I really disliked T Ray. I know that I wasn’t supposed to. But even at the end of the book, when it showed a possibility of why he became such a jerk, my heart couldn’t soften much to him.
I really abhor bullies and people who use abuse for power, even in their low self esteem. But besides his obvious lack in parent skills, another aspect about T Ray jumped out at me. He looked down on women, an anti-feminist.
There are several examples of it in the text. “T. Ray hated female puberty worse than anything” (27). When he found Lily out in the field he said “I expect this out of boys, Lily—you can’t blame them—but I expect more out of you. You act no better than a slut” (24). And he always tried to make her feel dumb and hated it when she read. “What kind of person is against reading? I think he believed it would stir up ideas of college, which he thought a waste of money for girls” (15).
Is it just because his wife left him that he treats women this way? Or was he always this way and that is the very reason why Lily’s mom left in the first place?
I think T. Ray is was just bitter about his wife attempting to leave, and when he lost her for eternity, he grew bitter at most all women. He acts out on his hatred towards females, no matter what their color is. It almost makes me want to assume that T. Ray's issue is not so much with skin color so much as it is with gender differences. I don't like bullies, either. But what really bothers me is when there is no concrete reason why they mistreat people. I can't figure out why T. Ray is so abusive. Is it the color issue or the gender issue?
I wish T. Ray's character was deeper. I feel like he was just a "filler" in spots where the story needed him. I would've loved to learn more about why he talked to Lily the way he did or why his wife wanted to leave him. Realistically, his wife might have wanted to leave him just so she could be free, but free from what--just from being a mom? I would've liked to know more about that background. I do think there is a gentle spirit to T. Ray that is somewhat shown in the end between him and Lily. Not just because he let her stay, but because I think it showed he wants what is best for his daughter. It showed that he truly cares for her, and in turn for her mother because Lily is apart of her mother.
I really disliked T Ray. I know that I wasn’t supposed to. But even at the end of the book, when it showed a possibility of why he became such a jerk, my heart couldn’t soften much to him.
ReplyDeleteI really abhor bullies and people who use abuse for power, even in their low self esteem. But besides his obvious lack in parent skills, another aspect about T Ray jumped out at me. He looked down on women, an anti-feminist.
There are several examples of it in the text. “T. Ray hated female puberty worse than anything” (27). When he found Lily out in the field he said “I expect this out of boys, Lily—you can’t blame them—but I expect more out of you. You act no better than a slut” (24). And he always tried to make her feel dumb and hated it when she read. “What kind of person is against reading? I think he believed it would stir up ideas of college, which he thought a waste of money for girls” (15).
Is it just because his wife left him that he treats women this way? Or was he always this way and that is the very reason why Lily’s mom left in the first place?
I think T. Ray is was just bitter about his wife attempting to leave, and when he lost her for eternity, he grew bitter at most all women. He acts out on his hatred towards females, no matter what their color is. It almost makes me want to assume that T. Ray's issue is not so much with skin color so much as it is with gender differences. I don't like bullies, either. But what really bothers me is when there is no concrete reason why they mistreat people. I can't figure out why T. Ray is so abusive. Is it the color issue or the gender issue?
ReplyDeleteI wish T. Ray's character was deeper. I feel like he was just a "filler" in spots where the story needed him. I would've loved to learn more about why he talked to Lily the way he did or why his wife wanted to leave him. Realistically, his wife might have wanted to leave him just so she could be free, but free from what--just from being a mom? I would've liked to know more about that background. I do think there is a gentle spirit to T. Ray that is somewhat shown in the end between him and Lily. Not just because he let her stay, but because I think it showed he wants what is best for his daughter. It showed that he truly cares for her, and in turn for her mother because Lily is apart of her mother.
ReplyDelete