The Edge Of Heaven essays

The Edge Of Heaven essays The Edge Of Heaven by Marita Golden is a fiction novel that takes place in the late 1980s/ early 1990s in the nations capital Washington D.C. Though the year is inconclusive it is proven by the style of dress mentioned in the early chapters of the novel. The story is told from two perspectives, first person, Teresa who is the main character, and third person narrative Lena who is the mother of Teresa. Teresa is portrayed as a troubled youth who had to face the issue of her mothers imprisonment for the death of her younger sister, Kenya. Throughout the novel a maturation process takes place with Teresa. She is becoming a woman and dealing with her fear of forgiving her mother for the death of her sister. MaAdele is Lenas mother and Teresas grandmother, and in my eyes she is the strongest character in the novel. MaAdele fit the description of most grandmothers in African-American families. MaAdele seems flawless; she was a beautiful woman, Teresa states in the novel: Each time I looked at my grandmothers face I saw the shadow and the promise of my mother and myself. My grandmother had aged with staunch dignity. Each year her high cheekbones, Cherokee nose, and dark skin grew persistent, more right. I took refuge in her that face...(4) MaAdele also has the heart of Aphrodite and the wisdom of the almighty Zeus. She is the backbone of the family: this in seen in numerous accounts. Like many African-American families the grandmother helps raise the grandchildren. This is not uncommon thing in many households. I know firsthand that this is true. In comparison, MaAdele is in many ways like my own great-grandmother, Kitty Mom. Mary Wessels, which is formal, names my great-grandmother, but to those who were close to her knew her as Mom. Mom was the neighborhood mother. It was not uncommon to see a neighbors child eating dinner at Mom&apo...