Zenele

In all fairness I did like some of the stories told in this book. Some in particular that stood out to me was Tinawo's stories. She tells about her first day at working with the Pelledays. She went to the grocer, butcher, and baker with Mrs. Pelledays in order for them to recognize Tinawo without questioning her, in the future. When Tinawo sat in the front seat, Mrs. Pelleday asked her to sit in the trunk while "Charlie" sat in the front. Tinawo then realized "all my years of jeering white hate prepared me for the sight of Charlie as he came bounding and barking around the hedge and flopped into the front seat" (162). Charlie's arrival was shortly fallowed by Mrs. Pelledays embracing the dog and "frisking his hair and burying her face in his abundant white fur" (162). The dog is a symbol for many things. His pronounced white fur emphasizes the "white" culture. The fact that Charlie gets the front seat over Tinawo shows the white ideal Mrs. Pelleday advocates. Even Mrs. Pelleday's overly affectionate demeanor toward the dog shows that they can humanize their pets while dehumanize Africans.