Bone Black Essay, Research Paper

bell and the People of Her World e world revolves around our relationThship with other people. Our relationships with our family, friends and even strangers are what makes us into our own unique person. bell has her own way of dealing with of dealing with people, she is not the conventional child at all. Her views on racism and gender are the complete opposite of society s opinion. She also loves elderly people and looks at them fortunate that they get to die soon. bell doesn t judge by status or even notice if someone is of higher or lower status. When bell was little she heard the adult talk about race and how it was such an issue. She hears that white children are bad and black children shouldn t go to school with them. When she is this young she doesn t understand why white children are so bad she thinks they are people like everyone else. But color has always been a setback for bell because she has light skin and straight hair. She is called the outcast of the family. Her grandmother doesn t like her because of it and others torment her because she is different. As bell grows older race problems and cultural differences occur throughout the novel. She starts to attend an integrated school. At first all the black children attend the integrated school, then they say some of the young men aren t smart enough or cause to much trouble to go to school and are kicked out. bell is said to be smart and can attend school but she knows it is because she is well behaved and doesn t cause a threat to them. While she attends the integrated school she becomes friend mostly with the white children. This is a big problem because she isn t supposed to mix with them, but she feel more comfortable with them. bell hates men she never wants to marry because she doesn t them to have control over her. She think the man will have control over her as a result of her parent s relationship with each other. She sees the control her father has and how her mother acts differently when he isn t around. She doesn t understand why her mother lets her father do this and doesn t think it is fair. Her other exposer to men is with her brother. He has toys that he tell bell are for boys and she can t play with them. He is mean to her by making her pull the wheelbarrow when they are out of sight from their parents. She also sees how he is treated differently because he is a boy. He can hangout with whomever he wants even if his parents don t necessarily approve of them. bell thinks all men will be liker her brother and her father. bell does not want to lose control of her life to a man.

On the opposite side of the coin, bell love the elderly. She finds them fascinating because they are just a little strange like herself. I want to be old as soon as possible for I see how the old ones live-free. They are free to be different-unique-distinct from one another. (88) An example of bell fascination with the elderly is the woman who went to church every Sunday and sat in the third row. The woman would wear a funny hat and sing out the music so everyone could hear her. bell love that the woman has her own style and does not care about the others opinion. bell also remembers an elderly lady that she worked for. She is afflicted with palsy, bell says. bell works for her by doing odd chores and staying the night with her. She has her own bed and can read all night if she wants too. The elderly woman also likes to read and they sit in bed and read together. bell really likes her because the are good company for each other (108) bell also says that old men are the only ones with feelings. She likes the way they understand each other. They cry at church and truly felt God s love. bell live her life how she for herself she stands-up to authority whenever she feel it is wrong. She is a rebel. She speaks out against her mother even when it causes her more punishment she does not listen to what she is told. Status has no affect on bell. She doesn t listen to her grandmother when she tells her to get out of the old car. In fact, she taunts her grandmother by staying in the car and spitting at her. She also doesn t listen to her father when he tells her to stop doing something she continues on until he physically makes her stop. She is a problem child as a result of this. She makes friend with whomever she wants no matter what the adults say. bell is a unique child. All of the norms of society she doesn t understand and therefore does not follow them. She doesn t understand race and why white children and black children are different. In a time that it was considered appropriate the little girls dream of marriage it is more like a nightmare for bell. She hates the thought of a man controlling her and how she might end up like her mother. When people are afraid of death and the elderly cause they are near to death. bell seeks comfort in them and loves to be around them. The status of the adults in her life have no consequence to her and she does not listen to them. She is a problem child. bell is truly a unique person.