Winter Summary

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In the winter, the MacTeer girls’ lives are shaken up by the appearance of light-skinned Black girl Maureen Peal. Her skin color and relative wealth earns her special treatment from adults, who describe her as beautiful. Claudia and Frieda are both intrigued and annoyed by Maureen. One day, Maureen asks Claudia and Frieda if she can walk home with them, and they agree. On the way, they find a group of boys bullying Pecola, teasing her for her blackness and the rumor that her dad sleeps naked. Frieda runs over to defend Pecola. 

After Pecola is rescued, Maureen offers to buy her ice cream. Claudia believes Maureen will treat all of them, but she doesn’t. Maureen informs Pecola that she must be named for the character in the film Imitation of Life, who is known for her beauty. After they get their ice cream, Maureen continues the conversation by asking which white actresses Pecola likes best. 

Next, Maureen brings up the subject of menstruation, and the girls discuss pregnancy before Maureen reiterates how “dirty” it is for a father to be naked in front of his kids. Claudia reflects that they’ve seen their own father naked and feels ashamed. Pecola denies having seen her father naked, and Maureen insults Pecola’s “old black daddy,” which turns the MacTeers against Maureen again. Pecola watches Maureen as she leaves before the girls go their separate ways. Claudia reflects on how Maureen’s lighter skin tone makes her superior and wonders what she and her sister “lack.” 

At home, Mr. Henry offers them money to buy ice cream. When the girls return home, they see Henry with some of the prostitutes, including Maginot Line, who has a particularly unsavory reputation. When the women leave and Claudia and Frieda reenter the house, Henry lies by saying they are from his Bible study class. He advises them to keep this information from their mother, and they decide to keep his secret, but they are confused about Henry’s true nature.

The narrator provides a long description of Black women from Southern towns like Mobile and Meridian. They are proud of their hometowns, “quiet black neighborhoods where everybody is gainfully employed.” These women are reliable, if plain-looking, and they all end up with the same predictable lives. They consider themselves superior to lower-class Black people, against whom they wield racial slurs, but deep down, they are afraid that they will be corrupted or reveal a kinship to those “others.” Geraldine, who is married and has one son, Junior, is one of these women. Geraldine shows more affection toward her black cat than her son but carefully controls Junior’s life, making sure he does not play with Black boys. Junior, on the other hand, wants a rougher life, so he takes to bullying girls.

One day, Junior sees Pecola walking through the playground near his house, and he lures her by claiming he has kittens. Once she is inside, he throws the black cat at her; the animal lashes out and scratches Pecola. The cat calms down, and Pecola admires its bright blue eyes. When he realizes the cat has warmed to Pecola, Junior picks it up and swings it around. He and Pecola tussle as she attempts to free the cat, and he throws it across the room as Geraldine returns home. Junior accuses her of killing the cat, and Geraldine spits slurs at the girl. Pecola reminds Geraldine of a type of girl whom she considers inferior and has carefully tried to avoid associating with or becoming. Pecola leaves the house as it begins to snow outside.

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Autumn Summary

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Spring Summary