- Talk about what you enjoyed about reading the essay, particularly which scenes stood out to you
- Share your own experience with having to deal with (stand up to) authority
- Discuss how your decision impacted your life
- Reveal how your decision differed or didn't differ from how relatives or friends would've have dealt with the same situation
Dear Margaret,
I enjoyed your story. Although it kind of made me a little angry because I actually felt what you were going through as I was reading. Honestly, I think that’s what made it so great.It was easy to imagine exactly what you went through because of how well it was written.. However this one particular scene did stand out to me.
“Miss Glory came running in from the yard and the women from the porch crowded around. Miss Glory was almost as broke up as her mistress. “You mean to say she broke our Virginia dishes? What we gone do? Mrs. Cullinan cried louder, “That clumsy nigger. Clumsy little black nigger.”
Old speckled-face leaned down and asked, “Who did it, Viola? Was it Mary? Who did it?”
Everything was happening so fast I can’t remember whether her action preceded her words, but I know Mrs. Cullinan said, “Her name’s Margaret, goddam it, her name’s Margaret.” And she threw a wedge of the broken plate on me. It could have been the hysteria which put her aim off, but the flying crockery caught Miss Glory right over her ear and she started screaming.
I left the front door wide open so all the neighbors could hear.
Mrs. Cullinan was right about one thing. My name wasn’t Mary.
After being completely degraded and disrespected you still kept it together. I must say that was a very wise way to get back at her (by dropping the dishes). I know that being called something other than your name, especially without your permission can be very offensive and often taken personal enough to react just as cruel. You demanded respect without saying anything and that was very admirable. I experienced something like that before. I was 14 years old and I dated a white boy for the first time. His name was Matt. We really liked each other and our skin colors didn’t matter at all to us. One day after school he brought me home to meet his parents and although his parents was nice to me I instantly knew that his mother hated that I was black. She offered to get me something to drink and asked her son to help her. From the living room I heard her say “How dare you bring that nigger girl in my house”? He calmly said “ Look mom I like her and i don’t care if she’s black I’m still going to see her”. He then walked out and told me to come on. I waved and politely said goodbye. I killed her with kindness.If that we’re most people they probably would have cursed her old racist ass out but, hey, I guess thats what makes me different. Even though I still decided to break it off, I was flattered that he stuck up for me and stood up to his parents. I will forever admire him for it.