I think that this book has a very interesting and tragic approach to exploring child abuse, which is the focus I would like to examine. In this section of the book, chapters 11 to 18, we really get to see how damaging being abused has been to Bone’s development. I think it is essential for the story to be told from Bone’s perspective in order to see how the abuse affects her. Also, Allison’s incorporation of Bone’s thoughts in her narration of what’s occurring allows readers to see what specific events cause her to question her identity. I think that this was a very effective tool and allowed me to understand Bone despite the fact that our life experiences are so different.
Besides the obvious result of harming Bone physically, one impact of Glen’s violence and sexual violation of Bone is that her body image is harmed. In the earlier sections, we see through Bone’s repetition in her descriptions of Anney that her mother is beautiful in Bone’s eyes. Bone seems to think of herself as awkward and needing to grow into her body, and I can only imagine how damaging being sexually abused by your step-father can be when you are already insecure. Bone assesses herself to be “Probably ugly” and declares that she “didn’t want to be tall” but “wanted to be beautiful” (205). Immediately after examining herself disapprovingly, Glen worsens her self-perception by verbally abusing her, telling her he knows “what a lazy, stubborn girl” she is (209). I think it is awful that Glen tells her this, and while Glen plays a part in Bone’s perception of herself, I don’t understand why Anney doesn’t pick up on these vibes and try to tell Bone otherwise. I find it painfully ironic that Anney worries when Ruth dies that Ruth didn’t know how beautiful she was, and Anney knows that she didn’t do anything to make Ruth feel better about herself, but, at the same time, Anney doesn’t do anything to make her own daughter feel better.
In addition to feeling ugly, Glen makes Bone feel evil. She internalizes the abuse, and while half of her is angry all of the time and hating Glen and many other people, the other half of her blames herself for what occurs. It was painful to read about her feeling either way. I thought the most tragic scene in this section was when Bone’s abuse is exposed at Ruth’s funeral. Bone tries to prevent the exposé and immediately shouts, “Mama! I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” and even, “I made him mad. I did” (246-7). These words show that Bone really felt that she was bad and deserving of Glen’s wrath. Any child feeling that way is terrible. Only Raylene has the right idea, explaining to her that it was not her fault. I think the main reason that Bone never told on Glen for his sexual abuse was because she was worried her mom would not choose her over Glen. I bet she wouldn’t have, since she kept sending Bone away rather than leaving Glen before her family became aware of the abuse. Anney, while I do believe loves Bone, is a terribly weak person. She is so much like A Streetcar Named Desire’s Stella. Both are so deeply in love with their husbands and so driven by sex that they can no longer think for themselves. Bone can see her mother’s attachment, and rather than hurting her mom and also risking being sent away permanently, keeps silent through such horrific abuse. I wonder if Stella’s child will grow up similarly. Blanche must have felt that Stella would do the right thing, which is why she exposed
Even when Anney leaves Glen after her family becomes aware of the abuse, she still does not take good care of Bone, and Bone thinks Anney will eventually go back to Glen. I was disturbed by Anney placing her shock and emotional trauma over Bone’s needs and feelings. Bone longs for her mother to hold her but writes, “I knew from the way she was touching me that if I had not come to her, pushed myself on her, she would never have taken me into her arms” (252). While Anney did go through a life-altering event, too, I think she should be trying to comfort Bone and showing her that she does still love and care about her. I feel so unsympathetic for Anney and wonder when Bone will finally get a parent or guardian who shows her unconditional love and will help her seize the potential she has for a good life. Bone, though she has a huge family, is very alone right now because the person who matters the most to her does not show Bone how valuable she is, and, accordingly, Bone has very low self-esteem.
4 comments:
Yeah the child abuse is really bad and gets very graphic and is hard to read.
i agree that the whole story is kind of ironic. bone is truely abused and its shocking how little her mother comforts her at times.
I think its interesting what you mentioned about Anney and Aunt Ruth. I never really picked up on that passage, but i see what you mean, the irony of it. I think that its one thing for someone to attack your character, say potentially harmful things to you, but its another when the person you are soposed to trust most in the world allows it to happen. This is what Anney is doing, and I think this hurts Bone more than anything that Glen could say or do. when you are a child, your mother is your world and to have both of these worlds be crumbling is really detrimental to Bone. So, I think this is why she has developed such awful opinions of herself. the fact that Anney never steped up is telling Bone that everything Glen says is true. Anney is weak and dissapointing to the point where i wish her Aunt Raylene would take over, and then everything would work out.
I was also mad at the fact that Glen got away with so much. I think that the uncles should have more then beat him they should have tortured him for all the years Bone was tortured.
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