Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

 

Created By:

Ryann Byrd

Turner Fortner

Stephanie Gidaro

Diane Mallioux

Tasha Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Personal Connections

 

Dianne - our father, fading away (p. 181)

 

I see this everyday in the life of my children.  Jacqueline Woodson says, “ Out of sight, out of mind.”  This is so real to my children when they call their father 4 or 5 times on Father’s Day and he will not answer nor will he return their calls.  He will go months without seeing them or even picking up the phone to call.  I tell my children it is his lost and someday it will come to him.  They are the apple of my eye and it breaks my heart, as a mom I want to hug them and make the pain go away.  

 

 

Turner - A Writer (p. 311)

 

This poem stuck to me, as I preach the idea of everyone being a writer within my own classroom and I felt there was no poem more appropriate to share during the SWP. I value Jacqueline’s including this within her journey because it affirms the value and influence that we, as teachers, can have on our students. We have the ability to affirm them as writers. Earlier in the book, she writes that she dreams of being a writer. In this poem, Ms. Vivo affirms her and gives her confidence, which she embraces with every word as she reads her poem aloud.

 

 

Stephanie- fate & faith & reasons (page 293-294)

 

This poem explains that there is a purpose in everything that happens in life. Jacqueline mentions that the marchers got to the point of standing up because of events that happened before them. I appreciated how she explains there are no accidents. Every event is linked to the other for a specific purpose. It can even apply to the simplest of events like spilling bleach on a towel. Life is made up of cause and effect and comes together to represent the life in the present.

 

Tasha: “Ready to Change the World” (page 281)

 

Much of my personal connection with the book comes from meeting Jacqueline Woodson in 2008 when she came to visit SWP. I fell in love with her immediately, especially knowing that she considered SC to be one of her homes.  The book enlightened me on her experiences growing up, and helped me understand how she became who she is today. At first, I thought the book would focus more on historical context, especially given the Civil Rights Movement.  Some sections reminded me of other Civil Rights texts I’ve read.  But I was surprised to see the book unfold focusing mainly on her family and her own personal reflections. I love the book because it runs the gamut of emotion, because it is relevant to my own life, and because it speaks Truth.

 

My favorite part of the book is the final section, Part V. I love this part because Woodson is finding her way in the world and ready to make her mark.  From the poems in this section, you can tell she is moving into adolescence and experiencing the struggles that go along with coming of age. She is still young, but wise beyond her years, and very observant. I love the short inserts titled “How I Listen” as they reflect her eavesdropping and observations.

 

Of the poems in this section, “what i believe” is my favorite. I love the list format, which is a departure in terms of structure, from most of the ther pieces. I also love the message of tolerance and love embodied in this poem.  I have reprinted it here:

 

(pages 317-318)

 

    I believe in God and evolution.

 

    I believe in the Bible and the Qur’an.

 

I believe in Christmas and the New World.

 

I believe that there is good in each of us

 

no matter who we are or what we believe in.

 

I believe in the words of my grandfather.

 

I believe in the city and the South

 

the past and the present.

 

I believe in Black people and White people coming

 

together.

 

I believe in nonviolence and “Power to the People.”

 

I believe in my little brother’s pale skin and my own

 

dark brown.

 

I believe in my sister’s brilliance and the too-easy

 

books I love to read.

 

I believe in my mother on a bus and Black people

 

refusing to ride.

 

I believe in good friends and good food.

 

I believe in johnny pumps and jump ropes,

 

Malcom and Martin, Buckeyes and Birmingham,

 

writing and listening, bad words and good words--

 

I believe in Brooklyn!

 

I believe in one day and someday and this

 

perfect moment called Now.

 

Ryann Byrd- There were many poems that were well-written. One of which inspired me to create my own written piece.

