Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody

 

" "Ed, how much more longer we gotta go? These rocks is burning my foots," I said. "Ain't much further." (Moody, page 20) and to this Anne responded ""Mama told us we ain't supposed to wear our shoes out round the house. You know we ain't got but one pair and them my school shoes."(Moody, page 20). As you can see being a single mother and having a large family she had one good pair of shoes that could wear. Her emotions was still intact. She was not bratty about having only one pair of shoes. This moment only illustrated one of many financial struggles the family had to go through. As the years went on the times were getting tougher on them, moving into different shacks, they called home. You can imagine in today's time kids only get their first job at sixteen maybe evem eighteen years old. Anne was different. She saw the struggle that her mom was going through working for "the white lady" she herself, "got her first job at nine years old", (Moody, page 31) pursued a job working for Mrs. Johnson, cleaning her porch later turning into the maid of Mrs. Johnson's house. This moment was quite intriguing to me in that it showed Anne persistence to strive for a better family life. She wasn't able to eat properly at school, and with this job she could give money to her siblings and also have milk and pane bread for lunch. It was her ability to see struggle of her mom that allowed her to pursue for a job, so her siblings and mother can have somewhat of a better life. Anne's family barely met ends met and their was no steady income where her family could live comfortably. That was the simple truth.
             Racial difference were very evident when Anne was growing up. They were laws that were set in stone, yet her innocence clouded her judgement about the racial differences that constructed the society in her neighborhood. The first initial counter that itched the back of her head but didn't really keep her up at night was when "I saw her open one of them and pour some milk out of a big dishpan.


Essays Related to Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody