June Boatwright The Characteristics of the African American Women

conversation between Lily and August below will show that May is very sensitive and emotional person, especially since her twin died. “Was she born like that?” I asked. “No, she was happy child at first.” “Then what happened to her?” August focused her eyes on the stone wall. “May had a twin. Our sister April. the two of them were like one soul sharing two bodies. I never saw anything like it. If April got a toothache, May‟s gum would plump up red and swollen just like April‟s. Only one time did our father use a belt strap on April, and I swear to you, the welts rose on May‟s legs too. Those two had no separation between them.” “The first day we were here May told us that April died. “And that‟d when it all started with May,‟ she said, then looked at me like she was trying to decide whet her to go on. “It‟s not a pretty story” Kidd, 2002: 158. The other proof that May is very sensitive and emotional is through her mannerism. When May hears something painful, she will react as if she experiences the pain. It was Rosaleen who figured out the mystery of “Oh Susanna.” She said if you kept things on a happy note, May did fine, but bring up an unpleasant subject- like Rosaleen‟s head full of stitches or the tomatoes having rot- bottom and May would start humming “Oh Susanna.” It seemed to be her personal way of warding off crying. It worked for things like tomato rot, but not for much else. A few times, she cried so bad, ranting and tearing her hair that Rosaleen had to come to get August from the honey house. August would calmly send May out back to the stone wall. Going out there was about the only thing that could bring her around May had to have a banana every morning, and this banana absolutely could not have a bruise on it. One morning I watched her peel seven bananas in a row before she found one without a bad place. Kidd, 2002: 139-140 From the quotation above, the writer sees that May cannot see or hear about unpleasant thing around her although that bad thing or sad thing is not happen to her even a bruise on a banana could ruin her day. One thing that can make her calm is to go to her wall of lamentation. May‟s habit happened for years and it is the only way for her to struggle in life. The most difficult thing in her life is the time when she hears that one of black people named Zach who works for them in the honey house was put in the jail because he had a fight with white men. It makes May prones to depression and even going to the wall of lamentation cannot make her calm. She becomes desperate and cannot control her sadness. Finally, she commits suicide by sank her body in the river. Although May is very sensitive and emotional, she is a friendly person. The first time Lily and Rosaleen come to their house, May is the most friendliest to welcome them and without a doubt introduce herself to them. From her speech, the writer sees that May is warm person. “I‟m May Boatwright,” she said. “I‟m August‟s sister, too.” She smiled at us, one of those odd grins that let you know