So here's a brief summary of what I wrote about for my questioning the text paper:
My question was , "What is the real reason for Jussie's desire to be Catholic? Is it because Jussie wanted to feel accepted/normal or was she just taking the steps towards embracing her own identity during adolescence?
I think that one of the major issues that lead Jussie towards Catholicism is the fact that she was in her adolescence and wanted to feel accepted or normal. It's important to note that during your adolescence, finding your identity is pretty much a crucial aspect of being a pre-teen. Jussie's longing for some sort of acceptance (since she doesn't get it at home from her parents) might have led her to try and become Catholic since one of her best friends is Catholic. Jussie is constantly talking about how she is a sort of "ugly misfit" and she can't understand why her friends are even friends with her at times. When Jussie talks about issues like this, it's apparent that she is still in the process of accepting her own uniqueness and needs to work on being proud of who she is as a person which is why dabbling in other religions could be a tool for helping Jussie find her true identity.
In my paper, I also talked about how Jussie is constantly comparing herself to her friend, Mac. Mac is seemly perfect according to Jussie. She has the perfect looks (with straight blond hair and blue eyes), the perfect family (with a mom that is easy to talk to and doesn't care about a messy house), and also the perfect siblings (that are easy to get along with and don't treat her like an outcast). It seems fair that because of the high regards that Jussie holds Mac in, that she would consider trying to become Catholic as well.
The last section of my paper is devoted to Kimmel's article about what it means for minority groups to find their own "Beal Streets". Kimmel said, “Embracing your identity brings great joy, along with a sense of wholeness, completion. ‘I know who I am and where I belong. These are my people". We can see when Jussie finds her "Beal Street" when she receives the Star of David necklace from her Bubbe. It is at this moment that Jussie can finally feel acceptance and feel as if she is a part of something (Judaism).
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4 comments:
I completely agree with your statement. However, I almost wonder if another part of Jussie is turning to Catholicism to escape her family. Like when she is in her closet confessing (a Catholic thing) she is escaping the pressures of her family and being Jewish. I wonder if she is not only trying to find her own niche but also trying to escape the pressures and judgments of her family. Maybe by turning to Catholicism she becomes a person that is accepted away from her family. Otherwise, I liked your idea!!!
I like your approach to this subject, I similarly wrote about the ways in which Justine’s choice affects her self image. Like you mention, pre-teens often look to others to find their own identity, which can be dangerous. My concern with this question is that it may be a lot of speculation – your examples of the text (specific page numbers) would have been beneficial so that we could see your thought process as well as textual evidence. I feel like Justine’s reasoning changes throughout the novel. She begins by wanting to be like her new friend, Mac. After this initial idea, it seems like Justine search for spiritual identity deepens. She looks to her family in search of confirmation and supports, which ends up discouraging instead. I agree with Marie’s comment concerning Justine’s desire to rebel in a sense from her family since they did not promote her desire for stronger faith. To me, it seems as though her reasoning may be grounded in the fact that her family is not as devout as she’d like to be, and Catholicism is more appealing since Mac’s family is active in their faith. I like this question – it brings up a lot of ideas and a great conversation.
You present a good question for examining the text! I think that the answer is not one or the other however. I think these ideas are both which helped Jussie to pursue learning about Catholicism. Obviously just like most any other teen, the desire to feel accepted, or 'normal' is going to be strong. I think that in order for her to achieve such feelings, she is at the same time embracing her own identity. I think that at the beginning of the novel she really wants to fit in and be more like her 'perfect' friend Mac. Part of what she likes about Mac, is how the family is concerned about their Catholic faith. I think that Jussie questions her faith, and at home doesn't her family doesn't present her with feelings of acceptance, and because of this they are pushing her away. I agree with Marie had to say. I think she definitely is trying to escape the insecurities that she has because of her judgmental family. She feels pressure from them, and this pushes her to search for an identity where she feels comfortable. I also think, as Julie brought up, that she really is trying to be consistent and more active in her faith. Her family isn't as traditional perhaps as she would like, and so she knows that Mac's family is very active in their faith. Perhaps if she becomes Catholic, she too can be this active.
Acceptance was the theme that I talked about in my blog. The fact that Justine was only 11 years old and going through adolescence brought up a great point when it came to her having a hard time finding her identity. I made the same point about Justine not being accepted at home or with her religion. I like how the book ended with her finally feeling accepted; when Bubbe gave her the Star of David necklace.
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