Home by: Toni Morrison
“Settle Down It’ll All Be Clear” (Phillip Phillips)
Over time, Frank’s journey to rescue his debilitated sister, the siblings’ dependence on each other becomes more evident. Frank and Cee Money, the protagonists of Toni Morrison’s Home, exemplify this powerful need, a need that at times flirts with greed. The reason Frank feels so responsible for Cee is due to the fact while growing up they had neglectful parents as well as an abusive grandmother, his failed relationship with Lily, and lastly him facing his inner turmoil due to his actions in Korea. Toni Morrison states numerous times in the text, how Frank would do anything for Cee. Frank recalls, “Only my sister in trouble could force me to even think about going in that direction” (Morrison, 84). His parents certainly did not inculcate this instinct into Frank, for they have neglected their two children, leaving them with the witch of a Grandmother, Lenore. The relationship between Frank and Cee, which exceeds romance, sanctions Frank while handicapping Cee.
Due to the unfortunate circumstance of having careless parents and cruel grandparents, at a young age Frank is occupied with the unspoken role of Cee’s Guardian. “Their parents were so beat by the time they came home from work, any affection they showed was like a razor—sharp, short, and thin” (53). To grab hold of the relationship, Morrison, uses the first person point of view with Frank Money, and the third person perspective from Cee, along with other characters. Frank, as the acting guardian of Cee, the responsibility he has taken on is a significant and perhaps be one of the more important and well-developed themes of the novel. Frank, through the first person point of view describes how he was “guarding her, finding a way through tall grass and out of that place, not being afraid of anything” (104). Frank gladly took ownership for Cee, and was heroic in the process which he loathed about in his own mind. Frank needs to take possession of his
Over time, Frank’s journey to rescue his debilitated sister, the siblings’ dependence on each other becomes more evident. Frank and Cee Money, the protagonists of Toni Morrison’s Home, exemplify this powerful need, a need that at times flirts with greed. The reason Frank feels so responsible for Cee is due to the fact while growing up they had neglectful parents as well as an abusive grandmother, his failed relationship with Lily, and lastly him facing his inner turmoil due to his actions in Korea. Toni Morrison states numerous times in the text, how Frank would do anything for Cee. Frank recalls, “Only my sister in trouble could force me to even think about going in that direction” (Morrison, 84). His parents certainly did not inculcate this instinct into Frank, for they have neglected their two children, leaving them with the witch of a Grandmother, Lenore. The relationship between Frank and Cee, which exceeds romance, sanctions Frank while handicapping Cee.
Due to the unfortunate circumstance of having careless parents and cruel grandparents, at a young age Frank is occupied with the unspoken role of Cee’s Guardian. “Their parents were so beat by the time they came home from work, any affection they showed was like a razor—sharp, short, and thin” (53). To grab hold of the relationship, Morrison, uses the first person point of view with Frank Money, and the third person perspective from Cee, along with other characters. Frank, as the acting guardian of Cee, the responsibility he has taken on is a significant and perhaps be one of the more important and well-developed themes of the novel. Frank, through the first person point of view describes how he was “guarding her, finding a way through tall grass and out of that place, not being afraid of anything” (104). Frank gladly took ownership for Cee, and was heroic in the process which he loathed about in his own mind. Frank needs to take possession of his