Monday, January 5, 2009

Caucasia

When I first started reading Caucasia, I just couldn't get into it. In the beginning it was just a little too slow moving for me. However, once I made it through the first few pages, I really got into the book and it's characters.

For starters, Birdie is such a spunky eight year old. Especially in the scene when the police try to accuse her dad of kidnapping her at the park. This random white couple assumed that since Birdie was white and her father was black that he had kidnapped her. After the whole fiasco happened, she walked passed the white couple that called the police and flipped them off. This just shows how spunky she truly is. Birdie is also a who desires attention. All she wants, is to get love from her father and please her sister, Cole. One example of this, is when she goes and spends the weekend at her fathers house. He plainly ignores her, while she listens to every word he says. Then she tries to add in her opinions at times and her random thoughts. She also tries to please Cole and act like Cole. I thought it was cute when she tried to start speaking in a slang like the kids at school.

The mom is another very interesting charater. She confuses me. I know that their is something missing in her head because she acts kind of crazy. I mean she plays games with her kids like I'm not your mother. Then the kids will cry and be truly scared of her. What kind of game is that? When I was younger I would play hide and seek with my mom or tag not I'm not your mother.

I like the fact that this book has interesting characters though. It keeps me interested in it and wondering what is going to happen next. Like I am wondering what is happening with the Redbone guy and why is he taking pictures of Birdie. To me he just seems like a creeper. Well, I just can't wait to see how this book ends!

3 comments:

Peter G. said...

I thought that the beginning of the story was pretty slow as well, it took me a little bit to get into it too. I think that the main reason why Danzy's work has been praised so much is that the characters are really complex. She takes a lot of time to describe all of them in detail as well as everthing that they do.

Lisa said...

I liked the beginning of the story, but I totally agree with you about Birdie being spunky. I thought it was soooo funny when she flipped off the old white couple! I feel bad for her too though, she tries to get attention from her dad doing all of these crazy antics, but he just ignores her because her "black" isn't visible.

Becca K. said...

I love Birdie as well. It seems so sad that she has to work hard to get attention from her mother, her father, and even her sister (when she's around Carmen and her dad). As she tries to gain the attention of those around her, she begins to change. She hides her real identity and transforms herself to please whoever she is with at a given time. With her mom, she is the loving, supportive daughter. With Cole, she becomes more like herself, but ends up becoming dependent on Cole's love and affection. With her dad, she becomes pro-Black Power and listens intently to all he says in order to make a good impression on him.

The sad part is that she is often encouraged to hide who she is. When she is on the run with her mom, she has to act like a white, Jewish girl. She has to tell lies about her past and hide who she really is all while waiting anxiously for Cole and her dad to come back. Hiding who she is takes a huge toll on her. She eventually becomes so paranoid at being found out that she enjoys the solitude of her house more than the outside world. It's so sad that who she really is is being changed most by the people she loves.