The last book in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittmann is titled “The Quarters”. This title’s significance revolves around the black community that lived there including Jane, who moved to the quarters in the 1940s to be among people from her culture. At first, neither Robert nor Amma Dean wanted to let her go because “she needed looking after” much more than Amma did (249). When reading this I got the impression that their disapproval came from something deeper than their concern for Pittmann’s health. Neither of them would approve of Jane moving out because she brought them, especially Mrs. Dean, strength after their second son’s death. The bond between a mother and child is said to be the strongest feeling ever felt, thus not having Tee Bob must have taken a toll on her emotional state, which only Jane could understand.
“Anytime a child is born, the old people […] ask him if he's the One” said Jane setting the main theme of book four (247). “The One” was the person everyone protected because they believed that one day he would help them gain their civil rights. Later on, she describes that they “picked him because they needed somebody” (248). When the plantation’s elders chose Jimmy Aaron, they constantly saw for his well-being and made sure he developed properly. They put their effort in guiding him to be a man of honor who would stand up for his people because they had faith in what he could achieve in the future. Furthermore, he symbolized the hope the black community had of surpassing racist times and being treated the same as white people.
Moreover, this community envisions the day they are seen as equals in a society. At the time Jimmy comes back from college in New Orleans, he is determined to gather his people to gain strength to fight for their rights as Martin Luther King was doing at the time; “We have the strength of our people. That’s why I’m here…we have to fight” (277). After he encourages his community, just as Ned did his, everyone desists from joining him but Jane. The main reason that almost none of the black people supported Jimmy in his protest was due to the fear of being kicked out of the plantation just as Robert had done to a family. Naturally, they wanted to stop denigration but the feeling of fear was usually stronger than their desire to fight for what they deserved as human beings in a society. Sometimes we are so scared of the consequences of our actions that we do not take risks in life, not realizing that maybe what we are terrified of trying can lead to the greatest outcomes. I believe that those who fought against segregation were brave because they went against all odds, including the law, for a greater good. Thanks to them we now live in a more open minded and accepting society.
Link:
Video: The Civil Rights Movement
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