"This is the rope my grandmother found beneath an old tree a long time ago back home in South Carolina." That same rope ties the luggage to the car when the family moves to New York City. It's the rope used by this family from one generation to the next as they build a better life.
Jacqueline Woodson, in lyrical simplicity, tells the story of the Great Migration through one fictional family. Her family was among the 6 million+ African Americans who left the South to find a better life with more opportunities in the North and other more tolerant parts of the country. The story doesn't feel historical so much as personal and nostalgic. Through everyday activities, we look on as the parents move to the city, care for their family, watch as their children grow, go off to college and start families of their own. My favorite spread is the collection of family photos decorating the piano. I love the image of families paired with the text about a father teaching his child how to tie a sailor's knot. It's touching without being sentimental--a hard balance to achieve. Woodson and Ransome succeed in creating that balance throughout. It's lovely.
No comments:
Post a Comment