arry for social position, Gabriel’s mother’s wish goes against his most basic personality. When Florence decides to leave, however, Gabriel takes over caring for the sick mother, and gives in to her demands, as much as he can, that he dedicate his life to religion. Just as Janie married Logan for Nanny’s sake, Gabriel denies himself to please his mother, and in this way the mother passes her dream along to be lived in the child.Gabriel’s wife is an interesting character because Baldwin shows her as both a wife and a mother, two roles that, although they should be, are not always compatible. She has to defend her husband for beating the children. She says “your Daddy beats you . . . because he loves you” (23). When Roy is stabbed, Gabriel blames Elizabeth. “I’m sure going to have some questions to ask you in a minute, old lady” (43). He goes on the say “and for all the care you took of him . . . he might as well be dead. Don’t look like you much care whether he lives or dies” (47). Gabriel is telling her that she has failed her job as a wife — who is supposed to care for his children, and as a mother — who is supposed to care for her children. Gabriel couldn’t have insulted Elizabeth more. When Gabriel slaps Elizabeth, however, Roy comes to her aid. “Don’t you slap my mother. That’s my mother. You slap her again, you black bastard, and I swear to God I’ll kill you” he says to his father (48). That he would take the abuse he knows his father will give him to stand up for his mother shows that deep bond between mother and child that is such an important part of traditional women’s roles.Both Their Eyes Were Watching God and Go Tell it on the Mountain are important works of African-American literature that show clearly the importance of the mother figure and the bondage of the wife in African-American culture. Malcol...
