously been shut, one bearing such things as the knowledge of his father’s warped perspective on his mother. Pilate was also successful in removing all threat to Reba, while Milkman changed very little between his father and his mother. Milkman’s actions were as blunt as the trauma caused on Macon’s body, and thus produced different results.
Pilate reacted with a plan of safeguard, as if it had happened before. She did it to protect her daughter, one of the only things she had left. This passage stood out to me because I felt that it showed Pilate's inner character. She can be loving and kind while at the same time she can be dangerous and willing to risk her own life to protect one of her daughters. Milkman's reaction was different in the way that he acted out of frustration and impulse. He was tired of his father and was waiting for an opportunity to rise up and become a man. Unfortunately, Milkman learned about the history of his nick-name and felt ashamed rather than proud.
Pilate at the first sign of any harm towards her daughter, she took action. This is a look into Pilate as a character. This differed from Milkman's situation in one way. Milkman has been witnessing this kind of abuse between his father and mother and he finally got tired of it and said something. In Pilate's situation the first glimpse of harm done to her daughter she took action. She went as far as making sure it never happened again resulting in the death of Reba's new man friend.
Pilate's reaction was much more thought out and it's almost like she thought of the consequences before acting on the situation. In Milkman's case he was very spontaneous in his reaction towards his father. He hadn't planned anything and did not think of what might happen if he did explode towards his father. In the end nothing really changed for Milkman between him and his father. For Pilate she was defending Reba and made the man never come back again. Pilate even planned how she would stab him in the back but in Milkman's case his anger got the best of him and he blew up and let his emotions take over.
The differences of the reactions lie in the handling, purpose, and outcome of both defenders.
When Milkman hit Macon, it was sudden, in the midst of panic, and done so without the thought of consequences. Milkman was tired of Macon's attitude, how he ran the home, and the way he treated Ruth. To Milkman, Macon's bitterness was more of a reason to deck him than him hitting Ruth. Milkman's underlying reason to hit Macon was to establish dominance in his home. What he did didn't change much. Contrast to what one might think, Macon was even more ashamed in Milkman after the incident. He decided Milkman should know why he hit Ruth, yet that information was some that Milkman regrets inheriting for the rest of his life.
What Pilate did was skillfully managed with the sole purpose of protecting her daughter. Unlike Milkman's outcome, Pilate successfully rid her home and Reba's life of her abusive boyfriend. This scene shows just how far she will go to protect her loved ones.
Pride Snow
I think the key difference in Pilate and Milkman, is that Pilate had nothing to lose by knifing someone who is both unfamiliar and unimportant to her. It is far easier to be violent towards someone you’re not blood and flesh related to, and if you are not accustomed to it. Everyone so far has said that Milkman reacted impulsively, while Pilate thought her actions through. I think it’s the exact opposite. Milkman grew up witnessing his father’s brutality, and the desire to stop him slowly escalated over huge amounts of time. Not only did he feel protectiveness for his mom and a desire to do what’s right, but he also, whether he knows it or not, has an involuntary appreciation for the man that gave him life. It’s an ultimate paradox; his own flesh and blood versus the morals inside him. Not only that, but there is a natural difference in the way people of different genders handle things. Men tend to be more volcanic, erupting in anger and defiance out front and abruptly. They deal with things face to face, or fist to fist. Women, on the other hand, do not. In a womanly fashion, Pilate feels danger and instead of taking a few minutes to assess the situation, and see if what she’d heard was even true, she finds a weapon and sneaks up behind the predator. She does she not ask him to stop or try to beg and plead, but instead kills him with passion. Milkman would never have plunged a knife slowly and sweetly into someone who might have willingly walked away. Neither one of them cares for the one they’re defending, by doing what they did to “protect” them. Both Pilate and Milkman acted out of their own fear, helplessness, and need for moral self fulfillment. They needed that self worth, to feel as if they mattered, as if they had saved someone. All they did was save themselves a lapse in conscious.
Pilate’s actions were directed solely at protecting her daughter. She stayed calm, left to get her knife, and prepared to kill someone to keep her family safe. She stopped a potentially growing problem without really harming anyone. Milkman acted out of blind rage and fury—which was not only caused by his father striking his mother, but was also caused by a past full of malicious thoughts directed towards his father. He did not think. Violence does not compensate violence. There was clearly more behind hitting his father. This can symbolize the fall of an era along with the beginning of a new generation—the growing young man taking over the “man of the house” position.
At first glance they are both trying to do the same thing, which is to protect someone they love that is getting abused, but they both different motives behind their actions. Milkman's stand against his father is partly to protect his mom and also to stand up to his abusive father and even gain some control over him or at least let him know that he will not be pushed around anymore. Pilate had no motive what so ever on her mind. She heard that her daughter was being abused and wanted to do nothing but protect her and let him know that she won't let her daughter get bullied. This is where both of them differ. Pilate did it out of love and protection and Milkman did it to gain power and control in his household.
I agree with Meredith. Pilate took her time planning out what she was going to do to the man absusing her daughter while Milkman hit his father spontaneously out of the heat of the moment. Pilate shows that she cares more for Reba than Milkman does for his mother Ruth because the first time Pilate sees this kind of action she reacts to it immediately. Milkman on the other hand had seen his father verbally abuse his mother throughout his life and finally one day reacted to it.
Pilate was trying to protect Reba such as Milkman was trying to protect Ruth when Macon hit her. One difference is that Pilate truly loves Reba and was sticking up for her when she couldn't do anything for herself. Pilate also had a talk with the abuser and made sure that it nevr happened again. When Milkman hit Macon for hitting Ruth it was more because he was tired of seeing this happen, he hit him back out of instinct to protect her but he didn't threaten Macon as harshly to make sure that it didn't happen again as Pilate did to Reba's abuser. Pilate reacted in saving Reba as soon as it happened for the first time whereas Milkman had seen this go on for all of his life and reacted to it on one occasion.
The reactions of Pilate and Milkman are different because they have completely different motives. Pilate's reaction to Reba getting beaten up is a thought out way to protect her daughter from harm, while Milkman simply hits his dad to grasp a sense of power and control over his family. Pilate acted out of protection, not of passion or anger like Milkman's aggressive reaction. Pilate's action also made sure that the man would no longer hurt her daughter because she was smart and used mind games against the man. Milkman's action didn't change anything between his parents because he relied solely on his strength, size, and age.
I think these different reactions showcase the difference between the two characters. Even though Pilate isn't well kept or proper, her heart is in the right place. She is a better person with more integrity because she helped her daughter. Milkman, who is wealthy and handsome, acted out of spite. This shows that people can't always be judged on their appearance.
I think that the main difference between Pilate’s and Milkman’s actions was their motive. Pilate reacted out of instinct to protect her daughter and talked to the man, making sure he’d never come back to bother her daughter again. If Milkman was acting on a protective instinct, he would have defended his mother from his father’s beatings far before he did. When Lena is yelling at Milkman for being inconsiderate and irresponsible and ruining Corinthian’s relationship with Mr. Porter, she says “You think because you hit him once that we all believe you were protecting her. Taking her side. It’s a lie. You were taking over, letting us know you had the right to tell her and all of us what to do.” I think this perfectly reflects Milkman’s motives for hitting his father. I also think that he wanted to assert dominance over his father and let it be known that he was the king of the household.
Post a Comment