BLOG 8

The black Mary, found on the label of "BLACK MADONNA HONEY," is a symbol for the African Americans in this novel. Even Lily feels the power of Mary; even though initially she is intrigued but perplexed by the idea of the mother of Jesus actually being black. In a way, the image of the black Mary gives her the strength to leave her home and find Tiburon, because the label was a keepsake of her mother's. The daughters of Mary have their own religion, unorthodox and unique to each person as an African American. Mary is described as: She had a faded red heart painted on her breast and a yellow crescent moon, worn down and crooked, painted where her body would have blended into the ship's wood. A candle inside a tall red glass threw glints and glimmers across her body. She was a mix of mighty and humble all in one." Mary is a symbol of remembrance for them that dates back to the time of slavery. She was a symbol of hope for the slaves and they carried her memory with them through the years. The image of Mary in the Boatwright's home has a power that the characters have trouble describing. Lily reflects: "I didn't know what to think, but what I felt was magnetic and so big it ached like the moon had entered my chest and filled it up." When Lily stands before the Mary, she thinks, "That's what black Mary did to me, made me feel m glory and my shame at the same time." Mary was called by the daughters, "Our Lady in Chains." The daughters even had a special day devoted solely to Mary, "Mary Day," one of their favorite days of the year.