Starting PICKING Cotton- Priscilla Ortiz

Priscilla Ortiz
February 16,2016
    I think that this memoir is called "Picking Cotton" because the memoir is written in the years of the late 1900s.  Aside from that, one of the main characters, Jennifer Thompson, truly 100% believes that Ronald Cotton truly was the person who raped her one night, while she was alone in her apartment.  While the rape was occuring Ronald held her at knife point to be able to commit the crime of raping her and marking her for the rest of her life with such event.  The quote of the statue of the civil war, "Conquered they can never be who spirits and whose souls are free"  really means that, Ronald didn't commit the crime even though Jennifer asures he did.. What really shocked me about the opening of the memoir was how, Ronald saw Jennifer  and was with her days before he comitted the rape? Didn't he get convicted?  That was one of my confusions, wasn't Ronald Cotton convicted and sent to jail? in the chapter it says he was, but before, all that occured he was seen with Jennifer.  That is what surprised me the most. Knowing that he got convicted and he is seen with Jennifer. what really disturbed me, was the rape scene. Why would she tell us those details and relive something she didn't want to remember, why didn't her mother support her through this difficult time and event in her life? Its normal that both of them are in shock but the mom should support her daughter and help her get through this difficult time.  I personally felt as if Jennifer was being pushed away or closed off about the topic and she felt  as if no one wanted to talk to  her to help her over come the event.  Jennifer's boyfriend wasn't being helpful or supportive either.  Jennifer really didn't have no one she can talk to about her event except her sister, who when Jennifer was crying in the middle of nights, and couldn't fall asleep Her sister would be there hugging her and giving her support.  A rape, is something no one would want to relive or remember, something horrible that will mark a person forever, because such an event can change the way a person sees, or lives the rest of there life.  The person may feel trapped and without help to overcome this event, if they don't find anyone to lean on.  A rape is something no one should have to live and experience.  An event such as what Jennifer experienced, is something life changing and disturbing in the life of any human being.  This is a hardship that sometimes people find hard to overcome, and it truly is hard to overcome at whatever age it may occur. Jennifer had a life changing event and not really the support of her mom just the support of her sister.