The Evolution of Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker

Toni Cade Bambara was born, Miltonia Mirkin Cade on, March 25, 1939. Cade and her brother, Walter were raised by their mother in New York City. Her mother raised her children to think for themselves, use their own judgment and she enforced the importance of knowing their black history and was adamant about it being taught to her children in school. After finding a sketchbook in her grandmother's trunk with Bambara scribed on it, Cade discovered that her grandmother had adopted the name and decided to use it as part of her own name (Gates 2305-6). Bambara published her first short story, "Sweet Town," at age 20. However, it was not until 1970 that Bambara began taking her writing seriously. In 1972, her first collection of short stories, Gorilla My Love, was published. It was in this collection that her short stories, "Gorilla, My Love" and "Raymond's Run" appear.

Bambara is known for her effective use of the narrator and black dialect. It has been said that "Bambara's narrators do for contemporary black dialect what Twain and Huck Finn did for the dialect of Middle America in the mid nineteenth century" (Hargrove 215). Although Bambara's work is saturated with the life and language of black people, there is also a sense of universality in her themes. In the fifteen stories that comprise Gorilla, My Love, all of the main characters are female, thirteen of them are first person narrators and ten of them young (Hargrove 216). Each character is intelligent, witty, tough, and yet vulnerable. Through these characters, Bambara exemplifies the common emotions that young girls face while growing up.
"Raymond's Run" is told from the view of Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker. Hazel also narrates the short story "Gorilla, My Love." Hazel is "deeply inquisitive, and often sharply critical of established order, fearless in the face of authority, and profoundly sensitive to other people's needs and desires" (Willis 132). She is a strong individual with a strong sense of consciousness. In Bambara's short stories "Gorilla My Love" and "Raymond's Run" the reader follows the evolution of Hazel through several discoveries and realizations about herself, her family and life in general.

In "Gorilla, My Love" Bambara portrays the feelings of pain and betrayal that Hazel feels when she perceives that she has been lied to. When she is young, Hazel's uncle, affectionately known as "Hunca Bubba", promises to marry Hazel when she is older. Although this promise was given lightly, the young Hazel takes it very seriously. In the story, Hazel discovers that Hunca Bubba is changing his name and intends to marry someone else. Although Hunca Bubba finds the misunderstanding to be trivial and insignificant, Hazel is devastated and hurt by Hunca Bubba's betrayal. Her sense of self-importance is disrupted. For Hazel, the betrayal reveals to her that adults cannot be trusted to keep their promises.

The incident with Hunca Bubba causes Hazel to relive an earlier situation of betrayal. The previous Easter, Hazel had intended to see a movie about gorillas that had been advertised on the marquee at the theatre. However, upon her arrival at the theatre, they played a movie about Jesus. After complaining to the manger to no avail, Hazel sets fire to the candy stand. She later explained to her father that she expected people (and marquees) to keep their word: "Cause if you say Gorilla, My Love, you suppose to mean it. Just like when you say you goin to give me a party on my birthday, you gotta mean it…I mean even gangsters in movies say, "My word is my bond." So don't nobody get away with nothing far as I'm concerned" (Hargrove 218). This statement exemplifies Hazel's disillusionment as a child. She is unable to distinguish between fiction and reality. She believes that people say what they mean all the time. This incident sets the foundation for Hazel's obsession with being "real." This obsession and preoccupation is seen throughout her many adventures.

Hazel trusted Hunca Bubba and as a result of his betrayal, she has become suspicious of the entire adult world. She comments on this betrayal of the adult world after her grandfather and uncle attempt to explain the misunderstanding: "I'm crying and crumpling down in the seat…And Baby Jason cryin too. Cause he is my blood brother and understands that we must stick together or be forever lost, what with grownup playin change-up and turning you round every which way so bad. And don't even say they sorry" (Hargrove 219). Hazel comes to the conclusion that there are many conflicts between that adult realm of understanding and that of children.

In "Gorilla, My Love," the reader is introduced to the importance of identity to Hazel. In the story, she mentions that various nick names she has been given. "Miss Muffin", "Bad-bird", and "scout" are names given to her by different members of her family. However, they are all "situation-specific, and, while they indicate aspects of Hazels identity, they do not represent Hazel as a self, capable of establishing promises" (Willis 138). At one point of the story, she actually states, "My name is Hazel." Although each nickname is a part of who she is, in her eyes, essentially she is Hazel. This is why she does not grasp the reasoning behind Hunca Bubba's name change.

