Frankie Lennon’s memoir, The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight Up Stories of Black Woman’s Life, a selection piece titled, "Scotch on the Rocks", is about Lennon’s conflicts that come about due to her drinking problem. The main character in this selection piece is the narrator herself, Frankie, and the antagonist is her alcohol counselor. Two other characters that play a major role are Jay and Billy. Jay is the married man who is having a sexual relationship with Frankie. Billy is a friend of Frankie’s who changed his drinking habits and eventually stopped. This takes place between the late 70s early 80s and the setting is at the local bar, Allen’s Lounge in Evansville.
In Scotch on the Rocks, Lennon is faced with a conflict with her inner self. When Lennon goes to an alcohol counselor’s office she is asked if she would like to quit drinking. She describes to the reader that scotch is her protector; her Linus blanket and believes that drinking will hide her true identity to make the Corners go away. The Corners are illustrated as a shadowy dark place where the secret of her true self hides. Frankie values two things in this piece which is her scotch and Billy’s outlook on drinking. Her value for scotch is a definite threat for her to overcome her conflict due to the fact that she drinks far too much alcohol which caused her to get in a car accident and then sent to an alcohol counselor. The second thing she values is Billy’s honesty letting her know that it was hard to quit drinking and that she needs to figure out for herself if she is an alcoholic. This value is helpful for her to break her inner conflict within herself. There are also two characteristic traits that are portrayed by Frankie. The first is her stubborness with the alcohol counselor which is a flaw. When Frankie was with the counselor she pulled out a cigarette and said this was a smoke free office. In her mind she was upset having to have been in the counselor’s office but more annoyed when he would start to ask her questions about when she had her first drink and how much she drinks. In her mind she was saying the right answers but giving the counselor completely different answers when she opened her mouth. The second trait is her craving to have a good time at Allen’s Lounge. By her constantly going to Allen’s to drink and ordering a scotch shows she is looking to have fun and not thinking of the consequences that will happen after drinking. This trait is a flaw because she is more focused on her next drink then trying to change her drinking habits.
In this selection there were two themes I was able to find as American African Motifs. According to the worksheet titled Black Literature-Recurring Motifs # 12 Survival Skills is the first motif I identified in the story. Masking herself from who she is and covering her up to be this alcoholic. At the end of the story Frankie admits that she doesn’t even like the taste of scotch and thinks to herself asking if she could stop. The idea of stopping is then pushed aside when Lennon if offered another drink. The next motif is #16 Identity and Belonging by how she hides her identity and turns to drinking to belong.
Scotch on the Rocks has taught me that if there are problems in the future that affect me internally I shouldn’t hide them. I should face the problem and work through it. I learned that issues around me won’t just fly away; they’ll stay with you until they are resolved.
There was a specific character that I found interesting and it was the narrator, Frankie Lennon. Mostly just with her relationship with Jay and how she was his sideline woman. When his wife Marsha came into the bar and told her she has to stay away from Jay, she remained quiet. I probably wouldn’t have been quiet if someone were in my face trying to make a scene.
Yes I without a doubt would recommend this piece of the memoir to someone. I probably would recommend it to someone who is dealing with inner conflicts and turns to drinking for comfort. I would hope by showing this they would be able to gain some of their confidence in themselves and make a change to better them self now and for their future.
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