Forged By Fire

“He didn’t want to sit down anyway because of the soft, uncomfortable load in his pants, which had been there all afternoon and which felt cold and squishy when he moved too much. He rarely had accidents like that, but when he did, Mama sometimes made him keep it in his pants all day to ‘teach him a lesson.’”

On the first page, Draper clearly defines Gerald’s relationship with his mother. She is neglectful and rarely cares for him. Gerald is used to this kind of treatment and expects it. He does not push back or challenge his mother, which changes completely as he grows into himself, gains confidence, and refuses to be mistreated.

“One other lesson that Gerald had learned was never, never stay near Mama when she sniffed the white stuff. She got it from a man named Leroy who smelled too sweet and smiled too much. When he leaves, you hide behind the couch and hope Aunt Queen comes over because sometimes Mama yells and gets her belt or her shoe and hits, and hits, and hits…”

This passage is the first time Monique’s drug use is referenced, which offers an explanation for why she abuses Gerald. From Gerald’s perspective, he learns to not interfere with Monique when she’s high and considers it as a “lesson,” which normalizes Monique’s abusive behavior for Gerald from a young age.

“Since this kid is poor and black and his mother is living alone and unmarried, his father must be long gone. Well, I’m here to tell you that not all black men are like that. There’s zillions of black families with a mama and a daddy and two kids like the ‘average’ American family.”

In this passage, Aunt Queen is talking to the doctor after Gerald sets the apartment on fire. She calls him out on his assumptions and certain stereotypes about black, low-income families. Although it is never mentioned who Gerald’s biological father is, Aunt Queen assures him there are many black families that have supportive fathers, which is confirmed through the Washington family later in the novel.