The importance of identity is also evident in Bambara's "Raymond's Run." The story focuses on Hazel and the important things in her life. For Hazel, her life centers on two things: caring for her brother Raymond and running. Both of these are important to Hazel and have both molded her into the girl she is. She states in the beginning of the story "All I have to do in life is mind my brother Raymond, which is enough" (Gates 2307). Although it is somewhat of a burden, it is what she has to do and Hazel accepts the challenge. She is very protective of her brother and comes to terms with the insults and fights she has to endure as a result of his condition.

Throughout the story, Hazel is preoccupied with being herself, rather than what others want her to be. She rebels against her mother's wishes for her to participate in the May Pole dance. Instead she opts for her usual May Day Race and she explains, "I do not dance on my toes. I run. That is what I am all about." (Gates 2310). The day of the race, Hazel is once again disappointed by a "grown-up" when Mr. Pearson suggests she let someone else win the race this year, especially since Gretchen had recently moved into town. Hazel is determined to win the race and maintain her status as "the fastest thing on two feet."

As the race begins, Hazel is running when she notices Raymond running alongside her on the other side of the fence. It is at this moment that Hazel makes a shocking discovery about herself and Raymond. She realizes that she could teach Raymond to run and give his life purpose in turn making it easier for him. Hazel comes to see that running does not have to be her sole source of her strength and identity. She realizes that she can take on the role of Raymond's coach and that he could finally get his chance to shine: "I've got a roomful of ribbons and medals and awards. But what has Raymond got to call his own?" (Gates 2312). Hazel is so preoccupied with the revelation that she does not know if she won the race or not, but for her it does not matter.

This marks Hazel's acceptance of Raymond. For Hazel, this is the first time that she has truly seen her brother as an individual. She has always accepted her duty to mind Raymond. She has watched over him and even fought for him. But, at the end of the story, she takes it a step further: "rather than simply knowing him as her brother, she accepts and acknowledges him as such- a child, like her, of the same father" (Gidley 68). Perhaps the most important part of Hazel's newfound regard for Raymond has to do with her ability to envision a future for her brother, when no one else does. Because Raymond is mentally retarded, most people disregard him as an individual. However Hazel recognizes that he has his own potential as a runner. She exemplifies this when she declares him "my brother Raymond, a great runner in the family tradition" (Gates 2312).

At the same time, Hazel gains a respect for her opponent Gretchen. She realizes that Gretchen also loves the sport and has a skill in running and a loyal dedication to it. She gains respect for the way Gretchen runs and then gets her breathing under control "like a pro." The story ends with the two girls smiling at each other with sincere appreciation for the other. She states: " It's about as real a smile as girls can do for each other, considering we don't practice real smiling every day, you know, cause maybe we too busy being flowers or fairies or strawberries instead of something honest and worthy of respect…you know…like being people" (Gates 2313). Hazel values the real things in life and she is not afraid to be real with herself and the people around her.

In "Gorilla, My Love" and "Raymond's Run," Hazel undergoes various experiences of disillusionment, betrayal, and acceptance. She represents humanity in her advocacy of the truth, in her unselfish desire to make her brother's life more significant, in her determination to be herself, and in her admiration of the abilities of her rival. Hazel is unlike any other character in literature. Although a child, she is has learned about the important things in life. She evolves from a child hurt by a miscommunication fueled by an obvious generation gap to a young woman who comes to the realization that her strength lies in more places than she originally thought. . She has a wise understanding of what is valued most in life, "being people." Accepting who you are and not changing to please people or to make other people feel better about themselves is key to achieving individuality. Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker is the epitome of a strong individual.

Works Cited

Bambara, Toni Cade. "Raymond's Run." The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, Vol. 1. Ed. Henry Louis Gates and Nellie Y. McKay. New York: Norton, 1997. 2305-13.

Gidley, Mickey. "Reading Bambara's Raymond's Run." English Language Notes, Vol 28. 1990: 67-71.

Hargrove, Nancy D. "Youth in Toni Cade Bambara's Gorilla, My Love." Women Writers of the Contemporary South. Mississippi, University Press, 1984. 215-232

Willis, Susan. "Problematizing the Individual: Toni Cade Bambara's Stories for the revolution" Specifying: Black Women Writing the American Experience. Wisconsin, University Press, 1987 129-58.