To "cry uncle" is an idiomatic expression meaning to
concede defeat.
T. Ray, Lily's father, is a crude,
domineering man. His wife had been killed in the midst of a violent argument with him,
when Lily, who had been a very small child, had picked up the gun they were fighting
over, and the weapon had gone off. Lily has grown up since then in an environment run by
her callous father, devoid of love. The only source of comfort she has is Rosaleen, a
black woman who has been plucked from the ranks of T. Ray's workers, and assigned to
care for his house and his daughter.
Lily remembers that
she had not realized that Rosaleen loved her until she bought her a baby chick the
Easter she was eight. The chick had made a mess in the house, but Rosaleen did not
complain. When T. Ray came home and threatened "to boil the chick for dinner and fire
Rosaleen for being an imbecile," Rosaleen stood between him and the chick, telling him
unequivocably that the chick was not leaving. Unused to being defied, T. Ray had
retreated, his "boots whisper(ing) uncle all the way down the
hall;" Lily knows that her father has been defeated by Rosaleen, who, knowing how much
the chick meant to a child hungry for love, had stood up to him for Lily's sake (Chapter
1).
No comments:
Post a Comment