We can infer from the first chapter that Helga Crane is someone that lacks personal relationships in her life. There are no people in her life that she can heartily share her time, thoughts and feelings with. She doesn’t seem like she could connect with anyone around her. She certainly values companionship for it is stated in the chapter “she had wanted social background”. Her lack of love and communication with her own family accounts for her inability to be with others.
It all begins in the home. The way in which we interact with our family members (whether to be related to us or not) is what determines how we will interact with the rest of the world. In the article Factors affecting social development, it states “Children who experience the security of loving parents and have strong attachments to their parents are better able to reach out to relate to others. According to attachment theory, children who enjoy a secure attachment relationship with their parents and caregivers use this relationship as a support to venture out and explore their environment (Maccoby, 1993). Helga Crane did not achieve such confidence. There is a rift between Crane and her family. She doesn’t get along with them, as evidenced by the text “Her stepfather, her stepbrothers and sisters, and the numerous cousins, aunts, and other uncles could not have been even remotely considered. She laughed a little, scornfully, reflecting that the antagonism was mutual, or, perhaps, just a trifle keener on her side than on theirs. They feared and hated her, She pitied and despised them.” If she could not get along with the people who are supposed to unconditionally tolerate and even love her, what could she expect from the outside world?
I believe that for Helga to get along with people no matter what skin color is for her to accept herself first. Her conflict with herself does come from her past with the indifference between her mother and father. She ties the problem with race which she feels that she is stuck in between African American, White and the fact that she has to choose while there is conflict towards her coming from both sides does not help her identify herself. But she needs to learn to accept her past. I think once she accepts her past then she accepts the indifference between her mother and father for what it was which she can probably cope with both races as a result. Then she can finally learn to how to get along with the ones she encounters.
Yeah I agree, she has like this internal conflict because of her past and until she comes to terms with it and accepts herself, only then can progress be made.
I agree with your statement about how she lacks personal relationships in her life. ““Her stepfather, her stepbrothers and sisters, and the numerous cousins, aunts, and other uncles could not have been even remotely considered. She laughed a little, scornfully, reflecting that the antagonism was mutual, or, perhaps, just a trifle keener on her side than on theirs. They feared and hated her, She pitied and despised them.” This quote shows how she really doesn’t connect with her immediate family. She wasn’t fond of them and really have no type of relationship with them and because of this she doesn’t really know herself.
Yeah as I read deeper into the story you get this feeling that she doesn’t really make connections nor fit in with certain people in her family. I feel like it did affect other aspects of her life like her social life and work and relationships even. I do believe that if she had a stronger relationship from her family then she would have and act different with relationships romantically and non romantic. Helga is letting this race eat her up inside because she wants to fit in and she wants to be accepted into her families but she will never be able to do so because she grew up with these feelings and having her families treat her differently. Unfortunately with the events In her life she’s going to have a hard time connecting to others and fitting in.