As I read these chapters of God Don't Like Ugly I could not help but notice Rhoda's increasing jealousy of Annette, and I couldn't help but ask myself why is she so jealous? She just got a new boyfriend and spends almost all of her time with him, but it isn't okay for Annette to spend just some of her time with Florence? That doesn't seem fair to me. I was shocked when Rhoda told Annette, " 'Now don't you let that blind girl ruin' everythin' between us.' I was confused, wondering what she considered Otis O'Toole's position in our lives." (201). Rhoda is telling Annette that her new friend can't get between them when she is barely even there for Annette anymore. She is always skipping out on plans to be with Otis and leaving Annette behind like it's nothing and expecting her to wait around for Rhoda by herself. I would do the same thing Annette did in that I would have found a new friend to fill in the time that I was by myself. "Rhoda, you stood me up tonight to be with Otis. The night I was supposed to help bathe your grandmother, you took off with him, too." (205). I don't know how Annette stays so loyal to Rhoda as she does, because I wouldn't be able to do it. Being constantly blown off for her boyfriend it is only expected that Annette find someone else to befriend, but why can't Rhoda realize that? Why is she so protective and jealous of Annette?
Also, I realized how much Rhoda's having a boyfriend affects Annette. She is constantly feeling like she is going to be left behind for Otis, so she finds herself doing anything to keep Rhoda in her life. "I could not help the fact that I was jealous of Rhoda's relationship with Otis, and I did feel bad about it, but I still followed them around every chance I got. It had taken me years to find Rhoda and I was not about to let a boy take her away from me without a fight." (188). How must this make Annette feel? The feeling of being replaced is a hard one to bear, so I can completely agree with Annette's feelings. Annette is trying to fight the fact that she actually does like Foster and is she doing it for Rhoda's benefit? If Rhoda can have someone else in her life, like Otis, then why can't Annette have someone like Foster who understands Annette's situation because she too was raped.
I completely agree with the statement made about Rhoda's jealousy. How is it fair for Rhoda to get a new boyfriend and a replacement in her life for Annette, but Annette is no longer permitted to make any new friends, like Florence? I don't understand why in this section of the book, Rhoda has such a strong dislike for Florence. She can't help being blind, and from what I see it, she has more things in common with Annette, than Rhoda does. I found that entire situation rude on Rhoda's part, and that she is being very selfish. I feel as though Rhoda doesn't realize how lucky she has it sometimes. She is rich, beautiful, gets everything she wants, goes on expensive vacations, and has a new boyfriend, Otis.
ReplyDeleteI completely dont understand why Rhoda is so jelous of Florence. Just because Annette is friendly with her, doesnt mean shes immediately goingto drop Rhoda. Florence is just mostly there because shes new and doesnt have any friends, which means shes never busy. Therefore, Annettes obviously going to hang out with her when Rhoda's busy with her boyfriend. And just because Florence is blind, Rhoda will hold that against her everytime Annette brings up her name in a conversation. As sam said above, Rhoda is like drop dead gorgeous, and has everything she could ever need in life, so why does she get so jealous of other people?
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