Sapphire's Push

From what seems like the start of time, there has been a divide between those who are considered normal and those who are not. Usually, it is those who are considered to be normal who set further standards on who else can be considered normal. If one does not fit this set standard, he/she is considered abnormal and often frowned upon. An example of this situation is provided in Elizabeth McNeil’s response to Sapphire’s Push. In this essay, McNeil discusses the development of Precious, the protagonist in Sapphire’s piece, as she transforms from a freak to just an average woman facing shared struggles. Such a huge transformation pushes the question: what is it that manages to “un-freak” Precious?
At the start of her analysis, McNeil emphasizes

Rain. Ms. Rain teaches Precious many important lessons related to both school and life. One important thing she teaches Precious is that she is both beautiful and capable enough to learn to read and write. She proves this by then going on and actually teaching Precious to read and write. Ms. Rain also preaches to Precious about how important it is not to judge others. Precious fears that everyone thinks she is a freak, yet she judges lesbians. Ms. Rain informs Precious that she is a lesbian, which shows her that just because people say something, such as being a lesbian, is bad does not mean that it actually is. Ms. Rain teaches Precious to be accepting of everyone, especially if she wants acceptance in return. This new teacher brings Precious an abundance of knowledge and becomes her first figure of

Rain’s teachings also became useful when it came to Precious’s communication skills. There was always a barrier between Precious and much of the white adult population, because her illiteracy severed her communication skills. Adults judged her prior to knowing her, and she could barely speak to defend herself. This inability to communicate caused her to feel as if everyone thought she was a freak, which thus caused her to feel like a freak. After becoming literate, Precious feels as if she can relate more to the “normal” white population, which makes her feel less like a freak. She can now read and write, which allows Precious to communicate better with others. She learns to tell her own story, resulting in a better understanding for Precious of what happened to her in the past. This makes it easier for her to accept what happened to her so that she can move past it and live a happier