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TK421's Reviews > Push
Push
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by
PUSH exceeds the limits of my understanding. I am a white male; moderately affluent; educated; healthy; and able to say that my foundation from my past has allowed me to become the person I am today. Precious Jones is none of these things. If anything, she is the antithesis of what I am.
This is not her fault.
Blame birth. Chance. Possibility.
But what I have does not compare to what Precious Jones has. She is a fighter; a survivor of incest; HIV positive; beyond impoverished; and yet, hope burns eternal within her. No matter how the cards may be stacked against her, she fights.
If anything, Precious Jones and her story illustrate how savagely we precipitate violence upon each other. And this violence is not born of strangers...this violence comes across the breakfast nook or the bedroom or the school yard; from people you thought you could trust.
Admittedly, I will never know what it is like to walk in her shoes. For me to even feel empathy for Precious feels like I am being hypocritical. Me wincing at the passages does not change the event. Me reading this story, as fictionalized as it may be, does not change the fact that somewhere a Precious is experiencing the violence and shame and suffering that no person should ever have to endure. For some person tonight, this story is real.
Sapphire has done her part. She has relayed a tale of woe. And as much as I could be critical about the overwritten parts, the parts that scream look at me, stare, become aghast, I will never forget that this story is entirely plausible.
Perhaps that is my role in this story. Perhaps my only job was to be witness to the vile nature of humanity. I have seen, now. But it doesn't change the fact that I can still close my eyes, kiss my children, get into my SUV and go to the park, make a steak, go on vacation, make love to a woman that loves me back, and forget that people like Precious will never get to do these things.
A heavy read, my friends, a heavy read.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This is not her fault.
Blame birth. Chance. Possibility.
But what I have does not compare to what Precious Jones has. She is a fighter; a survivor of incest; HIV positive; beyond impoverished; and yet, hope burns eternal within her. No matter how the cards may be stacked against her, she fights.
If anything, Precious Jones and her story illustrate how savagely we precipitate violence upon each other. And this violence is not born of strangers...this violence comes across the breakfast nook or the bedroom or the school yard; from people you thought you could trust.
Admittedly, I will never know what it is like to walk in her shoes. For me to even feel empathy for Precious feels like I am being hypocritical. Me wincing at the passages does not change the event. Me reading this story, as fictionalized as it may be, does not change the fact that somewhere a Precious is experiencing the violence and shame and suffering that no person should ever have to endure. For some person tonight, this story is real.
Sapphire has done her part. She has relayed a tale of woe. And as much as I could be critical about the overwritten parts, the parts that scream look at me, stare, become aghast, I will never forget that this story is entirely plausible.
Perhaps that is my role in this story. Perhaps my only job was to be witness to the vile nature of humanity. I have seen, now. But it doesn't change the fact that I can still close my eyes, kiss my children, get into my SUV and go to the park, make a steak, go on vacation, make love to a woman that loves me back, and forget that people like Precious will never get to do these things.
A heavy read, my friends, a heavy read.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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Reading Progress
July 3, 2012
– Shelved
Started Reading
August 26, 2012
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-8 of 8 (8 new)
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James wrote: "Another nice review, Gavin."Thanks, James.
I'm so glad that you see the fight in precious. Especially being the opposing race, its amazing that despite our race we can always find equality in people that are different from us. The story isnt meant to scare or haunt us, not even to make us cry. It's to inform us of the problems young women face. This story has shown me how much people can truly hide their emotions. She went to her second school with a smile on her face for most of the days she was there while at home she was truly facing serious abuse. We can forget the deep/disturbing parts in this story for a good moment in time, but once we're faced with a situation that may remind us of this novel, all the emotions we felt while reading those parts will reappear. Great review! Glad you enjoyed it.
This is exactly how I felt about it too. Great review.
Great review and thank you for recognizing and owning your privilege
Adrienne wrote: "Great review and thank you for recognizing and owning your privilege" Thank you. It was not my intent to own my privilege, but I am becoming more and more comfortable doing so. That being said, I still have a long way to go before I can fully understand/realize what I can do with my privilege to help others.
Agreed.