Active Reading Blog for Chapters 1 and 2

Plot summary-
The book opens with the scene of a man, a life insurance agent, with blue silk wings who is going to attempt flying of of Mercy Hospital. In the audience is a pregnant African American woman and her daughters who was carrying a basket of velvet rose petals that they sell to stores. The sight of Mr. smith made the African American woman, Ruth Foster Dead, drop the basket , causing the rose petals to be blown with the wind. Ruths sister in law ,Pilate, who is also in the small crowd begins singing a song. She informs Ruth that her baby will be born in the hospital the next day. This is significant because it is too early for the baby to be born and Mercy Hospital never admits black patients, causing it to be called "No Mercy Hospital". Mr. Smith then lost his balance and fell to his death. Ruths baby was indeed born the next day at Mercy Hospital. When the little boy was only four he became sad and dull when he realized that only birds and planes could fly. The Dead residence was more of a prison then a home, all because of the presence of the patriarch of the family Macon Dead. He is is extremely over bearing and violent. He does not acknowledge the attempts of his wife to make things lighter around the house.Ruth's two outlets from her unhappy marriage is through creating flower arrangements to cover up a water spot on her table and by nursing her son, even though he is no longer a baby. When a janitor to the Dead family sees that Ruth is still breastfeeding her little boy he teases her and gives the boy the name Milk Man. this name only makes the relationship between not only Ruth and Macon , but also Macon and Milkman, worse. The name extremely annoys Macon dead because he knows that there is a story behind it that has to do with his wife and it disgusts him. Macon dead is annoyed by his own name because it was given to him by mistake. It is not his real name and he doesn't like not knowing what his real name is. The Motif of brother sister relationship is shown between Macon and his sister , the one who prophesied "Milkmans birth, Pilate. Chapter two opens with the Dead family going on a drive in Macons Packard. They drive to a beach community ona lake that ussually only white people buy from. Macon is considering buying a house there. Milkman has to get out of the car to use the bathroom and ends up peeing all over his sisters dress when she startles him. He says that he is always concentrating on the things behind him. In this chapter Milkman meets Guitar, who even though there age differences become friends. Guitar takes Milkman to see Pilot , His aunt. It is the first time that milkman has ever been to her house, despite the fact that she is his aunt. It is discovered that she has no navel. While at Pilates house the two boys meet her daughter Reba and granddaughter Hagar. Milkman falls in love with Hagar before he even lays eyes on her face. The same guy that gave Milkman his name, tattled on him to his father that he had been at Pilates house. His father then begins to tell Milkman about his life and why he does the things he does and the story behind his name.

Characters-

Milkman- He is the protagonist of the story and is struggling to find his true identity. He is always focusing on the past rather then the future.

Macon Dead- He is the father of Milkman. He seems to be very violent and overbearing. He is troubled about his past and does not feel he was rightly named.

Ruth Foster Dead- She is the mother of Milkman and the wife of Macon dead. She seems to be a patient loving lady but craves the love of her husband. The other ladies in town don't really like her.

Pilate Dead- She is the sister of Macon Dead. She is the archetype of wise old lady.

Hagar Dead- Grand daughter of Pilate. Milkman falls in love with her, with out her knowledge of course.

Reba Dead- Pilates Daughter. She has a knack for winning things.

Guitar Bains- He is Milkman's friends. He shows his intelligence and wit in the beginning of the book when he tries to correct a white women about how to spell admissions.

Mr. Smith- A life insurance agent who tries to fly but fails and ends up dying.


Magical Realism-
I was sure that the man with the blue silk wings was the first sign of magical realism , but changed my mind when it turned out that his wings were fake. There is some mention of ghosts but not much. Also, Pilates daughter ,Reba, has a knack of winning almost every contest that she enters.

Quotes-

"A little bird will be here with you in the morning." (Pilate, pg. 9) This quote introduces Pilate as the wise old women archytype since it comes true. It also might be foreshadowing that milkman will also try to fly.

"She did not try to make her meals nauseating, she simply didn't know how not too." (Pg.11) This quote describes how no matter how hard she tries Ruth just can not seem to do things right.

"It was becoming a habit- this concentration on things behind him. Almost as thought there were no future to be had" (pg. 35 milkman) This quote shows Milkmans intense need to find out about his past, about his familys past.

"Just listen to what i say. That womens no good. Shes a snake, and you can charm a snake, but its still a snake." (pg. 54 Macon Dead) This quote make me wonder why Macon is so against Milkman associating with his sister. A snake is a really harsh thing to compare a person too.


Theme- The theme that I notice the most is self discovery. The key to self discovery in this book seems to be through ones past. Milkman is probably going to go through a long journey to self discovery.