rough draft

Feminism in The Flowers

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that we have had so many technological advances and we still hold women to a different standard than men. When we were advancing in science and medicine we were still behind in the empowerment of women. The right for women to vote in this country wasn’t even permitted until less than one hundred years ago and we continue to have negative standards for women. Just like in The Flowers by Dagoberto Gilb, we can see that time hasn’t changed the that way assume women should be.There is are categories which women have started falling under, good girl and bad girl with nothing in between but men aren’t a part of this because they are considered players for doing the same thing. In the novel the author provides examples of this good girl bad girl stigma in the characters Cindy and Nica. 

Cindy is a married nineteen year old who’s husband Tino is always out selling drugs. The main male character Sonny makes it a habit of using Cindy just for her body and taking advantage of the fact that she is lonely. Cindy is considered the bad girl in the story just because she isn’t afraid to get what she wants. Since she is in an unhappy relationship and wants Sonny’s comfort she is loose. Even if she weren’t married and just wanted to be with Sonny, she would still be portrayed as the bad girl character since she had sex with Sonny. Cindy is seen as less than a person in Sonny’s eyes. “Cindy looked her dirty way at me and was going how she was really lonely, so I was all oh yeah I’ll come up... Fuck her candy-sales husband. Nobody was around in the afternoons, so it wasn’t like I had to watch what how  I said what (170).” At first it seems that he is with her just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time (or the right place at the right time) but he starts to use her when he is angry. Cindy is just seen as someone that can be used and not taken seriously because she isn’t girlfriend material. 

The author provides details that make it okay for Sonny to use Cindy. Whenever Sonny describes Cindy he always comments on what little clothing she is wearing and how you can some how seen through it. There isn’t much sympathy for Cindy even though her drug dealing husband is never home. “Cindy’d already been smoking mota and drinking wine and something was making me think there was more serious shit too (173).” Her body is the main topic whenever Sonny see’s her its almost as if he can’t see past it because he doesn’t want to; Cindy’s body is the only thing about her that interests Sonny. She often tells Sonny how lonely she is and that she has no friends but no one seems to care. 

Nica is perceived to be the opposite of Cindy. Nica is pure because she doesn’t sleep around or drink and smoke. Sonny cares so much about Nica that he wouldn’t even consider using her the way that he does Cindy. “ She wanted me to touch her everywhere and in every way. I didn’t want her like that... (249).” When Sonny thinks of Nica he mentions her beautiful hair and how it frames her face. His desire is to be next to her and hold her. He doesn’t want her in the carnal way he wants Cindy. Why the difference? Nica is timid and her intentions with Sonny aren’t clear until the end but Cindy is a woman who isn’t afraid to get what she wants. 

Cindy seeks out comfort through Sonny since she is always home alone and even though she is in a failing marriage she gets no respect. She is just invisible to everyone in the apartments. “It was as though I was the only one who ever saw her standing there, because nobody else looked at her... (171).” Cindy realized probably at a much earlier age that she could empower herself by using her body. She knew that men would easily respond to this tactic and used it on Sonny. She tried showing her affection for Sonny through sex but he just found it as a way to get what he wanted without any commitment. For the same reasons that Cindy is considered a slut and the bad girl of the story, Sonny is the player.

In the novel the only companions that Sonny has are the twins. Mike and Joe are the biggest example of what it was suppose to mean to be men. The twins talk about all women like they are objects and like they themselves are players even though it is clear that they are not. It’s as if the only way that they can be perceived as men is if they sleep around and use women.The derogatory way that the twins talk her without having even met Cindy show the view on girls in that society since this story doesn’t take place in todays time.. The twins also glorify the nudie magazines that Sonny steals and have a collection of their own. “I was seeing Cindy and I was in love with Nica... (111).” That is why Sonny doesn’t mention Nica to the twins until the end of the story; he doesn’t want to be teased for actually liking someone for a reason other than sex. Sonny probably didn’t want the twins to ask about Nica in a sexual way; what she had “jugaluggas, buenas nalgas, o todo el paquetote (23).” the way that the twins asked the second after Sonny mentioned Cindy. He has respect for Nica which he definitely does not have for Cindy.

Cindy did make the first move with Sonny but out of loneliness. She wanted love in her life since she wasn’t happy with her estranged husband and knew that the only way a boy would pay attention to her would be through sex. This only enforces a mans mindset in thinking that they can just women at their pleasing. If a man’s wife never came home and he decided to seek the comfort of another person no one would look twice. Since Cindy is a woman though she is classified as a whore. That is why Cindy is the bad girl in the story because she is not afraid to get what she wants. Cindy is looking for a way out since she got married so young but whatever way she would choose wouldn’t look good for her. 

This novel isn’t the only example of the good girl/ bad girl role that can be found. The media is constantly showing women drinking and sleeping around as jokes and women that can’t possibly taken seriously. Shows like “The Bad Girls Club” exemplify this behavior and practically ridicule their behavior. Of course no one could have respect for women like this but the men who show the same behavior are glorified. One of the most iconic figures that most men idolize is Hugh Hefner. He is mainly a business man in a business that all men want to be in but what he is more famous for is his habit to date multiple women at the same time. It had once been said that he had sixteen girlfriends at one time. A women with sixteen boyfriends would be a slut but when a man does it it is something to idolize. 

