Cultural Standards

Cholly and Pauline's relationship was very romantic and entrapping at first. They were in love with one another and like any love story; they ran off and moved away to start a new life together. Page 117 shows a large passage that is written in Pauline's perspective. It's a good example of the changes that took place in the marriage being the result of Cholly's alcoholism. He was a drunk and often forced himself upon Pauline. Even though they were married; the idea of consummation is that both parties are willing and happy to have intercourse. Cholly began to lose his gentlemanly qualities, replacing them with typical domestic abuse characteristics.

When I picture these two, I think of many movie's depictions of broken marriages in trailer parks. The dad is always angry, while the wife does her best to comfort her children, and everyone is in constant turmoil. By the actions of Cholly, I view today's culture more than I do the 1940's. I think they are an example of another marriage that will attribute themselves to the 50% divorce rate in the U.S. He was a pedophile and statutory rapist to his own daughter. In today's society he would most likely be a candidate for the Jerry Springer show.

In the summer when the town's people hear of Cholly's deeds, they are more concerned with Pecola bringing an ugly baby into the world than of her defilement. Page 190 shows that some overheard conversations stated "...two ugly people doubling up like that to make more ugly." they are speaking as if Pecola and Cholly hooked up one day and that she was now pregnant and a burden on their town. Pecola was clearly raped and abused by Cholly, which should cause a little more compassion to enter the people's hearts. Because of the "indicated voices", being they must be white and higher in the social class, they ultimately consider themselves to be pure and the "uglies" to be scum, incapable of compassionate thought or even undeserving of it.