"Building Bridges" Response.

        There are all kinds of relationships, most of which, just like in the short story “Building Bridges” are complicated, having more to them than what meets the eye. In the short story “Building Bridges” by Andrea Pinkney, the main character who we know only as Bebe, living with her grandmother in roughly the 1980’s undergo a difficult, stress-filled week or so when Bebe is informed she is qualified to be the only girl working on the Brooklyn Bridge reconstruction project. But her grandmother can’t seem to let her go just yet and refuses to sign her permission slip. We as readers explore further into Bebe’s struggle against her controlling grandmother to state her independence and follow her dreams. In this story, the author shows us that peoples’ relationships change when they are put through tough decisions through Bebe and her grandmother’s argumentative relationship.

            In the beginning of the story as the characters are introduced Bebe and her grandmother who she lives with and calls “Mama Lil” were always at odds, and constantly calling out one another’s flaws. For example, on page 18 Bebe is introducing her and her grandmothers’ relationship to the reader and says “Mama Lil hated the six studs I wore in my left ear; I hated the tacky red wig she pulled down close to her eye brows whenever her hair wasn’t done.” This quote highlights that fact that they fight a lot by mentioning that the two of them have found flaws in one another and use them frequently in arguments. This is because Bebe probably wouldn’t care too much if Mama Lil insulted her earrings once, but since she uses them so frequently she remembers Mama Lil’s opinion. This quote also shows that even though they know what the other one of them dislikes about themselves, they clearly don’t try and alter things about themselves in any way to please the other one of them. Additionally, on the same page and general conversation/idea, Mama Lil says “’How you ever gonna land a decent man with them chunky arms and those hoochie-cut T-shirts? No self-respecting seventeen-year old should let it hang out like that.” And Bebe responds by saying more to the reader than anyone else “Whenever Mama Lil got on her “self-respecting seventeen-year old” sermon, I came back with warning under my breath.” These two pieces of evidence also support the claim that the state of their relationship during the beginning of the short story was not the best in any way. It tells us that Bebe’s grandmother, who is her guardian and lives in the same house as her doesn’t support her or her ambitions, but to add to it, all Bebe does is retaliate rather than try to solve anything. From this I’m sure it has been made obvious that the characters’ relationship was very bad in the beginning of the short story, but as you read further into the book, if you pay attention you can see change as they undergo more difficulties and stress.

            As the reader journeys further into these characters’ stories, you begin to be hinted towards what the story will be about, and can see that their relationship changes only from bad to worse. For example, on page 20 to 21, as Bebe is in another paragraph of dialogue explaining what Mama Lil dislikes about her, she explains, “But the biggest obstacle of all, the thing that made Mama Lil the most stubborn, was my dream of becoming an engineer.” This demonstrates the fact that their relationship is getting worse simply by showing that they now have yet another thing to argue about. And seeing how frequently they argued, and how nothing in these arguments was even attempted to be resolved, that they just blatantly threw insults at one another, clearly, nothing positive can come from this. Moving on, on page 27 as the time until the permission slip is due shortens and Bebe becomes sick of Mama Lil’s attitude of not wanting anything to do with it, the author writes “Mama Lil did something that got me real mad. She brought home a summer job application from Rimley’s Beauty Parlor.” This quote shows that another reason their relationship is only getting worse is because Mama Lil seems to not care how much she wants to work on the bridge. It also shows that another reason Mama Lil doesn’t want Bebe working on the bridge is because she thinks women should have what she stereotypically thinks are women’s jobs. Having a stereotype like this stuck in your head would be very hard to undo and would make it seem very difficult for Bebe to ever convince her grandmother otherwise. However, to add more fuel to the fire, on page 28 the author shows us that Bebe simply won’t give up without a fight. The text states “Mama Lil, your eyes are always closed. Closed to seeing me.”…”I don’t want to spend my summer sweeping hair. The bridge is where my heart is at, Mama Lil.” These last two quotes put together show that Mama Lil is completely ignoring Bebe. Rather than even try to see her side of the argument, she just blinds herself to all the issues arising to her through her stereotypical view of the world. It shows just how stubborn Mama Lil can be, which is about ten times more than enough Bebe needs to get angry. Therefore, from observing this evidence you can easily conclude that their relationship starts as a bad one and only gets worse.

            As the story begins to slow down we come to a point at which there is less than a day left until the due date for the permission slip. Here it may surprise the reader to realize their relationship starts off as it was in the middle, but slowly rebuilds as a resolution comes into view. To support this, on page 29 when Bebe finally decides she really has no choice or alternative to confronting Mama Lil and not letting her use any excuses to leave the text states, “Mama Lil let out a heavy breath. Then she admitted what we’d both known all along. ‘Your dream are the kind that’ll take away from Bebe- away from your Mama Lil.’” This quote shows that Mama Lil is finally opening up to Bebe and giving calm, un-argumentative reasons for Bebe not to work on the bridge or become an engineer, which is a step in the right direction. Additionally it explains :she admitted what they’d known all along” which really is that Bebe is going to be taken away from her, but only to follow her dreams, which shows she finally begins to look at Bebe’s side of the argument. Also on page 29 the author writes “Mama Lil was right. My dreams would take me away from her.” This also shows their relationship is getting better because Bebe is finally attempting to see Mama Lil’s side of the argument. These pieces of evidence support the fact that their relationship is becoming better, because their opening up to one another and having the kind of talks or arguments that have reasoning behind them and aren’t just yelling insults at one another. These pieces of evidence show that they decided to calm down and practically start anew, knowing they would need to rebuild their relationship. Acknowledging the fact that they must respect one another along with their opinions and ambitions as they are a family.

In conclusion, through this you can see that Bebe and Mama Lil’s relationship went from bad, to worse and at the very end to an improved version compared to anything they’ve ever had. When they were put through these hardships after a while they finally opened up to one another and were able to almost restart their relationship in a completely new and changed way. Which goes to show that when relationships go through hard times, no matter who or what kind of people are involved, the outcome changes the characters’ true feelings and therefore their relationship as a whole- a concept the author (Andrea Pinkney) very successfully wove into a short, entertaining story without taking away the importance of the topic. She gave multiple descriptive examples of this idea that happens in many relationships helping make this the well written book with an essential message that is.