In Sing Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, Leonie and Misty are friends and companions in their road trip placed, at almost every instance, in opposition to each other by the narrative. They have several things in common that bind them together as friends—drug addiction, partners in jail, similar ages—and yet when we get to look through Leonie’s eyes, we find that they don’t really seem to like each other. Why is that? The roles that race and privilege play in the novel explain the deep, simmering levels of resentment that Leonie has towards Misty and why she feels that way.
From their first interaction in chapter two, we see the two major things that unite Leonie and Misty in action: drugs and their experiences with interracial love. Leonie is dating a white man, Michael, and Misty is dating a black man. Their first interaction in the text is the women doing drugs together and talking about their relationships. These are two heavy factors that not only contribute to their friendship with each other but also limit their options of friendship with other people—in summary, they’re friends with each other because they bond over things many other people would not do or understand. However, even during this first interaction, we’re reminded of just how precarious their friendship is at times. Misty says something that greatly upsets Leonie, but Leonie is acutely aware of Misty’s privilege if they were to ever get in trouble, regardless of who is at fault: “… and when it all came down to it, I’m Black and she’s White, and if someone heard us tussling and decided to call the cops, I’d be the one going to jail. Not her. Best friend and all” (Ward 36). The line “best friends and all” really sums up their tension. At the end of the day, regardless of being best friends, if something were to happen between them, Misty would not be the one getting punished. A similar sentiment comes up at the beginning of the road trip, when Leonie is mad at Misty for pressuring her to sneak meth in the car to another buyer, specifically how she uses the words “you better take advantage”; “She said them words as though decisions have no consequences, when, of course, it’s been easier for her. The way she said it, take advantage, made me want to slap her. Her freckles, her thin pink lips, her blonde hair, the stubborn milkiness of her skin; how easy had it been for her, her whole life, to make the world a friend to her?” (Ward 91). This quote seethes with resentment at Misty, at the privilege she has that Leonie could never understand as a black woman in America. Misty talks about these actions with such flippancy because she has the privilege of not facing additional challenges based on her skin tone. It’s the culmination of why, even though they are friends, Leonie resents Misty very deeply.
I too was intrigued by the dynamic of Misty and Leonie's relationship. On the surface level they seem to be good friends. Like you said, they have a lot in common that not many people can relate to; however, reading the chapters in Leonie's point of view suggests a deeper meaning.
ReplyDeleteI think that Leonie is resentful of Misty's privilege. In the beginning of the novel she talks about how easy life has been for Misty just because of her race. Throughout, there is evidence that shows this first hand. The most notable example is when the cop gets involved on their way back from the jail. Everyone is put in handcuffs except Misty and Kayla. The cop put Leonie is a traumatic situation from the very start of this interaction. This run in with the cop probably did not even phase Misty but it is one that Leonie will remember forever. I think Ward is suggesting that no matter how much you have in common with someone, not acknowledging one's racial privilege causes the relationship to fail.
Going further into this relationship - I think Leonie has isolated herself and thus feels stuck to Misty. She has no one else and continues their friendship even though it seems like there is a divide. Ultimately, if you dive deeper into their relationship, the flaws and insincerity is evident.
Resentment is something Leonie feels toward nearly every character in Ward's Sing, Unburied, Sing. She has resentment toward her children for having a relationship that was taken from her, resentment toward her parents for being better caretakers of her children than her, resentment towards Michael and his parents for Given's death, and, like you discussed, resentment toward Misty for her privilege, but more specifically her lack of acknowledging this privilege. Something I find interesting about this resentment is that Leonie chooses not to express it, and instead keeps her thoughts internally, adding more complexity to her relationships. While she may express her anger physically, she does not vocalize her thoughts, making the people in her life view her as constantly and oftentimes unwarrantly angry. Leonie has so many internal thoughts that, if they were to be communicated, might make for more meaningful relationships and less external aggression. A repeating phrase throughout the novel was, "but I don't." On page 97, as Leonie is attempting to help Michaela through her stomach pains, thinks, "Want to yell at her: Bitch, how you work around all them drunks and can't stand a little throw-up? But I don't" Similarly, on page 101, Leonie thinks, "I could reach out and touch them both, but I don't." (Ward, 101). Leonie knows how to improve her relationships, but she doesn't, further isolating herself from her parents, lover, children, and best friend.
ReplyDeleteI think that both Misty and Leonie show the intersectionality of various identities. Both women have grown up facing the disadvantages that come with being poor and female, but only Leonie has to deal with racial discrimination. This does a wonderful job of showing different kinds of privilege. While neither woman has the privilege of wealth, Misty does have white privilege. This does not necessarily mean she has lived a life of luxury, but she has never faced discrimination or hardship on account of her race. Leonie recognizes this, and she knows that the only different base identity she has from Misty is her racial identity. This one identity is enough to make most people who encounter them treat Misty much better. This tense relationship between Leonie and Misty and their interactions with others do a wonderful job of exemplifying how different identities intersect and how white privilege presents in real life.
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