In the 1861 section of Moon and the Mars, readers witness Theo come into a new kind of consciousness. We as readers have essentially grown up with her as she moves through life in Five Points, seeing the historically-significant world through her eyes, and consequently losing innocence as the novel progresses and Theo gains life experience. Until now, we understand Theo’s financial situation to a certain extent; we know that her family is usually short on money, but we can also recognize that Theo considers herself a “lucky orphan” because she has family, rarely lacks for food (with the exception of the depression), and always has a roof over her head. It is during the chapter titled “War” that Theo realizes exactly where her and her family fall in terms of economic status.
Near the beginning of the chapter, Ciaran approaches Theo and tells her that Grammy Cahill and the rest of their Irish family are rich, but Theo retorts that they are poor. Ciaran then says, “Well, here’s what’s what, Madam Scholar. There’s poor and there’s poor” (Corthron 306). He proceeds to show Theo his cousin’s boardinghouse, which is flooded often and smells bad, and Theo realizes the extent of her privilege (Corthron 307). Shortly afterwards, Theo and Ciaran take a carriage ride through Central Park, and Jamey, the driver, tells them that the experience is extremely expensive, proclaiming, “You know when the real customers have a carriage ride, one carriage ride, the fare could support a poor man and his family a year?” (Corthron 308). Theo and Ciaran are in disbelief, and Theo once again realizes the extent of her privilege, but in a completely different light.
Between these two scenes, Corthron effectively educates both Theo and the reader about class divisions and conflict in roughly four short pages. Theo experiences the living conditions of the poorest of the poor, but she also has the brief opportunity to live the high life. I felt that this was a significant moment as Theo comes of age and starts to realize her financial place in society. She experiences disgust for the boardinghouse, and a different kind of disgust for those with the money to ride in Central Park carriages. Although her situation has not changed, readers are faced with a new duality, in which Theo can both be grateful for what she has and long for what she does not. This is very important in any coming-of-age novel because it presents a new complexity that accompanies maturity, but it also might come with confusion for such a young narrator. In this way, Corthron might be attempting to speak at a universal truth about guilt and privilege.
One response to “Blog #1: Realization of Class Conflict in Moon and the Mars”
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I really enjoyed reading your analysis of class conflict in the novel, and think you’re spot on about Theo’s burgeoning understanding of her own economic level. From the beginning of the book, we see differences between Theo’s life and the other children in the neighborhood who live on the street and face the threat of freezing or starving to death. Although Theo’s families face a period of struggle during the depression, she most often always has enough to eat, and multiple different roofs to sleep under at any time. But despite these facts, she still does live in poverty. I think your comment about the ‘complexity that accompanies maturity’ is a really great interpretation of Corthron’s choice in including this nuance about class.
I really enjoyed reading your analysis of class conflict in the novel, and think you’re spot on about Theo’s burgeoning understanding of her own economic level. From the beginning of the book, we see differences between Theo’s life and the other children in the neighborhood who live on the street and face the threat of freezing or starving to death. Although Theo’s families face a period of struggle during the depression, she most often always has enough to eat, and multiple different roofs to sleep under at any time. But despite these facts, she still does live in poverty. I think your comment about the ‘complexity that accompanies maturity’ is a really great interpretation of Corthron’s choice in including this nuance about class.