My Status Denied By: Ryann Byrd

Why do I have to be the middle child?  I wondered that.  My older siblings did not want me around them or their friends.  My older sister talks about boys.  Did she not know that they have cooties? My older brother hangs out with his friends. Did he not know hanging out is only for girls?   Why do I have to be the middle child?  I wondered that.  My younger siblings play with baby dolls.  Did they not know that Barbie dolls were better?   Why do I have to be the middle child?  I wondered.  My parents said that they have news.  We needed to have a family meeting… everyone on the couch.  I began to wonder what happened.    Why do I have to be the middle child?  I wondered.  Please God, do not tell me what I think is true.  I was just kidding, I love being the middle child!  Please, do not take my status away from me.  As the words trickled from my parents lips, they said the evitable.

new york baby By: Jacqueline Woodson (135)

When my mother returns, I will no longer be her baby girl.  I am sitting on my grandmother’s lap when she tells me this, already so tall my legs dangle far down, the tips of my toes touching the porch mat. My head rests on her shoulder now where once, it came only to her collarbone. She smells the way she always does, of Pine-Sol and cotton, Dixie Peach hair grease and something warm and powdery.   I want to know whose baby girl I’ll be when my mother’s new baby comes, born where the sidewalks sparkle and me just a regular girl.   I didn’t know how much I loved being everyone’s baby girl until now when my life as a baby girl is nearly over.

 

 

 

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Religious Context - Turner Fortner

 

In Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson reveals that she is a Jehovah’s Witness. Throughout the book, we see aspects of her religion sprinkled through her journey and how being a Jehovah’s Witness affected her as she grew. Personally, I did not know very much about Jehovah’s Witnesses prior to reading this story. I am a Christian, so I did have knowledge on Christianity. To inform, I have created a comparison of the two religions to present the religious context found in Brown Girl Dreaming.

 

Jehovah’s Witness

Christianity

Believe that Jesus lived and died, but do not believe everything Jesus claims about himself. They do not believe Jesus is God, but they believe Jesus was created by God. They believe Jesus is important to God, but he is not God in essence. They believe Jesus is the archangel Gabriel become man. They believe Jesus’s death paid a ransom for the sins of humanity, but they do not believe he rose again bodily, but spiritually and materialized a new body in order to appear before his disciples. Do not teach the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is a “force” and not a real person Believe that a person’s soul ceases to exist after death Do not allow blood transfusions- they believe that blood represents life and as a respect to God as the giver of life they do not give or take blood. Believe that flag ceremonies or saluting the flag is wrong, they believe that when the flag is in ceremony, reverence is given to the state rather than to God. They do not celebrate birthdays, they believe the only commemoration Christians are required to keep is a celebration of the death, not birth of Jesus.

Christianity is all about Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus lived and died and he rose again. Jesus made many claims about himself that he backed up with actions. (His ultimate claim being that he is God made human and that by dying on the cross he opened the way for all of us to be reunited with God in perfect relationship.) Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, that God exists in the form of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Believe that a person’s soul moves forward to an afterlife, be it Heaven or Hell Christianity does not have specific teachings for blood transfusions, birthdays or patriotism.

 

Specifically, pg. 162 “Flag” pg. 164 “Because we’re witnesses” specifically speaks to Jacqueline Woodson’s experience growing up as a Witness.

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Historical Context- Stephanie Gidaro

 

Jacqueline Woodson was born on February 12, 1963 in Columbus, Ohio. However, she moved to Greenville, SC and grew up in the South during the end of the Civil Rights Movement. She learns about the complicated issues going on in the world through her grandfather’s explanations in the poem “south carolina at war”.  Jacqueline asks “why people are marching all over the South.” The grandfather explains to Jacqueline and her siblings “First they brought us here. Then we worked for free. Then it was 1863, and we were supposed to be free but we weren’t. And that’s why people are so mad.” The grandfather was able to explain the issue of the civil rights movement to his grandchildren who were so young.

 

 

Civil Rights march in Washington, DC.

 

Jacqueline recalls that bathroom signs that once said WHITE ONLY was painted over when segregation ended. However, she could still see the words through the paint and her poem “ghosts” depicts the paint representing a ghost that blocks them from the bathroom.

