I was not thrilled about the idea of reading Mudbound at first, but I actually ended up reading it in one day. I had nothing else to do and I feel like if I had not binge read it I would have just stopped or forgotten to finish it. I normally do not like the books we are required to read for school, but I found myself liking this book the more I kept reading. It was interesting how the chapters were set up from the characters point of view instead of the normal titles you regularly see. Hillary Jordan did an excellent job at keeping the reader immersed in her story. I would find myself really into the story line and angered or excited about what was happening. After I finished the book I sat there for a few minutes and wished there was more to read.
It seemed as if the characters had their own vision of who they needed to be. As if it was the way they wanted people to perceive them or how people already perceived them and just accepted it. That they had a role they were required to fill.
Laura was content with her simple life, and just accepted the fact she would be a lonely teacher who still lived with her parents. She accepted her role as being the simple girl, because she didn’t think of herself as anything else. Once, she met Henry she started to enjoy dressing up like how other girls did. She described him as being a simple man. Her entire life was just described as simple. When Henry’s brother, Jamie, meets her, she instantly feels the thrill and excitement he causes her. When they dance she can feel the stares of envious women, and she likes the feeling. For once she didn’t feel so bland. Laura thinks Henry is going to propose to her, but he does the opposite and leaves. She realizes she is going back to being the simple girl she was before and thinks she is stupid for believing she could be anything other than that. She makes this front up that she is happy. When Henry proposes to her, she makes up the reasons on why she could marry him.
When Henry tells her the news about moving she is annoyed but won’t tell him, because she has to be his supportive wife. While there she starts to speak her mind, leaving Henry taken aback since she wasn’t acting in her normal, bland, simple role. The longer they stay on the farm the more miserable she gets. Jamie is the breath of fresh air she craves, and when he is around she changes. He makes her feel special instead of simple.
Jamie is described as being able to make all the girls shine. However, after the war he changes. He has horrid nightmares and memories that haunt him. He drinks excessively to try and get through the days. Jamie is unhappy with himself but he still lives up to his role. His jokes and flirtations all hide how broken he is inside. He suffered with being accepted by his father at a young age and still carries it around with him. After sleeping with Laura, killing his own father, and having Ronsel’s tongue cut out, it gets harder for him. He suffers with his own demons, but still puts on a front for his brother and the kids, as if nothing is wrong.
Pappy is a horrible man and makes all his opinions well known. However, deep down he cares about his family. He wouldn’t dare let that side of him be shown, even though it is hardy there to begin with. Henry talks about how the loss of his wife affected him. Henry reminds Jamie that he does love and care about him. I believe that is true to an extent. When the KKK are judging whether to hang both Jamie and Ronsel, Pappy is talking for Jamie basically trying to save him. He is trying to save his son. I believe he did care about Jamie, but the role that Pappy came up with for himself didn’t allow it to show enough for his son, which ruined him.
Hap speaks his mind about the McAllan family in his own home. When he is around Henry he has to know his role. Being a black man, being lesser to the white man. His role along with many other blacks that he doesn’t want to fill but has to in order to survive that world. His whole family has to learn to play this role.
Ronsel is described as be extraordinary. He isn’t meant for the farm life and goes off to war. The white people he meets traveling in the war don’t discriminate him. For once he is treated as an equal and able to associate with whites. Once he leaves Germany to go back home, he instantly gets into a squabble with Pappy and a few other white men about trying to leave the store through the front door. Ronsel reluctantly struggles to form back into his role of being a black man in Mississippi.