Topic Chosen: How much does the text agree or clash with your view of the world, and what you consider right or wrong?

While reading the second section chosen of the book, God Don't Like Ugly, I came to realize that many of the key concepts in the book agree and clash with my view of the world and things that I consider right or wrong. It is obvious that after only reading a couple chapters of this book, that it is very depressing, so it was surprising to me when I realized there was something that I thought was morally right in this story. Shortly after meeting Rhoda, Annette's new best friend from across the street, the two girls instantly clicked. But, what surprised me was how kind and caring Rhoda acts towards Annette, considering how much prettier and richer she is. Unlike many of the other characters in this story, Rhoda looks at Annette as a good person, no matter how big or small, dark or light, or rich or poor she is. She looks to Annette as a friend who is exactly the same as herself. The specific part of the story that stuck out to me was the time in which Annette speaks of a man who is bothering her, and Rhoda shows compassion, which is something that has almost never been showed towards Annette. After stating multiple times that she felt uncomfortable telling Rhoda who it was, Annette explains, "She put her hand on my face and caressed it. I needed a huge more than ever. And just like she was reading my mind, she leaned over and put her arms around me and gave me the biggest hug I ever recieved"(89). By Annette explaining this, it is surprising but satisfying to know that there is someone out there who does care for her and show her compassion. Therefore, Rhoda being a good friend to Annette, showing her she cared, is something I consider to be right.

Also, while reading God Don't Like Ugly, I came across things that I felt as though clash with my view of the world and do consider to be wrong. One being how ignorant Annette's mother is to the fact of Mr.Boatwright raping her nearly everyday. I don't understand how several years can go by, and after all this time, after even the smallest of clues, a mother can't pick up on how her child is being sexually abused. Because she is getting older, Annette is starting to be able to come up with a number of excuses to stay out of the house. For example, studying, being at the library, staying at Rhoda's, etc. Being very aware of why she is not at home so often, Mr.Boatwright tells Mrs.Goode that he feels as though Annette is out on the streets getting into trouble. Completely oblivious to the situation, Mrs.Goode says to Annette, "After school, you go home and do whatever Brother Boatwright tell you to do. Do you hear me?"(86). Evidently, having no clue of what is going on, multiple times through out the story Annette's mother states that she is to respect and do whatever Mr. Boatwright tells her to do, thus showing the ignorance she has towards the situation. I feel this to be extremely wrong because as a single mother with a stranger living in their house, wouldn't a person think she would pay more attention to the things happening around her? Or more importantly, horrific things happening to her child? One last thing that also clashes with my view of the world and that I consider to be wrong are the hypocritical statements that Mr. Boatwright makes through out the story about being a holy man and a good catholic. How could a man that rapes a young girl, pops pills, talks ridiculous gossip about everyone he knows, consider himself a holy man? While Mrs. Goode is ever in the room, Mr.Boatwright puts on an act as though he is a wonderful Catholic. When Annette asks Mrs. Goode if she is allowed to eat dinner with Rhoda's family on Thanksgiving, Annette explains that Mr. Boatwright replied, " 'Who gwine to be here to hope me get dinner cooked?... You can chop the onions, brown the gizzards.' Mr. Boatwright paused to give me one of his knowing looks. When he saw that Mama was not looking at him, he winked at me, then said 'I'll find plenty for you to do'"(103). Evidently after seeing that Mr. Boatwright is so hypocritical and evil towards Annette and her mother, without Mrs. Goode even knowing, that is the reason for me to consider this part of the story wrong, and why it clashes with my personal view of the world.