A Trip to the Grocery Store

In 1859, The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, was created. As we reach the time period in Jazz, the store had grown to be the largest grocery store/food retailer in the country. The store is now known as being “Walmart before Walmart.” Up until 1965, A&P was the largest retailer, period.

In the beginning of Jazz, an important theme to think about is the future. The city, along with the “citysky” show to be signs of growth and a better future for African Americans. In the  beginning, Page 7 to be exact, it was mentioned that a colored man was offered a job as a clerk at an A&P.

Just thought it was an interesting piece of history that Morrison chose to include in her work. Also, this was the first time I have heard of this store, and unfortunately I wont be able to shop at one, because as of 2015, all A&P stores closed, ending a 156 year retail business and tradition.

A Different World

I have never previously read a Toni Morrison work, and upon hearing about this class being offered, I knew I had to take it. I have always been interested in history, and what life was like in eras before me.

I believe that it is crucial to learn about our history and in my previous experience learning about it, I was not very engaged reading out of textbooks and observing powerpoints. Novels are powerful; they allow the reader to connect with a fictional or nonfictional character and experience firsthand their life and the lives around them. Toni Morrison takes slavery and presents it in such a way, that it really allows the reader to vicariously understand what times were like when black slavery was present in America. In the first two chapter’s of A Mercy, we get a sense of  how the story is told; through perspective narration. This way of storytelling is engaging as well as informative, as it allows readers to understand the emotions, feelings, and thoughts of the people forced to live in this absurd era.

I found this article to be interesting in relation to understanding slavery in America.