Maureen Peal is introduced, showing us that having lighter skin with an exotic color eye is truly what it takes to make someone cute and desirable. She is untouchable by the bullies and is looked up to by the teachers, though she is truly evil at heart as seen when she compares herself to the other girls and claims herself to be much better.

In this chapter we come to find out that not only being white with blonde hair and blue eyes is the most desireable and idealistic, but the lighter your skin despite race, the “cuter” you’re considered to be. There is also racism between members of the African American community itself, due to the fact those who have lighter skin think highly of themselves and claim themselves as more desirable. This is show when stated, ” ‘Black? Who you calling black?’ “(pg 73). This behavior really gives readers an understanding for the overall shared motive of the characters as a whole, to be more desirable and in better places.

So, the chapter starts off with how the season winter is boring, but a new person appears in the story: Maureen Peal, a wealthy black girl who can be compared to white people. Claudia and Frieda dislike her and search for her flaws such as “She even bought and liked white milk” (63) which to be honest, is pretty weird. Soon enough the two of them walk home together and saw Pecola getting bullied and says how she saw her father nakes or whatever. Maureen arrives on the scene of the argument and the boys leave and she offers Claudia, Pecola, and Frieda if they wanted ice cream. Claudia is embarrased about this since, you know, she disliked Maureen. Afterwards the girls go home and they see Mr. Henry with China and the Maginot Line known as Miss Marie. The two ladies are described as prostitutes in the story and when confronting Mr. Henry about it he says they are a part of his Bible-study group.

The passage opens by describing Caullean and Frieda’s father, who seems to be someone they can see as a father figure. They describe him as someone who can protect them and manage their home, making sure they’re warm in the cold winter. It goes on to speak of Maureen Peel, an attractive white girl who the girls are very jealous of. Because of her looks and richness, the whole school loves this girl, and the girls despise her. When her locker is next to Caullean’s, they talk a little, and Maureen says she wants to walk part of the way home with the girls. While they’re walking they run into Pecola being terrorized by a group of boys, who are making fun of her for being black, and her father sleeping naked. The boys are also all black, which makes it odd that they’re making fun of Pecola for it. Frieda hits one with a book, an argument ensues, and the boys leave rather than attacking the girls because they notice Maureen is there. All four girls walk together, and eventually Maureen asks if they all want to get ice cream. She only buys it for Pecola, so the other girls can’t get any, which furthers their hatred for her. As they walk more, Maureen begins speaking of menstruation, and then asks Pecola if she has seen a man naked. She says she hasn’t seen her father naked, which is an odd answer. Maureen inquires further, upsets Pecola, and the other girls argue with her. Maureen makes fun of them for being black, calling them ugly, and they part ways. Once the girls get home they are given money for ice cream by Mr, Henry, but instead get candy at a more nearby store. Once they’re home, they see Mr. Henry with two prostitutes, as they came home earlier than expected. They ask Mr. Henry about them, and he lies saying they were there for bible study. The girls are upset by seeing a man they admire do such a thing in their home. This shows how little purity is in their life, and what they’re exposed to while they’re so young and understand so little about everything. They still don’t even know how having kids works. Overall this passage shows how jealous they are of white girls because they are considered pretty, while people see their black skin as ugly and they don’t understand why. They face a lot of discrimination and it’s hard for them. 

Though winter bores the girls, their interest is kept by a new character, Maureen Peal, a new student at the school. She is a light skinned girl who, by the looks of herself and her clothing, comes from a wealthier family. Maureen is seemingly well liked among the other students at school, except Claudia and Freida. The girls are jealous of her and occupy themselves by attempting to pick out Maureen’s flaws, though they cannot find many. One day when Maureen walks home with Claudia and Freida, they come across a group of boys who are harassing Pecola. Freida steps in followed by Claudia to diffuse the situation, but when the boys see Maureen they back away from the fight. This whole chapter ultimately reveals the difference in the way the girls are treated because of their complexion and socioeconomic status. The girls are repeatedly referred to as ugly and treated with disrespect, but Maureen does not experience similar treatment because of her skin color and wealth. It made me sympathize with the girls because the constant insults affect their confidence and images of themselves.

In chapter 4, a new character is introduced and her name is Maureen Peal. She is a light-skinned, wealthier african american girl who quickly becomes well known in the school. My first impression of this girl was that she was nice and that she was going to befriend the main character. The reasoning I had for believing this was her helping Pecola when the boys were being mean to her and for buying her ice cream. I then came to realized that she wasn’t very nice when she tells the other girls that they are black and ugly while she is cute. Also, talking about newer topics in the novel such as naked men and sex doesn’t seem like a way to gain friends in the story especially since Claudia and Frieda didn’t want to talk about these topics since in brings up their own disturbing memories.

