marvane street chapter 6

Chapter 6 Response

Interpret the meaning of Socrates' dream and his reaction to it in terms of how it relates to his character and events in the book.

“We got to dig all’ a them up now. It’s time.” Page 94 lines 19-20

In Socrates dream he is told to dig up all the graves of the black people that had died from grief. Socrates spends a good amount of time every day remembering the women he killed. While it has become apparent that Socrates is no longer a violent person he still views himself to be. Socrates is a person that wants to accomplish everything that he can with his life yet he is holding himself back by using not giving himself a second chance. One interpretation of the dream is that it is Socrates telling himself that it is time to get on with his life and to stop his past mistakes from holding him back. Socrates has yet to move forward because of the women he murdered. An example of this is when Socrates is offered a job at Lula’s restaurant. Socrates tells her that he can’t work at the restaurant because he cant work in such a small place but the real reason is because he is afraid that he might kill her. When the Big man in Socrates dream tells him “We got to dig all’ a them up now. It’s time.” He is telling him that he needs to let go of all the grief he is holding in because he deserves a second chance.