Maretha was a character missing in the piano lesson discussion; Andrew brought up a good point when he mentioned that part of Berniece’s lesson was that her past is what makes her who she is and being a part of that is good for Maretha. Until then, I hadn’t given it much thought but that comment got me thinking… what was Berniece trying to keep Maretha away from??
When I first read Berniece ordering her daughter to go to her room or demanding that Doaker get her away from the conversaion, I dismissed it thinking, ‘this is just a mom who is agitated that her trouble-making brother is back in town’. Now I see there was more to it…
Many of us made the connection that Maretha was doing things for Berniece that Berniece used to do for Mama Esther, but I wonder how Mama Esther treated Berniece after Papa Charles died. Did Mama Esther become domineering, in an effort to feel control over her pain. Or did she take a more passive approach, isolating herself from the family as well as society? Either way, it could have molded Berniece and how she would parent Maretha in the future.
I have to ask, what kind of things was Maretha dealing with while her mother was so busy dealing with “piano issues”? Maretha seems like she could be the speaker in “Hanging Fire” (p650), and the name above the door her mother is locked behind is, "The Piano".
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Wow, good analysis. I never really thought about Martha, and her relationship with Berniece.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I can say that it is very true that the things that your parents do are likely to be picked up by the children when they start raising kids. I have seen it before with people that I know.
Very interesting point.
Interesting take on the character of Maretha. She was mentioned so little, I kind of forgot about her. It is kind of interesting that while Berniece is trying to hold on to the piano because of what it means to the family, she doesn't want her daughter to be exposed to what makes her family unique.
ReplyDeleteFor me Berniece is trying to keep the history out of Marethas life so she doesn't have to live with the suffering that she did. She remembers how is was seeing her mother polish that piano day in and day out and just how miserable she must have seemed. but maybe this was how she showed her love for her late husband. I think that everyone should know about their past and i am very intrigued by the past and how it has shaped families for so many centuries.
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