Ka Kei Tam
Professor Lennon
English 1B
3-11-2014
Flyin’
West: Sophie’s Traits
Flyin’ West is a play that written by Pearl
Cleage. The whole story highlights the conflicts of African-American females’
during the fall of 1898, outside the all-black town of Nicodemus, Kansas. As the
eldest sister of Fannie and Minnie, Sophie has two character traits that are
independence and responsible.
Sophie
protects her sisters in many ways, and she shows her responsibility while she
makes choices that are the best for her family. For example, she decided to leave
Tennessee because of lynching happened, and headed to west for their safety.
For Sophie, owning land as their property is very important while they are living
in Kansas. They work as wheat farmers for living. This related to the conflict
between Frank, the husband of Minnie, and Sophie. Frank thought himself
superior than other African-American because he was the son of a white slave
owner and black slave mother. He wanted to sell the part of land from Minnie to
the white since he lost all his money from his father. On the other hand,
Sophie is the one that protect her land from selling to the white. Without
land, there is nothing guarantee for them.
For
me, Sophie is a positive character in the whole play. She did not depend on men
to survive and she makes decision that’s the best for her family. When I was
reading the play, Sophie’s characteristic stands out the most because it always
reminding me about my eldest sister. She was like Sophie, always protecting me
while I studying aboard, and as my guideline. This is my first time to read a
play in English. As a reader, I easily can understand what’s going on between
each character because the story well connected every scene.
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