i've just started reading and im afraid of moving on because im getting confused with the scene on Not Doctor Street(pgs 4-9). With the pregnant lady and her kids, plus the singer, and some stout woman. Is the stout woman the pregnant person? i just need some clearing up. And the insurance guy is still about to jump off right? or did he jump already...AND, why are there hospital people outside? sorry...im just very confused. so i stopped there. clarifications would be much appreciated!!
YOURS TRULY, Tu-Uyen =)
1 comment:
I love “Not Doctor Street” for its subersiveness and its attention to history. The people will continue to call Mains Avenue “Not Doctor Street” and Macon’s Office “Sonny’s Shop” out of respect, and as a way to defy the city legislators.
The opening scene introduces many of the key characters and elements critical to the novel. Some of you may notice that Morrison makes her readers wait for the full stories to unfold, but don’t worry because the stories will be told. The “mouth on the dead man’s fingers,” “Guitar’s aversion to sweets,” “Porter’s breakdown,” “blown off five feet in the air,” and more…all of these references will be explained as the story is told. One of the things I like about Morrison’s writing is that she finds a way to give such a concrete depiction of a memory or an event. Often we are confused when we first read it, but it makes perfect sense when we get the whole story. I’ve always appreciated how she understands memory and the things that trigger memories.
Back to the first scene. The “stout woman” is Ruth Forster Dead. She is pregnant with Milkman, so Milkman is born on the day Robert Smith tries to fly. Notice that Milkman is born in Mercy Hospital, the same hospital that would not grant his grandfather “hospital privileges.” The people are outside Mercy most likely to watch Robert Smith. The singing woman is Pilate. Guitar is there as well.
As I’ve mentioned, flight is in the opening scene. If you have the time, bookmark all references of flight in the novel and come up with some sort of thesis about flight in Song of Solomon
Sheehy
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