As winter arrives, so does someone new: Maureen Peal. She is very much the opposite of the Breedloves, she is light-skinned and is fairly wealthy. Claudia and Freida immediately try to pick her apart and point out her flaws as they seem to dislike her. As an altercation occurs after school Freida steps into protect Pecola as she being harassed for her skin color and the fact that her dad sleeps nude. Maureen tries to be nice to the girls and asks if that want to go out for ice cream and treats. I applaud Maureen and Frieda for protecting Claudia and I think this is going to be that start of a great friendship.

Back looking through the eyes of Claudia we see events unfold during and after school. They meet a new kid, a white girl named Maureen, who is at first nice. Piccola is being bullied by some boys, hypocritically making fun of her skin, when the girls step up and rich Maureen buys her ice-cream. Maureen starts to ask Piccola weird questions about her naked dad when the girls step in to help, resulting in a fight. Maureen makes some racist remarks that further deprecate the girls. Later the girls go home where Mr. Henry gives them money for ice-cream, only they go to the candy store in fear of seeing Maureen. Having only going close by the girls get home early and catch Henry with some prostitutes.

The book shifts back to Claudia and Frieda. It’s winter now and the girls are at school where they meet the new girl, Maureen Peal. She is new, beautiful, popular, rich, and kind. Claudia and Frieda are skeptical and rude to her. I think they are jealous because they think she is what they should be, which is not true. The sisters look for reasons flaws and reasons to not like Maureen which they eventually find however Maureen is kind and wants to be friends. The 3 girls walk home together and run into Pecola being bullied again and step in. The boys continue to fight but only stop when they see Maureen. To be nice, Maureen then treats Pecola to ice cream but things go down hill when maureen tries to talk about seeing a man naked and they sisters get defensive and tell her to stop. This leads to Maureen telling the girls they are “black ad ugly”. When Claudia and Frieda get home, Mr. Henry is there with the girls who live upstairs. He tries to get rid of his sisters and gets them to lie for him about why the neighbors were there.

In this chapter we meet a new character, Maureen. She is a very pretty light-skinned girl. She essentially reinforces the novel’s earlier message of the Shirley Temple cup—whiteness is beautiful and blackness is ugly. She also reinforces the connection between race and class. Her skin is lighter than the other black children and she is also wealthier. At first Claudia thinks that because she is different than the other children, she won´t fit in. However, she quickly realises the other children love her because of the same reasons that make her different. Claudia then becomes jealous of Maureen, mostly because she wants the pretty things that Maureen has. This jealousy, however, turns into a more destructive envy. Claudia begins to think that in order to have the pretty things Maureen has, she must look like Maureen. This is very destructive for Claudia because if she grows up thinking that at an early age, she will never think anything different.

It is now winter. Once again, we are back at Claudias point of view. Claudias father works hard to keep the family warm in the worsening winter cold. A new character is inroduced into our book in this Chapter. The new character is Maureen Peal, a new classmate at Claudias school. It caught my attention to how the book describes Claudia. It says she had light skin, green eyes, and fancy clothes. I think this imagme sets her up to be a popular girl in the school. She ends up being very nice, and popular among teacbers and students. However, our main characters, Freida and claudia, are mean to the new student. Another event that stuck out to me is when Maureen gets flustered with the girls and ends up running off and calling the girls “black and ugly”, even after buying the girls ice cream. I feel bad for Maureen in a way because the girls are alot to handle and seem to be annoying in a way. At the same time, however, the girls don’t really understand how to act properlly and dont exactly understad I feel. I also feel Maureen could be a little more patient.

In chapter 4, the tone of dark and creepy continues. In this chapter the reader is able to start to see the true person Mr. Henry is. Mr. Henry greets Claudia and Frieda in his bathrobe. This is very creepy and and hints that he has a more evil intentions with Claudia and Frieda. Mr. Henry sent Claudia and Frieda away to go get treats and while they get a treat Mr. Henry brought home two prostitutes. The reader also gets to see a new character be brought up. The narrator says that a new girl came to Claudia and Freida’s school and her name was Maureen Peal. She is described as “a high yellow dream,”(Pg. 62). Claudia and Frieda seem to be jealous of her because they feel she is better looking and by the way other teachers and students treat her. Also, Maureen may be getting treated than Claudia and Frieda because of her race.

A new character was introduced in this chapter by the name of Maureen Peal. She is portrayed as the richest, prettiest, kindest girls in school. However, Claudia and Frieda are very jealous of her and pick her apart in attempts to find flaws to make themselves feel more content with themselves. I think part of their anger towards her is because she is white, and the rest is because she is treated so differently from the sisters and that everyone is super nice to her, even teachers. The first true signs of Mr. Henry are also shown in this chapter. It felt very strange and weird that he greets the two sisters in a bathrobe, and then after he sends the girls out to get treats for themselves, he brings two prostitutes into the house. The girls know that their Mom really does not like one of the women, and so does Mr. Henry, so he tells the kids not to tell their mom about the women being here and lies that they were here to do bible group stuff, and the girls comply because the women had not “eaten out of any of Mama’s plates”.