Topic chosen: Ask yourself a question about the text
*My page numbers are different, because my book is set up different.
As I was reading God Don't Like Ugly, I kept asking myself what would it be like to be Annette Goode and grow up with all of the trouble that she was forced to endure. I kept trying to put myself in her shoes and I found that I couldn't. From losing her dad to being raped almost every day by Mr. Boatwright, I do not know how she could ever be happy, because I know that I could not. I think that if it were not for her mother and Rhoda Nelson, she would not be able to carry on. When Annette's father left him and her mother it made me so angry. He left them for a wealthier white woman and never even thought to look back. "My head felt like it was going to explode, I had so many questions in it that needed to be answered. The only thing I knew is that my daddy was gone, and he left us with a woman in a green car," (24-25). It made me angry when he left, because he was leaving his only daughter and wife behind like it was nothing. It makes me wonder that if he had stayed would he have been able to prevent much of Annette's sadness and her being raped? As if that is not enough for a young girl to handle, I could not believe that she had to put up with Mr. Boatwright raping her almost on the daily for years. He does this like there is nothing wrong with it, despite Annette always begging him to stop. How could a grown man do this to an innocent girl? Those two traumatic events had to have affected her immensely. "...and even though we had a vague relationship, he was a male, and I didn't trust him," (77). The only two men that she has ever had in her life have scarred her. One left her for something better and the other constantly takes advantage of her. It is unlikely that she will ever be able to trust any man every again.
If it were not for her mother and Rhoda Nelson would Annette be able to see the point in her life anymore? Her mom is always trying to uplift her spirits and make it clear that they should be happy with what they have. "One day I asked my mama, 'We happy?' Mama smiled... 'We got more than the Lord ever had him, and He was happy,' she answered," (29). Obviously, Annette and her mother do not have very much, but she is trying to make Annette feel better by reassuring her that they are lucky enough to have what they have. Another reason Annette is able to go on is because of Rhoda Nelson. When Rhoda enters her life it is like she experiences a small transformation in that she finds someone that she can relate to and who she wants to spend time with. "... I waited until I saw Rhoda leave for school so that I could trail behind her. Her beauty was so overwhelming, I actually felt beautiful just being near her," (88). Rhoda gives her something to be happy about and something to live for. With all of the negativity surrounding her, it is necessary that she has some positivity in her life, which her mom and Rhoda bring her.
While reading the book, I too asked myself how Annette could go through this much torture at such a young age. Being raped by Mr.Boatwright almost every day and looking at things from a positive point of view are two things I inparticular, could not do. How could a seven year old be raped every day by a fifty-three year old man, and still manage to be happy about everything she has? It's enough how she has accepted the fact that she is ugly and fat at the age of seven, but now being able to stay positive after living mostly in poverty, sleeping in basements, being bullied, and raped everyday, is insane. I also agree with the fact that she is unable to trust any man in her life because of what her father and what Mr.Boatwright did to her. After leaving his only daughter and his spouse for a rich, white woman, and after being raped and called discusting names everyday by Mr.Boatwright, it is no wonder that she has no trust in the only men she has ever known. In conclusion, I agree with everything said in this post. I felt similar emotions and had the same experiences while reading this part of the story and realize that Annette is an incredibly strong child.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the section, I was shocked on how this story had turned from bad to worse for poor little Annette. Not only did she have to move from house to house with her parents to dodge the tax collectors, her dad just up and goes one day? It's not as though Annette and her dad had a shallow relationship anyways, they were pretty close, so for her dad not to tell her he's leaving was pretty messed up. Who would be able to up and leave their only child in such a hurry? Now, all Annette was looking for was a father figure in Mr. Boatwright but couldnt even get that from him. Instead, the church sent Annette and her mother some perverted man that began raping her since the age of 7. But not only did he physically ruin her, but he mentally abused her. Everyday he called her fat, useless, and ugly. I couldnt imagine being called those words now and just brushing them off, but at 7 years old you believe every words people say about you. To indure such pain physically and mentally made Annette one of the strongest people I know.
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