Guillaume is a character that enjoys the finer things in life and I noticed this once he started to complain about a restaurant being poisonous due to its surrounding. He is a character introduced in James Baldwin’s work of fiction, Giovanni’s Room, a story that takes place in France during the 1950's. It is about how a man deals with his sudden falling in love with another man. Meet Guillaume through his values, character traits, and his relationship with Giovanni.
Guillaume values his money and other people’s opinions about him. He values money because it gives him the opportunity to have a rich life and have other’s think highly of him. He is the owner of gay bar that the characters enjoy going to. He also values people’s opinions about him by dressing in expensive clothes, telling his grand stories, being sociable with is customers, and having Giovanni address him as his patron. Being rich is important to him because, I believe that he thinks that first impressions are all about how he is presented externally.
Baldwin illustrates Guillaume to be a character that is egotistical and boring. He expresses being proud by letting everyone in his bar know that this is his bar, he welcomes other characters with long stories, and when first meeting Giovanni at a movie theater, Guillaume emphasizes how expensive his lost scarf is. He is boring due to the other character’s reactions to him and his storytelling. The narrator, David, describes Jacques face to wander while Guillaume continues to talk to him. Giovanni also shares with the readers how after hearing the story of Guillaume’s lost scarf and being asked out to accompany him in dinner, he agreed to end the conversation. However, he did not plan to go due to Guillaume’s lack of personality.
The day has come that the two planned to have dinner, and by not eating all day Giovanni decided to meet up with Guillaume. From then on, the two developed a relationship in which Guillaume gave Giovanni a place to live, and a source of income, working at his bar. Being so good with the customers, bringing in business, Guillaume kept him and at the same time could not touch him which is what Giovanni wanted. Giovanni literally accepted Guillaume as his patron.
I think that Guillaume is proud of what he has made out of himself, the owner of a gay bar, and is not shy to let other people know. This works in his benefit because, by being the owner the customers have to be loyal to him and they show this by listening to his long stories. I think that it is safe to categorize Guillaume as a boring, rich, elderly homosexual that takes what you have to say about him into deep consideration.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Help Me Help You
In literature, a motif is a reoccurring theme, symbol, image, phrase, object, or character. In the memoir, The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life by Frankie Lennon, the narrator expresses to her readers her journey in life as a lesbian black woman. In her memoir, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) motifs lay waiting for readers to catch them. The GLBT motifs of affirming sexual identity and coping with homophobia and sexism in the black community can be found in the selections of “Tribes” and “Sanctuary.”
The narrator affirms her sexual identity through the atmosphere and people she meets in “Tribes” and “Sanctuary.” In “Tribes” the narrator depends on the other same sex attracted couples to teach her how to be free like them. She felt comfortable at Jewel’s, the main black gay bar in Los Angeles, assuring herself that she is indeed lesbian. In “Sanctuary” Reverend Carl Bean helps the narrator affirm her sexual identity by reminding her that she has nothing to be ashamed about because, she is born the way she is and that she is special. The narrator found affirmation about her sexual identity among the people and places where she also found acceptance, hospitality, and understanding. For her it was at Jewel’s Room Bar and Unity Fellowship Church of Christ at the Ebony Showcase Theater.
At Jewel’s and Ebony Showcase Theater is where the narrator goes to cope with homophobia and sexism in the black community. In Jewel’s the narrator drinks up and has a good time with her new found tribe. This is where she relaxes and let loose to get away from the hectic life of reality. During the gatherings at the Ebony Showcase Theater she felt like she belonged, and it was her time to associate with other people that may have been going through the same things she is going through. She found common ground with these people, now knowing that she does not have to hide who she is anymore. She finds refuge, hope, and guidance from the people she met at the Unity Fellowship Church of Christ. In both of these places, the narrator found new ways of coping with her experiences with homophobia and sexism in the black community.
