Active Reading Blog for Chapters 3 throouuuggghhh 6

Chapter 3 Plot summary-
Milkman is now working for his father, running his errands which makes it possible for him to meet up with his friend Guitar more often and go see Pilate, Hagar, and Reba. When Milkman was 14 he developed a condition in his legs which made one leg shorter then the other. He feels that his leg distances him even more from his father because his Father is so strong and has no imperfection and his leg is just one more way that he can not live up to him. When Milkman is 22 he tries to defend his mother from one of his fathers many rages. Milkman thinks that he is being the hero but his Father explains to him that there are motives behind his actons. He tells a story about how Dr. Foster, Ruths father, was pretty much a rude arrogant man who hated black skin and smoked Ether. He said that Ruth was completly devoted to him and was suspected to have slept with him. When Dr. Foster died Macon Supossedly found her lying naked on his bed with his fingers in her mouth. Macon leaves Milkman alone with this knowledge and tells him to think about it. Milkman becomes confused but mostly angered. Angered that nobody in his life is what he wants them to be. Angered that nothing in his life is what it seems to be. When thinking about the things that he was told Milkman remembers the scene in which his name originated from. Milkman goes the the barber shop where a bunch of man are talking about a murder of a black man who whistled at a white woman. LAter when Guitar and Milkman are talking about it Milkman expresses that he doesnt care. With this Milkmans Self centerdness is revealed.
Chapter 4 Summary:
Milkmans relationship with Hagar is described in the beginning of this chapter. He has become bored of her because she is so avaiable and so willing to be with him. He compares her to the "third beer" because seeing her is just like a harmless past time for him that he might as well do because he can. when Milkman is out buying christmas presents he can't decide what to get her so he writes her a letter breaking of thier relationship but thanking her for everything that she has done for him. The story of Hagar and Abraham is reflected in this. Hagar becomes enraged by the letter and sets of to find Milkman. Milkman goes about life as usual but his relationship with Guitar has grown distant because thay are starting to realize how different they are. Milkman has a susoicion that Guitar is keeping something big from him and Guitar expresses is disgust in the fact that Milkman leaves such a careless self revolved life. Freddie comes into the picture again but this time he is not being the nosy nuisance. He tells the story of his birth where magical realism fianally comes to play. He says that when his mother was pregnant with him she saw a ghostin the form of a white bull. The white bull could be a symbol of the oppresion of white people at the time.
Chapter 5 summary-
Milkman spends alot of time at guitars despite of there previous arguments. Hagar roams the streets about once a month looking for Milkman trying to kill him. Milkman has become afraid and tired of constantly having to make an effort to avoid her. Guitar is still obviously keeping secrets from Milkman and is always sneaking off to unknown places. Milkman is constantly trying to figure himself out but is not succeeding. He knows death is coming and is both eager and fearful. He recalls one day as he is returning home he sees his mother walking down the strret and he follows her. He ends up at the grave yard of her father where he confronts her. She tells him a much different story about her father then the one Macon told in chapter 3. She said that that Macon killed her father by taking away his medicine and that she wasnt naked on his bed but was in her slip. She was about to explain why she was kissing his fingers but Milkman interrupted her. After his reminesing, Hagar shows up and tries to kill him but realizes that she loves him to much and it becomes physically impossible. Ruth soon becomes aware of Hagars fruitless attempts and Storms off to Pilates house. She exclaims that Milkman was her passion and single triumph. It is made known that the reason Hagar craves revenge so badly is because he is the one person she loves and the one person who can take him away, so she hates him for that. Both Hagar and Ruth want to get revenge at the one person who can take Milkman away from them. Pilate distracts Hagar and Ruth by telling them the story of her life. There is more magical realism with the presence of ghosts in her story. Pilate claims that the ghost of her father followed her and whispered to her to "sing".
Chapter 6 Summary
After the whole Milkman Hagar incident, Milkman took Hagar home and chapter six starts of with Milkman talking with Guitar. Milkman gets Guitar to tell him what he has been up to lately and it turns out that Guitar is part of a secret orginazation called Seven Days. It is comprised of seven members who is each assigned to a day of the week and on that day they are to randomly killa white person. The point is to kill a white person in the same way that a black person was previously killed. For example if a black man was hanged the Seven Days will hang a white man. Milkman disagrees with the whole thing completly and doesnt believe that it is accomplishing a single thing, at all. Guitar is the only young man in the group and he is assigned to sunday. This scene really highlights the differences the difference between Milkman and Guitar.

Quotes-
Ch. 3
"It makes me think of dead people and white people, and i start to puke."(pg 61)
This quote is Guitar speaking about how he doesnt like sweets. I think it is sort of ironic that soething that is ussually thought of as good makes him think of something that to him is very bad.

"Milkman closed his eyes and opened them. The street was even more crowded with people, all going in the direction he was coming from. All walking hurriedly and bumping against him. After a while he realized that nobody was walking on the other side of the street"
This reflects Milkmans journey in fiding out oabout his past and how every one always ssems to be going in a different direction then him, but he feels that he is the one going the right way.

Ch. 4
"Also, I want to thank you for all that you have meant me. For making me happy all these years. I am sighning this letter with love , of course, but more than that, with gratitude."
this quote irritates me because its like sayin "Oh well, it was good while it lasted but im just going to leave you now, so have a good life." Goodness.

"She was the third beer."
This describes Milkmans feelings towards Hagar and how he is just with her simply because she is there and it wont harm anything.

Ch.5
"... because the fact is that i am small woman. I dont mean little : i mean small and i am small because i was pressed small"
Is she talking about how her whole life she has been devoted to one person so she hasnt been able to be all that she could be?

""People die then they want to and if they want to. Don't nobody have to die if they don't want to."
i think this quote may not aonly mean physically but menatally and spiritually also. for example Milkman is letting things that happened in his past take so much hold of him that he isnt able to realize the important things.

Chapter.6
"I told you. It's nessasary: its got to be done. To keep the ratio the same."
Guitar is explaining to Milkman why the Seven days orginization has to do what they do. I think this explination is absurd. I dont understand how keepeing the ratio of blacks to white the same is going to help anything.

"White people are unnatural. As a race thay are unnatural."
I think it is sad to see that one race of people could do something so bad that another race would feel this way about them. I think this is repeated all through out history.

Theme-
the theme is definatley something along the lines of finding out who you are through your past. I think another one is definatly mans inhumanity to man. I think this one come into play both on the side of the white man and black man.

Magical Realism-
I was waiting for the magical realism to come into play and it finally did in these chapters. It was evident mostly in the form of ghosts. It is found out that Freddie the nosy neighbors mother saw a ghost. Pilate also said that the ghost of her father follows her and tells her to "sing".

Characters-
Milkman-
He is now an adult and is troubled by not only his past but the past of his parents and in a way feels that he can not have peace without knowing it. He throws a way the one person that truly loved him just because he got bored with her. He does not agree with Guitars veiws.

Guitar- He has developed in to a strong willed young man with a deep hatred for white people.

Hagar- She gave all of he love to Milkman who pretty much just through her away. She tried to get revenge but when she got the chance she realized she loved him to much and she could not do it.

Ruth- Ruth is a very complicated character. She has so many attributes that it is hard to describe her. I cant decide if she is loving and loyal or selfish and vain.

Pilate- She is always there for Ruth when she needs her most and is still the wise old woman archytype. She obviosly has soething different about her taken the fact that she does not have a belly button.

Dr. Foster-
It is made known that he was not a very good man. He was arrogant but the one person that ruth felt she was purley loved by. He didnt like black skin.