Reading Response: Social Awareness: Push

     In the book "Push" written by Sapphire, the main character Precious Jones,w as left back in school a few times because she had gotten pregnant by her father. Precious' mother doesn't seem to show any concern in this situation. Her mother should be the one to support and show remorse towards her but instead, she just kind of kicks her off to the side.      
     The time when Precious went into labor with her first child, her mother just stood across from her watching but didn't attempt to help her. Precious was washing dishes at the time, and broke down with pain while leaning up against the sink. Her mother started beating her and yelling things like "You nasty little slut. You cow. Take the pain, you deserve it!" Precious described the pain she felt like fire that was eating her up, and said that sweat was breaking out on her forehead. The neighbor that lived in the apartment down the hall was the one to call 9-1-1.                  
      Precious is getting tired of her mother always yelling at her and calling her names. She always tells herself that if one day her mother takes things too far, then she's going to fight back at her. Precious thought, "I'm holding a knife in my hand under these dishes and soapy water. She better not hit me, I ain' lyin'! If she hit me I will stab her to death. You hear me!" Precious has been putting up with all of this ever since she was a child and had the accident with her father. She was only 12 years old when she had her first baby.    
     Precious' mother always tells Precious that it's her fault that she got pregnant, instead of blaming it Precious' father. Her mom tells her one evening, "You fat slut! You pig! Your father done quit me! He done left me 'cause of you! What you tell them at the hospital when they ask you who the father was? Huh!?" I should kill you!" Precious was laying on the floor shaking and kept repeating to herself, "I hope she doesn't kill me." The abuse Precious receives from her mother, physically and verbally, has gotten Precious traumatized.    
     Throughout the story, evidence is given that supports the idea that Precious' mother doesn't care. She's always yelling at Precious, but never correcting her which is why Precious keeps making the same mistakes. Precious' mother should try and stop blaming Precious for things that happened in the past, and focus on the future for herself, Precious and Precious' two children.