 

 

Jacqueline references Malcom X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Angela Davis. In her poem “power to the people” she says her friend, Maria, and herself “walk through the street….fists raised in the air Angela Davis style.” Jacqueline also feels connected to Angela Davis because they both have a gap in their two front teeth that “connected them.”

 

Angela Davis

 

Video about the Civil Rights:

 

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-act/videos/civil-rights-act-of-1964#

 

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Family- Ryann Byrd

 

 

Theme:  Dianne Mailloux

 

There are several themes found in brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson such as Family, Civil Rights and Racism, and Two Worlds.

 

Family

 

Family is a major theme Jacqueline Woodson memoir brown girl dreaming. Family includes many aspects of our life such as love, compassion, loyalty, emotional and spiritual support of individuals who may or may not be blood related.  Family it a defining force in Jackie’s life.  

 

Jackie’s immediate family - Mary Ann and Jack - her mother and father - Dell, Hope, and Roman - her siblings.  She spends much of her early childhood in Ohio with her mother, father and Dell and Hope.  She learns at an early age that Woodson’s are expected to be hard working and high-achievers as their are doctors, lawyers, teachers and many other professionals in the family line.  She learns her family has been traced back to Thomas Jefferson.  Jackie get much of her ambition from owning the family ancestry and her father’s expectations.

 

Jackie parents are torn apart by their geographic differences.  Jack, her father, grew up in Ohio and can’t understand how Mary Ann feels when they visits South Carolina.  She recognizes the racism and segregation as a problem in the South.  This would eventually tear them apart.  As a result they are divorced and her father slowly disappears from her life until he loses all connect with them.  

 

Her Grandpa Gunnar steps up to fill the role of father in her life.  Jackie and her siblings live in South Carolina with Grandpa Gunnar and Grandma Gerogiana while their mother goes to New York to prepare for them to come live with her.  During this time, they grow close to their grandparents.  Again they taught to be hard workers and that they are human beings that deserve to be respected.  They are also to respected others.  Grandma focuses on making sure they learn their bible lessons and speaks to them often about God and faith.  These lessons become highly valued by Jackie and her siblings.  

 

Jackie, Dell and Hope are reunited with their mother when they move from South Carolina to New York.  They miss their grandparents tremendously and it feels like their family is torn apart yet again.  They love and respect their mother deeply as they able to recognize her hard work to provide for them. They make trips to visit South Carolina with Uncle Robert as he becomes a fixture in their lives.  He grow to love him deeply even though he isn’t the most reliable person.

 

Civil Rights and Racism

 

Civil Rights and racism is important theme in brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.  It becomes a backdrop to Jackie’s life and is important as racism is widespread in the South during the 1960’s where she spends her childhood.  

 

Jackie travels to South Carolina by bus.  They always travel by night because there is less of a chance of white people stopping the bus and asking questions.  Additionally, when they ride the bus in SC, they always sit at the back of the bus.  Jackie doesn’t really under the traveling arrangements or the racism in the South.  She does understand that she is as good as anyone else from what her mother has taught her.  As Jackie gets older, she comes to admire the bravery of those blacks who choose to sit anywhere they want on the bus.  

 

Jackie experiences the racism first hand when her mother’s high school is burned down and Grandma Gunner’s neighbor is forbidden to participate in the Civil Rights movement.  As laws are passed, she witness the painting of “white only” signs.  They are only painted with one coat of paint so the words will still show through.  She refers to this as a ghost being there.

 

She learns from her grandmother that peaceful and nonviolent protest are the best way.  She see from her grandmother that whites and blacks can respect each other.  Her grandmother has a long-time friend who owns a fabric store and she see her treat blacks fairly and while living in New York there is an elderly lady that still lives in Jackie predominantly black neighbor.  This lady bakes cookies for everyone regardless of their skin color.  

