After reading this book for my Diverse Voices in English Studies class, I knew that I wanted to do an analysis of this novel. It has so many characters and themes to think about.
The three themes that I want to address are: neglected mental illness in black women and mothers, generational trauma, and connections to nature.
Starting off with neglected mental illness in black women and mothers, our two main examples of this at the beginning of the novel are Lucy and Francine. They are on opposite sides of the spectrum, and the illnesses are handled in different ways. It is clear from right after the birth that Lucy has Postpartum Depression. It is described after the birth with the way that she constantly lies in bed, does not want to take care of or be around the baby, and her reaction at the party to the baby crying that this is the issue that she has. This issue is only made worse when Minnie Mae and Tookie forced her to breastfeed the baby when they had other means of feeding her. Lucy is just known to be ill, and there is not a lot done to help her. Joe is the only one that makes an active effort to make Lucy feel better.
On the other side of things, Francine is alone with no family around her. Since she had moved from the city, she was already an outsider in the community. After her husband passed away, and the traumatic conception of Mona, she has a very insecure and close attachment to her child. She is violently protective of Mona, to the point where she slaps Aberdeen, who has come to check on her.
These different illnesses and behaviors as mothers effect Mona and Yolanda in different ways. It results in Mona being hyper-independent and sexualized because Francine does not leave the house, and Mona has to deal with a lot of gossip by herself. Yolanda continues to feel inadequate throughout the novel, especially when it comes to Mona maturing before her. A main example is the conversation they have when Mona first gets her period, and Yolanda has not.
"I could have a baby. I got my period,” Mona says proudly, like she has won a prize. She says it rich with conviction, a tone that makes Yolanda feel extraordinarily young and silly.
Yolanda says nothing. They are quiet for awhile, just leaning into each other, their shoulder’s touching.
“I bleed”
“No you don’t”
“I can have babies”
“Why you ain’t told me?”
“Cuz you don’t need to know everything”
“I would of told you”
“Well I ain’t you and you ain’t me”
Yolanda can feel her foot shaking, a twitching in her toes. A sign she can come to count on most all her life.
“if I did it with a boy right now…”
Yolanda jolts up. She looks around to make sure no one hears before she responds. She clenches her teeth, tries to will the heat to stop rising, and spits out, “Mona you so nasty” ....
Yolanda smacks mona before she even thinks about it” (Wilkinson 78).
This shows the effects of both of the ways they were raised in this instance. Yolanda instantly feels silly at the idea that Mona has matured before her, and Mona instantly brags and thinks about how she can get pregnant. This is a huge part of the generational trauma that is being passed down throughout the families.
Later on in the novel, we see how the generational trauma was passed down from Minnie Mae, to Tookie, to Lucy, to Yolanda. When the situation of Minnie beating Tookie for getting pregnant is uncovered, we learn a lot more about the situation. We learned that Tookie was assaulted at a very young age and that this wasn't, and couldn't have been her choice, as well as the fact that Minnie Mae never asked or considered this. Lucy more than likely endured gossip just like Mona has, since her mother was so young. If Minnie Mae reacted the way she did, there is no telling the way that the rest of the town reacted to this news. Yolanda even overhears this conversation when it is finally addressed, pushing this point even further.
Throughout this novel we see a lot of less than adequate male figures. The only male figure readers could at all feel that they could trust was Joe. He did what he could for Lucy, even if it didn't end up being enough. This is also a main concern when it comes to the mental health and generational trauma that black women suffer through. This book seems to be saying that the men are also a main issue in this, and that they can cause the trauma as well as make it worse by not supporting these women they are supposed to love.
Finally, the connections through nature that continue as warnings and mood-settings throughout the novel provide a lovely touch. From crows, buzzards, a simple description of the land to set the mood, and the implications of Minnie Mae's sense provide an interesting atmosphere to the novel. Especially in comparison to the other topics provided.
This novel brings many issues face to face with the audience. Not shying away from the difficult descriptions and hardships these characters go through. I feel as though the connection between them all pushes Wilkinson's point even further. She shows exactly how the cycle gets repeated when it is not addressed. This novel is one of the best I have read in recent years, but I suggest a quick search of trigger warnings before beginning this novel.
Works Cited
Wilkinson, Crystal. The Birds of Opulence . Lexington: The University Press on Kentucky, 2016