The first narrative that I chose is “Interview with Willie Reed”. I chose this particular narrative because of Mr. Reed’s occupation and the numerous qualifications he possessed. Immediately, Mr. Reed issues the statement based on right and wrong. He holds his principles based on these two factors by stating, “If you’re right, I’ll agree and say the same but if you’re are wrong, I’ll tell you so” (Ortiz, 1995). This statement serves as a mainstay throughout his conversation with the author. He speaks very proudly and slowly. I grew up not far from where this interview took place and I am reminded of the tone in which the elders in my community would speak. My grandmother said it was an attempt to ensure their words were being mixed…show more content… Reed, at the time of this interview was ninety-five years old, pushes the fact that the younger people don’t understand or know anything in reference to the events of the past. He does his best to educate them but there seems to be a lack of interest or listening by that generation. In contrast to a lot of prior belief, he verifies the financial status of white people of his time. He confirms it with the fact that when he was a boy, there were not a lot of rich white people around. Seeing that cotton was the major movement of that time in the south, it was only four of five cents per pound (Ortiz, 1995). By his accounts the white people of that time weren’t as bad. In speaking his truth, he conveys the thought as to why white people called black people “boys”. They would do that because black men would make a little money and spend it frivolously and afterwards, would send their spouses to the white boss man to get money to feed their families (Ortiz, 1995). Basically if you conducted yourself in such a manner as to be irresponsible like a boy then white folks would call you “boy” based on this child like behavior. Mr. Reed took pride in being what he calls a…show more content… Her tone was one of a proud woman and she went to a lower educational institutional. She understands that there were some things that black people couldn’t talk about that whites could do proudly. Working for the white farm owners would only net three dollars a day. At the beginning of every year the white owners would lend money (furnace) to black people in order to get money to work the farms. You had a year to pay it back. There were no refrigerators but rather what was called “ice boxes” (Scales, 1995). There was an obvious unfair system that existed. She supported this with the remembrance of picking thirty four bales of cotton and not only didn’t earn anything but still owned the white owner based on the monies borrowed at the beginning of the year (Scales, 1995). No one would stand up to the white owners because of the fear of retaliation. Boys left school to work the cotton fields. This was constant with the boys being made to leave school to work the fields and girls didn’t have to do the same (Scales, 1995). Sunday was a great day for the black families and gave time to go to church. She spoke with her grandparents about the times in which they lived. The grandparents basically worked in the same condition with only twenty-five cents a day. This was during post-slavery. Hogs were killed in the winter so as not to allow the meat to spoil and last for the families. Jeb bush was used for multiple
