In My Name is Margaret, Maya Angelou
My Name is Margaret is a reading about a young girl who was a servant for a white women named Mrs. Cullinan. Margaret talks about her experiences working as a servant in a white household. As the story progresses Margaret hits her breaking point when someone decides to call her "Mary" because "her name is too long". After reading about her story, questions still remain for me. If I were her position what would I do?, Also, do I agree or disagree with Margaret on breaking the Virginia dishes. Did I agree with Margaret's choice to break the casserole dish and two green glass cups? I don't think I would agree that Margaret made the right decision on breaking the casserole dish and the two green glass cups. But, Margaret does have a point. She was tired of being called "Mary" and nothing would stop Mrs. Cullinan from saying it. Margaret was good at holding Mrs. Cullinan's nonsense in about her but Margaret just couldn't hold it in anymore and couldn't take it any longer with the wrong name and she exploded. But, Margaret did damage Mrs. Cullinan's property. The worst part of this all is that Margaret probably wouldn't be aloud back, which means how was she going to get any income? Margaret should have had a better solution instead of breaking dishes. She should have addressed the problem, and went from there. In the process of breaking the dishes, Mrs. Cullinan threw a piece of broken glass at Margaret but missed and hit Mrs. Glory in the ear. I believe this was Margaret's way of redemption and satisfaction by getting taunted by Mrs. Cullinan for so long. But, I don't think it was the right thing to do. Her actions could hurt her reputation. When have you made an important choice to either resist or not resist oppression, challenge the status quo, or refuse to obey an authority figure? I don't think I ever made an important choice to resist or not resist oppression, challenge the status quo, or refused to obey any type of a authority figure. But, if fitting in with people and fitting in high school challenges the status quo then I guess I have. High school sets the bar high. Awkward stages, different friend groups, drama, and being judged all play a factor in high school. I always wanted or did my own thing. I wanted to be a my own person, my own individual. I always did the opposite of what everybody else was doing. I didn't want to be a follower. I always tried to fit in my freshmen year and sophomore year. After those first 2 years in high school I decided I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and decide to do things my way and try not pressure myself into trying to fit in. I didn't want it to seem like I didn't care about anything or anyone. I always had to same best friend, the other people were just acquaintances. I got along pretty well with the other kids at school, but I didn't care to much during my senior year. I distanced myself from a lot of people, people who had negative energy. I learned that not fitting in is perfectly okay.
3 Comments
Adam Dunbar
2/16/2018 04:26:20 am
I completely agree about being yourself in school. I Think that is really important to understand especially in high school
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Myra Andrews
2/16/2018 11:00:20 am
Allison, I understand why you believe it was wrong for Margaret to break the dishes, but what you are missing is that in that era in time a negro person had no rights, so she could not openly go to her boss and address the fact that she fault insulted by her calling her out of her name. Mrs. Cullinan would had fired her, and may had made trouble for her whole family.
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mosha
2/20/2018 08:18:51 pm
I agree with you. I felt like if she didn't want to be there anymore then just leave. I know times were different then and that was like proving to them I'm just not a regular black person so to speak. she wasn't allowing her to be her oppressor any longer.
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