Susan Straight's short story, Mines, reminded me of my own mother and how tough and tiring it must have been being a single Mother of two boys. Like Straight's main character, Clarette, my mother also had to work a paying job and then work some more when she got home. In Mines, Clarette narrates what she sees and thinks during a short period of a couple days. She is tired at work and even more exhausted at home. In one passage referring to doing laundry she states: "Sometimes they take so long to dry I just sit down on the floor in front of the dryer and read the paper, cause I'm too tired to go back out to the couch. If I sit down on something soft I'll fall asleep, and the jeans wil be all wrinkled in the morning" ( Straight, paragraph: 102). I can recall how my brother and I would give my Mother a hassle if she asked us, politely, to get our laundry out of the dryer and fold it. Clarette, never asks the children to do the laundry she just does it. She takes on all the challenges of her life, including watching her nephew in the Youth Authority where she works, and does not complain. She just accepts her place with a resigned, silent, cynacism.
Clarette works in the Youth Authority as a guard. She describes in cool terms the tatoo's of all the different ethnic gangs. She is very resigned to their fate, referring to them as fools. I do not think she means it in a hateful way, I think Clarette sees them as confused, a product of their enviroment, but also as individuals who need to wake up and see the reality around them. Clarette is just tired, and she just can't bring herself to get too involved but in an ironic twist she will get hurt and cut, stopping a fight at the end of the story. Immediately after this event she goes back into her monitoring station, sits down and begins looking for a Upright piano for her son. This is a perfect snapshot of Clarette, she does not dwell on what has just happened to her, or how she might have gotten hurt, she just continues working. If Clarette were like most people she probably would have quit, sought some sympathy which would certainly be reasonable, and get some rest. This is the irony of her life, she is tired, but she cannot stop.
My Mother struggled with trying to be a Mom and also trying to have her own life, more specifically, she could not find someone else to share her life with on a romantic level. Clarette's story makes me wonder if she could ever find someone to spend her life with on a personal level. Can someone like Clarette who obviously loves her children more than herself, who watches the results of failed homes on a daily basis, ever loosen her grip on her personal responsibilities and have her own life?
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Very interesting look at Susan Straight's story. To try and answer your question, I believe that she "could" loosen her grip on personal responsibilities, but I don't believe that she would. Someone like Clarette, who is obviously very rooted in her ways, is not likely to break outside that shell and live her own life. And why would she? If she cares that much about her children, maybe the life she lives is the only one she needs.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this story. In response to your question, as to Clarette's ability to live life for herself, I believe that in time she could live life for herself. We have to remeber that there had been a man in her life and that she hadnt completly washed her hands of him. I have had friends who have been raised by single mothers and these mothers did everything for their children. They llved for them, but as these friends got older and eventually moved out the mothers started living for themselves again. I think that if nothing else once Clarette's children are older she can find time for herself.
ReplyDeleteReading "Mines" was like getting into someone else’s world or better yet seeing the world through their eyes. It was difficult to read because of the constant transitions from work to home and back again. The story works well to show a struggling single parent dealing with the realities of a harsh life. The way Clarette handles things in the story really shows how strong she really is. Regarding your question, Clarette's personality will simply not allow her to let go of her responsibilities as a mother to her kids. Despite stress at work and putdowns from other people she shows dedication and a strong will. Even to Alfonso her nephew, who is doing time in the correction facility she tries to look after and protect as much as she can. I think that she is too strong of a character to change and give up on anything.
ReplyDeleteClarette will be able to live freely again, when her children have successfully left her house and are on their "own". Clarette reminded me of a woman so involved with her children's lives that she would be watching them with eagle eyes until they pass that impressionable age. Having to always witness not only her nephew but other children who have made bad choices, it only seems natural of Clarette to be overly protective, thus not leaving herself time to "loosen up".
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nick, this story was difficult to read. It jumped around from work to home. The plot is about struggles of parents dealing with life.
ReplyDeleteIn between working and raising children, Clarette will find time for herself.
This reply was created by our AP Lit class, EVHS, in Eagle, CO.
ReplyDeleteThe entire story is a parrallel between Clarette's public and private life. The fight scene at the end is symbolic of her daily, inner fight to do right by her own children and prevent them from ever living in YA. Her goal to buy her son a piano, after she witnessed the fight, recognizes her ability to see instruments of hope vs. despair.