The Street (End)

I was not a big fan of how this novel ended... although I didn't think that it would be a very happy ending, I lost some respect for Lutie. I gave her credit for her strength throughout the novel, and then to see her throw everything away in the end by killing a man and leaving her son. I think the thing that I didn't like the most was Lutie leaving her son. After all she had sacrificed for him and all that she had done, she gave up. She let "the street" (and all that it symbolized: racism, poverty, etc) win. I was very dissappointed with her as a character. I do think that she evolved and changed throughout the novel, but I'm not sure if it was necessarily for the better.
I think the cultural work that this novel does is that it is pretty realistic and shows what can really happen to a woman in this situation. I really enjoyed the realism, and the novel as a whole, I was just saddened by Lutie's choices at the end... but I somehow understand. Sometimes can be so overwelming for a person, she just didn't know what else to do. I think she felt she was out of options... and everyone makes mistakes. Although, killing someone is not usually among those mistakes.

The Street 1-6

So far I am really enjoying this novel. I especially like how realistic it seems to be. The atmosphere reminds me much of Bread Givers in the it is dark, dirty, and pretty gloomy. "Dark hallways, dirty stairs, even roaches on the walls" (Petry, 5). Also, the way that petry speaks of the wind in the beginning makes it seem as if the atmosphere is alomst unbearable to its inhabitants. It's almost a stressful wind, which I think may show a little bit of how Lutie may be feeling.
One thing that I really like about Lutie is that she seems to be a stronger character than Lynn in Skyscraper so I am very anxious to see how Lutie makes it on her own and if she is able to set goals for herself and meet them fully.

Petry, Ann. The Street. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston . New York, 1946. 1-161.

Skyscraper to end

I really enjoyed reading this novel. After reading the first chapter I wasn't sure that I was going to like it, but after I got going I couldn't put it down. I finished the entire novel in one night. I was not surprised by the ending, in fact, I was very happy with it and it had ended in the exact manner that I had hoped. I would have been pretty upset if Lynn had ended up with Dwight! The funny thing, is that I sort of like Dwight in the beginning, but once I got to see what he was really like I couldn't stand him, and he actually reminded me of a few men that I know. I'm curious to see if other people felt the same way.
I think that the cultural work that this novel does, is that it gives women (of it's time, and of this time) that women are capable, of falling in love, holding a job, and being in a relationship, all at the same time. I think it was probably a little empowering to women of the time; hopeful maybe