Times haven’t changed when it comes to men and women. Looking at a novel that wasn’t set in todays time is a great example of how our mentality is the same now as it was then. There is no such thing as women finding empowerment through sex the way that men can. By having a bad girl character that everyone looks down on it is acceptable to just look the other way when men use them. Cindy doesn’t get the same respect as any other person would for things that men can do without getting other people to notice.

Cindy

Cindy is considered the bad girl in the story just because she isn’t afraid to get what she wants. Since she is in an unhappy relationship and wants Sonny’s comfort she is loose. Even if she weren’t married and just wanted to be with Sonny, she would still be portrayed as the bad girl character since she had sex with Sonny. Cindy is seen as less than a person in Sonny’s eyes. “Cindy looked her dirty way at me and was going how she was really lonely, so I was all oh yeah I’ll come up... Fuck her candy-sales husband. Nobody was around in the afternoons, so it wasn’t like I had to watch what how  I said what. (170).” At first it seems that he is with her just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time (or the right place at the right time) but he starts to use her when he is angry. Cindy is just seen as someone that can be used and not taken seriously because she isn’t girlfriend material. 

Whenever Sonny describes Cindy he always comments on what little clothing she is wearing and how you can some how seen through it. There isn’t much sympathy for Cindy even though her drug dealing husband is never home. “It was as though I was the only one who ever saw her standing there, because nobody else looked at her... (171)” She often tells Sonny how lonely she is and that she has no friends but no one seems to care. The author provides many details that make the reader feel more comfortable with the fact that Sonny is just using Cindy. “Cindy’d already been smoking mota and drinking wine and something was making me think there was more serious shit too. (173)” Cindy isn’t pure like Nica is and even though Sonny doesn’t know Nica that well he still treats her differently than he does Cindy.

Even though I don’t think this story wasn't set in todays time, a lot of the views on girls would be the same today especially about a girl like Cindy. The derogatory way that the twins talk her without having even met Cindy show the view on girls in that society. It’s as if the only way that they can be perceived as men is if they sleep around and use women. The twins also glorify the nudie magazines that sonny steals and have a collection of their own. I think thats why Sonny never mentions Nica to the twins; he doesn’t want to be teased for actually liking someone for a reason other than sex. “I was seeing Cindy and I was in love with Nica... (111).”

Cindy did make the first move with Sonny but out of loneliness. She wanted love in her life since she wasn’t happy with her estranged husband and knew that the only way a boy would pay attention to her would be through sex. This only enforces a mans mindset in thinking that they can just women at their pleasing. I don’t entirely agree with the feminist point of view but I do see the truth in some points. If a man’s wife never came home and he decided to seek the comfort of another person no one would look twice. Since Cindy is a woman though she is classified as a whore. The same thing goes with men that are players and women that are players. Women don’t get the same treatment and are seen as sluts. That is why Cindy is the “bad girl” in the story and since she is it makes more it acceptable in the readers eyes when Sonny uses her.

Car Salesman Significance

The car salesman seems to have an important part in the story. He definitely brings up a lot of controversy by selling used cars to the black people that live in the city. Cloyd and many of the others aren’t happy with what Mr.Pink is doing. Pink isn’t like the typical “white-man” in the sense that he sells used cars as if they were his own without a license. When Pink and Sonny went into the black neighborhood Sonny mentioned how well Pink fit in there, “... I got even more comfortable because it seemed like he was in his own neighborhood (pages 65-66).” 

Mr. Pink ends up giving a car to Sonny in exchange for information from Cloyd but Pink is really vague about the information he’s looking for. This makes pink seem really shady but not exactly to the point where it seems that he is up to no good. Pink seems to be one of the very few white adults in the apartments that is even willing to associate with black people. This is the reason why I think that the car salesman’s purpose in the story is to really focus on the racism occurring in the neighborhood and the apartments. Sonny begins to notice Cloyds attitude towards blacks through PInks actions. Cloyd starts to question Sonny about Pinks intentions and the reason he is selling cars to black people. “Did Pink sell a car to those colored yesterday? (page 109).” Bud shares the same hatred towards blacks as Cloyd and questions Sonny about pink as well. “What’s with that clown selling to them blacks anyways? (page 110)

Most of the characters have made it clear at this point that black people are eventually going to move into their neighborhood whether they like it or not. I predict that the Pink will have something to do with the change that is going to occur in the apartments either directly or indirectly. Since he has been the main one stirring up the racial controversy, I predict that this will be one of his major roles.

Metacognitive reflection

Reading this novel hasn’t been too difficult but the only day that i can fit in time is Sunday. This isn’t really a problem but I just don’t have enough time to really reflect on what I’ve read. I can reflect enough to write on my blog but putting it off until the last day in’t the best thing. I usually analyze the book more as the week goes on and I have had time to rethink about the passages I’ve read. Things tend to make more sense in the book as the week goes on. This book is a pretty good read so I am generally curious to see what is going to happen next but I feel that I need to spread my reading out throughout the week.

