Charlie Rose

Sandra Lafayette  09/09/2008 01:31 AM Report

I think the book Push, is a very powerful story of a girl who was sexually abuse by both father and mother. The book not only tells us about her tragedy but also her triumph over it. The writer Sapphire clearly and effectly points out and prove just how important literacy is in ones life. Without literacy Precious was defenceless but with it she was able to express her true feelings. This helped to release things about her abuse that she had locked up inside her, which made her always angry. The book used a language out side of English language. Precious became stronger because she was able to became liberated by becoming literate. Precious now had a voice through which to speak by becoming literate. Her darkness became light.

Alexandria N. Sanders  09/09/2008 12:42 AM Report

This interview showed just how involved the author was in the story of Precious Jones. Sapphire was once herself a survivor of incest, in the interview she says that she overcame the incest through ignoring and suppressing the issues. Whereas Precious was very boisterous about her experience with incest. In the novel, precious openly tells members of the hospital who fathered her baby with no shame and she knew that this was not her fault. (pg. 16-17). Also Sapphire talks about the way she was able to get her feelings across about her incestuous experience through a journal and writing. Precious does a lot of this too within the story, she even had a whole conversation about the birth of her child and her emotions while in the hospital. (pg. 69-73) Also I like how Sapphire says that she incorporated both the dysfunctional and good aspects of the black community. Precious goes from feeling like no one cares, to the end of the book where all of these people she just met love her more than her on flesh and blood. (pg. 125-130) The story was a form of empowerment for women all over. Precious Jones was able to overcome the worst of circumstances in a short amount of time. And like so many books before it, it told the story of a struggle that is a reality, and these issues needed some attention in order to spark a defense.

Christopher Witrak   09/08/2008 11:46 PM Report

I am slightly surprised about the meaning Sapphire attributes to her title “Push” in the interview. Yes, I do understand that it refers to Precious constantly fighting through the hardships and trials of life as Sapphire says in the interview, but I personally felt the title also referred to the people around Precious. In regards to Professor Jones’ question last class of whether or not this is a Young Adult book, I came to the conclusion that Sapphire geared the novel towards anyone capable of filling a mentoring role especially after reading the poem by William Wordsworth and part of “The Talmud” which make clear everyone’s need of a loving parent or mentor. Precious would have not gone anywhere if Mrs. Lichenstein had not “pushed” her to an alternative school and subsequently if Miss Rain had not “pushed” her into learning how to read and write. Precious represents those who constantly move forward despite the hardships in life but Sapphire seems to also being saying the necessity of someone pointing them in the right direction. However, Sapphire says Precious “saves herself” but it is only do to the women rights movements. I wish she had more time elaborate on resolve of the individual and the role of a teacher.

At one point I thought the novel strictly had a feminist message, especially towards the end of the story when Precious discovers other women with light colored skin were victims of incest. Furthermore a clear rupture between men and women and families exists throughout the novel shown clearly with a total of only two amiable male figures. The two being the Spanish EMT and Precious’ son Abdul. However, I know feel Sapphire was aiming for a more universal theme that demonstrated victims need to band together and help each other along as with the incest and rape victims. I still want to know if Sapphire had a specific goal in mind for the victims to achieve or if she wants to convey that one has to move along until things get better. The last paragraph glorifying Precious and Abdul together as mother and son may be Sapphire’s goal. Precious became a loving mother while there is hope Abdul will become a responsible, loving husband and father. These are desperately missing from the story. So, I am debating what Sapphire may be pushing for of if it can actually be explicitly defined.

I also agree with the critic Professor Jones’ talked about last class. I do hear Precious talking about herself and I can see her in “Push.” Sapphire says Miss Rain represents her and Sapphire also says journal writing helps heal her wounds by containing them with words. Precious is based off an incest survivor Sapphire taught in Harlem, and this woman was raped at 12 years old and had a child by her father. Sapphire became deeply hurt upon hearing this and “Push” may have been a release from the scars she bore from her student’s story in the form of a novel rather than a journal entry. Sapphire herself states the character of Precious took over the book.