“Tribes” is where the narrator shares here experience finding her place in Los Angeles and, “Sanctuary” is where readers read into the narrator finding a place for prayer, understanding, and comfort. Both places the narrator found more that what she was looking for, she also found acceptance toward her establishing herself as a lesbian and ways to cope with the problems she may encounter by doing so. Reading about the narrator’s journey about how tough it is being who she is day to day made me realize that same sex attracted people today suffer in silence, I can help them speak out. Not talking about in public with a microphone, but just be there for them when I can. It has happened to my friend many times, and I am trying my best to be her tribe and sanctuary.
The narrator affirms her sexual identity through the atmosphere and people she meets in “Tribes” and “Sanctuary.” In “Tribes” the narrator depends on the other same sex attracted couples to teach her how to be free like them. She felt comfortable at Jewel’s, the main black gay bar in Los Angeles, assuring herself that she is indeed lesbian. In “Sanctuary” Reverend Carl Bean helps the narrator affirm her sexual identity by reminding her that she has nothing to be ashamed about because, she is born the way she is and that she is special. The narrator found affirmation about her sexual identity among the people and places where she also found acceptance, hospitality, and understanding. For her it was at Jewel’s Room Bar and Unity Fellowship Church of Christ at the Ebony Showcase Theater.
At Jewel’s and Ebony Showcase Theater is where the narrator goes to cope with homophobia and sexism in the black community. In Jewel’s the narrator drinks up and has a good time with her new found tribe. This is where she relaxes and let loose to get away from the hectic life of reality. During the gatherings at the Ebony Showcase Theater she felt like she belonged, and it was her time to associate with other people that may have been going through the same things she is going through. She found common ground with these people, now knowing that she does not have to hide who she is anymore. She finds refuge, hope, and guidance from the people she met at the Unity Fellowship Church of Christ. In both of these places, the narrator found new ways of coping with her experiences with homophobia and sexism in the black community.
“Tribes” is where the narrator shares here experience finding her place in Los Angeles and, “Sanctuary” is where readers read into the narrator finding a place for prayer, understanding, and comfort. Both places the narrator found more that what she was looking for, she also found acceptance toward her establishing herself as a lesbian and ways to cope with the problems she may encounter by doing so. Reading about the narrator’s journey about how tough it is being who she is day to day made me realize that same sex attracted people today suffer in silence, I can help them speak out. Not talking about in public with a microphone, but just be there for them when I can. It has happened to my friend many times, and I am trying my best to be her tribe and sanctuary.
Tribes
People learn how to act, talk, walk, and dress from other people. These people may be friends, neighbors, or tribes. A tribe is a family, especially a large one (Webster’s Dictionary). In The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life by Frankie Lennon, in the selection “Tribes,” the narrator finds her tribe within the main black gay bar in Los Angeles. The narrator grows a relationship with this place, and the people within it and clearly sets the mood of the environment for her readers to grasp.
The main black gay bar I have previously mentioned is Jewel’s Room Bar. The narrator’s relationship with Jewel’s is a fresh start, because it is the place where she felt most comfortable in the big town of Los Angeles after living there for almost six years. In this place she is nervous at first meeting her tribe, grows in anger and jealousy because of feeling cheated, but in the end is excited with curiosity being a part of this tribe.
Taking her readers with her inside the bar we feel the sense of freedom and awareness she feels when she is there. She illustrates the place being filled with homosexual couples, carefree of what others may think about them and their homosexuality; a gay and lesbian couple dancing on the dance floor, a quartet of gay men laughing louder than the music, a bartender shaking his hips as he walked, and the three gay musketeers that gossiped with the other bartender. She is in awe and speechless towards these people’s actions, because it was something that she had never seen before. Witnessing this, the narrator felt cheated because before moving to Los Angeles all she knew was to camouflage her homosexuality. She felt cheated knowing that maybe her past relationships would have lasted longer if her and her significant others were surrounded by an environment like Jewel’s.
