His Right Eye Wept While His Left Eye Rejoiced (Chapter Two)

In this chapter, the story began to accelerate greatly. I have begun to really like this book, as it so far has reminded me of one of my favourite books The Virgin Suicides. I make this comparison because in both of these works an older boy becomes infatuated with a naive and significantly younger girl, who has overbearing parents. When the parents find out, in both novels, they practically disown each of their respective daughters. The Virgin Suicides does not end well (as the title obviously implies) and my intuition that this book will not end positively has been reinforced once again.

I have noticed a trends in some of the language used in this book so far. The word heathen is used repetitively. This word has a religious connotation, and it links to the over feel of the chapter. There is a lot of religious hostility implied in this chapters. The narrator makes many references to faith and religion, all of which are highly negative:

- "(He) felt himself drawn in with an involuntary faith-which is what faith is." (MacDonald 11)

- "It was James's first time in a Catholic church. Smells like a whorehouse he thought, although he'd never been in one of those either." (MacDonald 16)

The author here seems to be alluding to her own perception of religion. She makes the impression that religion does not mean anything to her, and that God is either not real or very uncaring. Many of the characters in this book seem bound by their own religious beliefs, and I believe that unfold later in the plot.

The author also uses this chapter to make some very strong statements on the injustices occurring towards the female population in 1898. More than a few times, whilst researching this book it has been classified as a lesbian feminist novel. Whether this is accurate or not, it is obvious that the author has some very strong opinions on women and their roles, and this flourishes amongst the narrator's dialogue.

-"'Look. This is the new world. Anything is possible here.' She had been too young to realize he was talking to her brothers" (MacDonald 14).

-"Mahmoud didn't beat his daughter, and he counted it a weakness that he'd never been able to bring himself to raise a hand to any of his girls for there was the root of the problem" (MacDonald 16).

-"It was that he had come like a thief in the night and stolen another man's property" (MacDonald 17). Materia is the said "property" that is being stolen by James.

It is still not clear who is narrating this story. However, shortly after discussing Materia and James getting married, the narrator curses Materia's womb and call Materia their daughter. The reader can come to the possible conclusion that the narrator is one or both of the parents of Materia. Perhaps they are telling this story to Materia's children? It is not clear if they are telling the story just to recount painful family history, or if the intent is cautionary or malicious. As I read on, hopefully this will become more apparent.

During the secret and forbidden marriage of Materia and James, the lines illustrating their wedding and their wedding night are threaded in between a poem: "Come with me from Lebanon O my sister....I am the rose of sharon and the lily of the valley...They lips O my bride drip as the honeycomb, honey and milk are under my tongue" (MacDonald 15). These are actual bible verses from the Old Testament, called the Song of Solomon. They're traditionally thought of as biblical love songs. Often, they are played at weddings.

Overall, this chapter was positive. It carried themes of love: Young love, risking everything for love, leaving everything behind for love, love does not see social classes and other themes of innocence and purity. However the last line of the chapter has a more than foreboding tone: "But just because it wasn't new, doesn't mean it wasn't haunted." (MacDonald 18).

Interesting Vocabulary:
-Heathen
-Steinway
-Carnal
-"Enklese"