Nacelia Kerr  09/08/2008 11:16 PM Report

Upon reading the novel Push,I had a feeling that Sapphire was some how a victim of incest and that she was writing her own story. I arrived at this conclusion because she wrote with great intensity and passion. In her interview, she revealed that she was an incest survivor and she over came by denial--thinking it had not happened to her. In writing this novel she brought to life Precious, her main character, who was outlandish in every aspect of the novel. She spoke of her pains, hurts and how she has found courage to push forward to make a better like for herself as well as her children. As reader, i commend Precious and those who have been victim of rape and incest because after going through so much trials and set backs, one would think to give up because life has no more meaning. But here, Precious fought the negatives in her life was on her way to become a better person and an outstanding citizen. She gives hope to those who have been in similar situation saying"if I can do it you can do it as well".

Erainya Moore  09/08/2008 10:13 PM Report

I thought the interview with the author "Sapphire" was revealing. The author of "Push" an incest survivor, teaching at a school for people who could not read or write where she meets a student who tells her she has a child from her father. Sapphire mentioned that the student is deceased in the interview. I thought the novel was blunt,cutting, and written in a simple manner that also kept your attention. I think the novel serves as an important testimony to the strength of the human spirit. I think the character "Precious" is a symbol for incest survivors and an example of the human spirit and soul under tremendous pain and abuse rising from the ashes like a phoenix. The interview with "Sapphire" made me think how could an incest survivor write such a graphic book about incest and successfully tell "Precious Jones" story, I remember she said she was not fully healed and that therapy helped and that she is functional. "Push", reminded me of a childhood friend in the fifth grade who disappeared with her family after our school found out she was being sexually abused at home. I now wonder if she survived in some spiritual way.There are many children living in families where there is unheard of abuse but as "Sapphire" said there are signs on buses nowadays informing you where to go to get help if you feel you are being abused. I like to think that fact alone is some type of progress that is available now,which was not available decades ago. Now, 2008 we have agencies that strictly look out for the welfare of our children no matter what the abuse allegation is. I did not see the "Precious Jones" story as a negative influence about black men, I saw it as a universal story about horrific abuse being kept secret inside the family.

Justin Booker  09/08/2008 12:35 PM Report

After reading the novel, I thought its main concept was based upon a young girl escaping a dysfunctional family through literacy. Yes in ways I was correct, however; that was more of a superficial meaning. In her interview, Sapphire made clear that her story was built from the experiences of the students in her Manhattan classroom, as well as her perspective as a survivor of incest and a teacher. Her main point was not to pity or ignore the dysfunctional aspects of the black community, but to overcome them through literacy, and organizations that reach out and offer assistance. She wanted to highlight the positive aspects of the black community. I also thought it added a lot of suspense when Precious was introduced to Alice Walker’s, The Color Purple, and Tony Morrison’s, The Bluest eye. Both of those stories are similar to the situation Precious was in, not to mention, they served as a source of strength as well.

Ebony Williams  09/04/2008 09:16 PM Report

My thoughts on the surface concept is no matter what life has dealt you, you have to keep pushing on to overcome all the bad and evil. There were also many concepts that were not so direct. One concept that came across was the fact that many children in society are overlooked or ignored by family, the school system and social services. For example Percious was kept back in school twice but, she has NEVER did any work and received an A for the class (49). Another concept in the novel was the issue of the family cycle. Precious was only a victim of her reoccurring family cycle. Her mom was raised by a nut (123), and so was she. Her mom was also turned on to sex at an early age too. The sad thing about her mom was that fact that she saw nothing wrong with letting and aiding in the sexual abuse of her own child. Precious also has an issue with skin tones. Like so many other Blacks during the 1980s people with lighter skin is viewed to be BETTER. The nurse, the wife of Carl Jones and every other light skinned black is automatically supposed to be above all others. The structure of the black family was portrayed in a negative way. No black person in this book was portrayed to have had a positive experience with their family. From the Jones family to others in Precious' class. I was upset at the way the story ended. Precious life progressed as the story went on, but at the end we the readers will never know what happened to Precious Jones or her children.