In Wilson's "Our Nig" on page 9, the scene discusses Mag marrying Jim. The last sentence of the paragraph used to describe after her marriage is, "She has descended another step down the ladder of infamy"(Wilson 9). This quote has a condescending and sad tone to it letting the reader know that she is embarrassing herself by marrying Jim. By going another step down the ladder of infamy (being famous for something of a negative light or nature) the author is predicting her bad fate.
I think this quote was an interesting one because where it displays such poor english and intelligence from the characters in the story contrasted by the authors sophisticated insightful quote.
Taking another step down, yes. Infamy as the lowest rung, or can there be another that dips down beneath that? We discussed in class the possibility that turning into her mother would be even worse, if not simply just as bad.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am of the opinion that there is no lower rung, as becoming her pudgy, sunken-faced mother appears to me to evade possibility. I certainly didn't see it.
Maggie becomes essentially untouchable for her infamy, and, as infamy as the choice word implies, it makes her shame perpetual. Look to the end of the book at the woman asking/telling Maggie's mother to forgive Maggie after all the bad things she has done.