Before I start reading I usually ask myself the questions that are stuck in my head from the last time that I read. I tend to predict what is going to happen next while I’m reading. What tends to confuse me in this book is how Sonny jumps around from scene to scene without many transitions and sometimes doesn’t introduce the characters before they talk. This is usually the reason why I go back and reread passages.

Reader Response to Sonny and the Old Man

Sonny’s character in The Flowers has had a smart mouth and has been pocketing loose change up onto this point, but when he’s walking home from the bowling alley one night he accidentally bumps into an old man. After some name calling on both parts, the old man tries to grab Sonny’s and and throw some punches. Sonny manages to move out of the way and lands some punches of his own and doesn’2t stop until the old man is on the floor which is when Sonny’s runs off with the mans wallet. This all occurred during pages 146-147. 

The entire time while I was reading this I couldn't believe Sonny was really fighting with an old man. I sympathized with him when he mentioned how he didn’t want to yell or fight with the man but he felt like he couldn't just stand there and do nothing. I think at this point in the story it is clear that Sonny isn’t the type of character to really keep his anger inside. I think that the author meant for us to be appalled by what sonny was doing but still be able to relate because we’ve all done things out of anger that we aren't proud of. 

My own values made me angry while reading this passage because Sonny didn’t just act on self defense he acted out of anger and greed. Sonny could have just gotten himself out of the situation and ran away but instead he stayed and was unhappy until the man was on the ground. “I threw at that old man right in his stinky hocico, and then I hit on his face again. He didn't fall, and he was saying something to me, so i hit him again too-mas harder, because even though he was a little dazed, he wasn’t going to stop--a couple more times and he did stop.” This short passage was very powerful in my opinion because Sonny took things to a level I never imagined he would. It was obvious up to this point in the story that Sonny’s stealing was getting more out of hand and that it seemed to be occurring the most out of anger instead of need. Once Sonny was sitting in the Bel Air looking at how little this old man had in his wallet, I couldn't help but read this with my values and emotions in mind. Sonny stole this poor old mans wallet who barely had a penny to his name and didn't even have any pictures or ID. It was like this old man could have never existed and no one would have known the difference. i felt pity for the old man because we never learned his name or about his family. 

Sonny does feel sorry for taking this mans wallet which is apparent when he’s sitting in the Bel Air counting the money. “I was feeling sick. It was sad this old dude didn’t have nothing. why’d he have to go after me? It was his own fault, but i felt sorry and dirty.” After reading this I almost forgave Sonny for doing what he did because I could sympathize and at least he felt bad.

Sonny and The stranger

In the novel The Flowers by Dagoberto Gill, the passage below really stands out in my mind.

I swear he’s slugging the door with his fist, and there was like a crackling wood sound. “Do you hear me, kid? Do you fucking hear me?” ... The man started kicking the door. Then he was throwing his body against it, and you could hear the wood cracking... His eyes were slits but i could feel heat and breathing out of them too and i was standing there too and i was standing maybe ten feet away, one hand with the big knife loaded in it and the other clenched and a little up, looking ready to jab in a left-right combination... Then he went at me. He was so fast he took me down even before I saw him come and his hand locked my hand with the knife in it to the floor... I got up once he got off me, and i was crying, and i saw how i was bleeding at my stomach... He was standing there watching me for what might have been a long time. and then he just turned around and took off out the broken front door. (pages 7-8)

This scene happens so early on in the book that I am still confused as to why it was there, but what really stood out in this passage was that it gave another level to Sonny’s character. Even though Sonny was scared he was smart enough to grab a knife to try to protect himself. This passage is important because it shows how his mothers relationships affect him and how he is from a broken home. Even at this point in the story it is easy to tell that Sonny loves his mom very much but he doesn't care or try to get involved in her relationships because they never last. I think this is the reason why Sonny never gives anymore information about this. After rereading the passage I realized that Sonny never mentions the mans name or talks about him again. I think this symbolizes how he feels about his mom in her relationships. He tries not to get involved but he still ends up getting hurt in the end. 

This is one of the few passages that really confused me though. It really doesn't provide many other details and Sonny doesn't say much to lead up to it, but after reading it i still get a better sense of how Sonny felt in his own home. After reading this I still want to know who this man is and why he came into the picture so abruptly and left the same way but i figure whats important is the insight into Sonny’s life. The last sentence in the passage seems to describe his family “broken”. Sonny has mentioned how his mother and sister Ceci were constantly fighting and he doesn't even mention his sister anymore. His mother is never around either, she is just at home to sleep or to get ready to leave again. It wasn't until much further in the story that i questioned the absence of Sonny’s father which much be the last thing on his mind.

I am..

I am motivated. As much as I love my big family I want to separate myself from them to find out what I want in life. I've dreamt of becoming a psychologist since I was in middle school and even though it's a bit out of reach I want to do my specialty at Stanford. Im still not sure about everything in the middle i just know I want to eventually open up my private practice. I am very loving and enjoy spending time with my nieces and nephews and have loved watching them grow up.