Later in the novel we are brought back to the classroom where Mrs. Logan is teaching the children a different version of history to that endorsed by the school board. The visitation of Harland Granger and Kaleb Wallace to the classroom immediately arouses suspicion. They’re here to sack Mama because of the books and her teaching although she says later ‘ they’re just getting at us any way they can because of shopping in Vicksburg’ and she taught what ‘some folks just didn’t want to hear’. She is determined and self-aware after this occurrence. Mama’s a smart woman and mostly accepts these punishments given to her only because she cannot fight against the white community and knows she can’t. Mama keeps her dignity and when returning home her immediate thought is of providing for the family ‘what’ll we do David? We needed that job.’
Another radical but brave idea of Mary Logan’s was to stall the purchase of groceries from black families in the Wallace’s store. The idea of this was to make Kaleb Wallace aware of how much he needs the black families who purchase items from his store and possibly to respect them more. Mary Logan has such a resentment of this store because she believes not only that the Wallace’s are ‘bad people’ but also that they have a corrupting influence on young blacks. Mama’s audacity and valor helped her to be the one who visited the neighbours to canvass support for the shopping trip to Vicksburg and to be the organizer of the boycott against the Wallace store.
I admire the way Mary Logan rears her children although I cannot fully begin to understand the responsibility a mother has over their children until I actually become a mother. It must have made her role in the children’s lives more important the fact that these were hard times. She does not seem like an unfair mother, perhaps because she knows that her children have and will suffer many acts of unfairness in times to come. In her dealings with her children she is always just and consistent, helping them develop a strong sense of family and self worth unlike Mr. Avery whom Mary thinks is ‘failing in his duty to his son.’ We see this evidently when she talks to her daughter Cassie after her experience in Strawberry. Mama takes time to explain the prejudices that underlie racist attitudes saying ‘you have to accept the fact that in the world outside this house, things are not always as we would have them to be.’ Mama explains prejudice used and also explains in a gentle but effective way to Cassie that ‘everybody born on this earth is somebody and nobody, no matter what colour, is better than anybody else.’ Mama also gives Cassie a lesson about the past, illuminating the family’s past and their struggles. She is a caring mother who brings her children up right in the hope that they do not be influenced by the prejudice from whites but to accept everyone equally. In some ways this could be Mary Logan’s own little contribution to the improvement of the world in the future.
Although she is strict with her children, disciplining them when they are disobedient she listens when they have troubles. Usually Mama’s beatings consisted of a whipping from her belt but the punishment for Stacey’s fight and the visit to the Wallace store seemed lenient to the children. At first they were scolded but the children ‘ didn’t consider that a punishment, and we doubted Mama did either.’ The real punishment Mama placed upon them was a lesson. She took them up to see Sam Berry and the punishment given to him from whites for disobeying. To me this is a good punishment because not always does a beating make you learn from your mistakes. This however remained in the children’s mind and they did not enter the Wallace store again. The children accept her punishments because they love and respect her. She shows her firmness and strength also when we see her splitting the children up when they are giggling, whipping Stacey and standing by her principles when Harland Granger visits the school.
Another characteristic of Mary Logan’s personality is her cautiousness. For much of the time Papa is away working so therefore Mama is responsible and is the provider for the family. We see her cautiousness at times of increased anger when Papa or Uncle Hammer threatens to confront Mr. Simms or the mob. In both cases Mama tries to prevent them from using violence, it is clear that she prefers to settle things out through non-violent means such as the boycott. Mama fears for the lives of David and Hammer when they reach for the shotgun because she knows the power of the white people is stronger than that of the black man. Another incident where Mama is weary of their actions is when, on their way home, Hammer drives through the bridge where it can only handle one car at a time. Blacks often have to back down for whites to cross it first. Hammer meets the Wallace’s and drives on. Mama says that ‘ they’ll have to pay for that later.’ Again there is a reminder of the fact that Mama prefers not to use violent mean to settle a conflict when, driving past the Wallace store Hammer makes the comment that he would like to burn the place down. Mama quickly replies saying there are other ways.
We are aware that Mama was loved as a child as we hear from Papa referring to Mama’s father that ‘ every penny he’d get his hands on he’d put it aside for her schooling…’ This again gives us an idea as to where Mama’s kindness and deep need to provide come from. Mama’s an educated woman as she learned in a teacher training school and has been employed in the local school for fourteen years. We are also made aware of her education, as her spoken English, like the prose of the novel, is perfect and relatively free from colloquial Americanisms unlike the rest of the Logan family members.
We hear from Cassie’s description that Mama is a beautiful woman. With a ‘slender body’ and ‘smell of sunshine and soap’ Cassie feels her Mother is pretty.
Mary Logan makes the best of what she has. She uses cardboard lining to disguise the worn out shoes, which Cassie felt ‘uncomfortable for Mama.’ She cares for the family very much so and has dinner ready when any are hungry, she uses half the ingredients so she will have enough for the next time, this shows Mama plans things out and genuinely cares.
The points above all describe how Mary Logan is a strict but loving and understanding parent, a Brave, noble citizen and courageous teacher. I admire greatly how she gives up so much to offer a small part of pleasure to the lives of her children. In many ways Mama is unflawed, proving right in many circumstances and standing up for what she believes in. This woman is an inspiration to all blacks, mothers or people who find it hard to be recognized or respected. I feel she has done her best to bring up children who may be different and change the future, to accept people not by their skin colour or religion but by the content of their character.
By Claire Reid
