Etta Johnson Essay, Research Paper
The male versus female power struggle between two character in “Etta johnson,” an excerpt from gloria naylor’s novel The Woman of brewster place: A novel in seven stories illustrates the conflict of character’s expectration. Both etta mae johnson and Rev. morelond woods want different futeres for thier relationship. etta johnson is looking for a long term relationship that involes marriage. Rev. woods want a “now and later relationship that involves having sex now and possibly revisiting his partner later without being committrd to that person. Rev. Moreland wood does have totally different motives for their relationship.
tta johnson is jobless and looking for a man to take care of her. Etta friend Mattie adised her to meet a, “man who’d be serious about settling down with you”(330) Mattie does not feel that the preacher is a good candidate for marriage, but etta is content with her efforts to cause the residents of Brewster to, “be humming a different tune whe (she show up there the wife of a big preacher”(331) Etta learns that she she is used for sex as power is not powerful enough to cause the Rev. to want to marry her.
Rev. woods is looking for something less committing that marriage. woods is looking for a one time event and thinks of his encounter with etta as agame. Rev. woods calls etta “worldy women”(333) and commends her on her knowledge and “understanding the tempory weakness of the flesh and don’t make it out to be something bigger than is” although she does want more. Rev Mouland Woods does get what he wants from this relationship, sex.
Etta johnson is the loser of the power struggles and also of her pride. After getting out of Rev. woods car, Etta stands on the corner in a slumped position as the rev observers her in his rearview mirror this picture of her, “caused him to press down onthe accelerator,”(333)illustrates his fear of commitment. etta’s “broken spirit”(333) shower her disappointment of not finding love, commitment and someone who cares for her.
Although the two character have different motives, they both gained something from their experience. Rev. woods get what he is seeking , a sexual relationship without commitment. Etta johnson does not get a proposal of marriage, but she does get a reality check resulting inher knowledge of her fate. rev. woods is the benefactor of this power struggle.