 

Two Worlds

 

Two worlds as a theme essentially encompasses the idea of a person being stuck between two places.  This theme appears throughout the novel affecting several characters.  

 

The first person to feel trapped between two worlds is Mary Ann, Jackie’s Mom.  She was born and raised in SC.  She marries Jack and moves to Ohio to live with him.  Her roots are grounded in SC and she tries to explain to Jack everyone in the south aren’t racist.  She loves the hot and humid summers, smell of dew on the grass and the fact her parents are still in SC make it make it home to her.  She thinks Ohio is too cold and too far from SC for her.  Mary Ann feels traps between the north and the south - trapped between South Carolina and Ohio - trapped between two worlds.

 

Jackie and her siblings become trapped between two worlds at points in the memoir.  She doesn’t live in Ohio long enough to have roots and comes to view SC as their home.  South Carolina become homes to Jackie because of the atmosphere, land, smell and the people.  Her grandparents makes SC feel like home.  She plays outside, find faith in her God, grows close to her family.  When she moves from SC to NY to live with her mother she feels trapped between two worlds…SC and NY, city and country, North and South.  

 

The final person to be trapped in two worlds is Georgiana, Jackie’s grandmother.  When Gunner, Jackie’s grandfather dies, she sells her home in SC and moves to NY with Jackie and the rest of the family.  She plants a tree to remind her of SC but doesn’t want to return because of her memories.  Georgiana is stuck in two worlds...the past and the present, New York and South Carolina, North and South.

 

As Jackie has moved back and forth, she is able to understand and sympathize with Georgiana, knowing firsthand how it feels to be torn between two worlds.

 

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Poetic Structure: Books in Verse

 

Jacqueline Woodson is a master at manipulating language to present complex ideas in simple ways. She has written several books in verse, including Locomotion, and Peace Locomotion. She has a long list of adolescent novels and picture books that invited adults and children alike to explore important issues in our society. Her works show the struggles within our culture, but are always hopeful.

 

Brow Girl Dreaming is set up in five sections, each chronicling a part of her life:

 

Part I: i am born

 

Part II: the stories of south carolina run like rivers

 

Part III: followed the sky’s mirrored constellation to freedom

 

Part IV: deep in my heart, i do believe

 

Part V: ready to change the world

 

The book is 320 pages of short, poignant poems that tell the story if Woodson’s life. The poems feed on one another, but can also stand alone as pull-out pieces.  The book is unified and reads as a cohesive narrative in the context of Woodson’s life, but you can also read each poem separately, within a context of its own.  This makes the book versatile and very accessible for readers of all ability levels.

 

Woodson creates a unique structure for each individual poem, playing with line breaks and creating visual appeal.  The absence of punctuation and capital letters gives the book a uniquely informal feel.  Woodson capitalizes some proper nouns, to emphasize them, but does not give undue attention to conventions that might interrupt the flow of her narrative.  Because the poems are structured with such care and craft, and line breaks are commensurate with the meaning of the story, the absence of conventions does not confuse or hinder the reader.

 

Recognition for Woodson’s Work

 

Woodson has already received a mountain of critical acclaim for her latest work, Brown Girl Dreaming, not the least of which is the 2014 National Book Award.  She has won many awards for her writing for young people, including the Margaret A. Edwards lifetime achievement award. Her latest honor came in June 2015 when NCTE officially recognized her as the Young People’s Poet Laureate.

 

Despite a plethora of awards and recognition for her work, Woodson has endured personal struggles and even censorship due to her own lifestyle and the content in some of her works. In a December 2014 interview with NPR, Woodson discusses growing up and coming out. She is an activist for equality and tolerance in all facets of society.  Having met her personally, I know she lives these principles every day.

 

In August 2014, Woodson wrote “Where We Enter,” an article for the New York Times discussing how Nikki Giovanni influenced her as a young reader/writer.  The article provides incredible insight on her process and decisions surrounding the publication of Brown Girl Dreaming. It gives the reader a better understanding of her purpose, from the author’s perspective.