Though not letting go of feeling short ended, she took Jewel’s and the people enjoying their stay there to her advantage. Jewel’s is important to the narrator, because it has something to offer to her that no other place could. Not only was she relaxed at Jewel’s due to it being a bar, but it encouraged her to let loose and just be herself, black and lesbian. She took this time and opportunity to learn. I think that the narrator put the definition of a tribe in the beginning of the story is so that her readers can keep in mind that this is her new found tribe. As someone would learn from their family, friends, or acquaintances, the narrator learns from the people at Jewel’s. She learned from her tribe. She becomes excited, because she finally has someone to look up to, follow, imitate, and ask and take advice from. This is where she can learn to be who she is without shame.
With this, reader’s can follow the reoccurring themes or ideas in this selection, also known as a motif. Within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender motifs a few can be found in “Tribes.” The narrator affirming her sexual identity is one, because at Jewel’s she felt satisfied with who she is, and where she is whole heartedly comfortable. Another motif is the awakening of the narrator’s lesbian sexual desire by remembering her encountering a beautiful lady dressed in white that left her shy and speechless.
As for the significance of the story, I think that this story is about the narrator finally finding her haven place in big Los Angeles. Being new to this city is hard and she has been blessed to find a place like Jewel’s for herself. She acknowledges Jewel’s because it is where they accepted her therefore, her accepting herself. Frankie Lennon was unmasked in 1987 at Jewel’s Room Bar.
The main black gay bar I have previously mentioned is Jewel’s Room Bar. The narrator’s relationship with Jewel’s is a fresh start, because it is the place where she felt most comfortable in the big town of Los Angeles after living there for almost six years. In this place she is nervous at first meeting her tribe, grows in anger and jealousy because of feeling cheated, but in the end is excited with curiosity being a part of this tribe.
Taking her readers with her inside the bar we feel the sense of freedom and awareness she feels when she is there. She illustrates the place being filled with homosexual couples, carefree of what others may think about them and their homosexuality; a gay and lesbian couple dancing on the dance floor, a quartet of gay men laughing louder than the music, a bartender shaking his hips as he walked, and the three gay musketeers that gossiped with the other bartender. She is in awe and speechless towards these people’s actions, because it was something that she had never seen before. Witnessing this, the narrator felt cheated because before moving to Los Angeles all she knew was to camouflage her homosexuality. She felt cheated knowing that maybe her past relationships would have lasted longer if her and her significant others were surrounded by an environment like Jewel’s.
Though not letting go of feeling short ended, she took Jewel’s and the people enjoying their stay there to her advantage. Jewel’s is important to the narrator, because it has something to offer to her that no other place could. Not only was she relaxed at Jewel’s due to it being a bar, but it encouraged her to let loose and just be herself, black and lesbian. She took this time and opportunity to learn. I think that the narrator put the definition of a tribe in the beginning of the story is so that her readers can keep in mind that this is her new found tribe. As someone would learn from their family, friends, or acquaintances, the narrator learns from the people at Jewel’s. She learned from her tribe. She becomes excited, because she finally has someone to look up to, follow, imitate, and ask and take advice from. This is where she can learn to be who she is without shame.
With this, reader’s can follow the reoccurring themes or ideas in this selection, also known as a motif. Within the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender motifs a few can be found in “Tribes.” The narrator affirming her sexual identity is one, because at Jewel’s she felt satisfied with who she is, and where she is whole heartedly comfortable. Another motif is the awakening of the narrator’s lesbian sexual desire by remembering her encountering a beautiful lady dressed in white that left her shy and speechless.
As for the significance of the story, I think that this story is about the narrator finally finding her haven place in big Los Angeles. Being new to this city is hard and she has been blessed to find a place like Jewel’s for herself. She acknowledges Jewel’s because it is where they accepted her therefore, her accepting herself. Frankie Lennon was unmasked in 1987 at Jewel’s Room Bar.
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