Novel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Novel - Essay Example He does not know if loves or hates his daughter, in fact, it is that the extent of his love for his daughter is something that he does not want, something that he believes he does not deserve, thus, turning into hatred for the innocent girl. He has a very low opinion of himself – â€Å"What could his heavy arms and befuddled brain accomplish that would earn him his own respect, that would in turn allow him to accept her love?† – and he blames Pecola’s stupidity for loving him still (Morrison 161 - 163). The lack of faith in himself may be due to his harsh childhood but the fact remains that his thought processes are different than a normal person’s and continue to badly affect those around him. Seeing his daughter scratch â€Å"the back of her calf with her toe† reminds him of how his wife Pauline had once done the same thing (Morrison 162). It could have been the alcohol, that particular movement, the resemblance between the mother and daughter, the strange kind of love that he had for both or seeing Pecola do the task of washing the dishes which his wife used to do that triggered off his sexual thoughts, â€Å"filled him then with a wondering softness †¦ a tenderness, a protectiveness† (Morrison 162). He reminisced about Pauline and how had been successful in bringing a smile to her face. He wanted to show his daughter how much he loved her and, in his deluded state, he thought showing her physically was the right way to go. From his distorted point of view, he only wanted to please his daughter. The way Morrison writes this portrays Cholly as a predator and Pecola as the prey. In fact, he is even showed to be â€Å"crawling on all fours toward her† (Morrison 162). The girl slips and falls but Cholly turns into a protector and catches her which is a contradiction in itself. He wants to keep Pecola safe but does not have the right idea of how to do that. The girl is young, naà ¯ve and too shocked to protest. The