Anyway Im in Mrs. Lichensteins office. She put the bed down, I do go to sleep. Stop it! It ring again. Her mother, Mary (brilliantly played by Mo'Nique), says to her daughter, I don't have [HIV] because he didn't do it to me that way, referring to anal sexa misperception about HIV transmission that director Lee Daniels unfortunately does not dispel. I just wanna gone get the fuck out of I.S. She wants to move Precious to an alernative school. I want you to hold her hand." Sapphire is the author of two collections of poetry and two novels, Push and The Kid. Trust in the Lord and keep the faith, it will get you through. "This is what happens to a vast majority of people who have been abused," Sapphire says. Moises Plascencia. Precious was released nationwide on November 6 of that year, and won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Mo-Nique) and Best Screenplay. Mary opposes the idea of Precious attending the alternative school. My name is Claireece Precious Jones. It ring again. Mary screams that school is useless for Precious, makes fun of Precious' weight problem (despite being quite heavy herself), and even states that Precious should have been aborted. Precious (Sidibe, in an Oscar-nominated lead performance) endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. All of the girls come from troubled backgrounds. Drama. Ad Choices. An unstated but self-evident moral of Precious, set during Ronald Reagans presidency and based on a book published in the year of Bill Clintons welfare reform, is that government can provide not only a safety net, but also, in small and consequential ways, a lifeline. Precious is Obese. Go tell them assholes to stop ringing the bell, she say. I press listen. Brian Kemp Children, Ya wanna know who, Claireece Precious Jones Im talkin to you!, I still dont answer her. I dont know how many months pregnant I am. He touch my forehead put his other hand on the side of my belly. The only way out of wretched conditions is through the determined action of the individual. At home she is verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abused by her parents. She is the daughter of her two antagonist villain parents Carl and Mary Jones. For example, at one point, one of Abdul's abusers says to him, "Show me some love." Say, Shame, thas a shame. Somebody else there when I wake up. She know so much let her ass do the talking. Today is not the first day and like I said I was on my way to maff class when Mrs. Lichenstein snatch me out the hall to her office. If there is anything that I can do for you please let me know. I got suspended from school cause Im pregnant which I dont think is fair. He push me back on a cushion. Movie fans know the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones the pregnant African-American teen who was a victim of incest and abuse from the provocative, award-winning film Precious. Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe is Claireece "Precious" Jones, a 16-year-old incest survivor, mother of two, and seeker of a better life. Mary and Precious meet one last time with Mrs. Weiss. What my muver gon do I want to say. I go back, Stop ringing the goddam buzzer, I say again. Shes looking at me, Im looking at her. Where your mother born? she say. Precious. Precious tells the unsparing story of a teenage girl in Harlem who's obese, illiterate and horribly abused. The movies starts off with a picture of an orange scarf hanging off a street lamp and then flying through the air. Opens on Friday in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. Precious follows the life of Claireece Precious Jones, a teenage girl living in Harlem in New York City in the late 1980s, as she learns to read and write and begins to tell her painful story. Rain's class is a pre-GED class for young women who are below an eighth-grade level in reading and writing and therefore are unprepared for high school-level courses. He say, relax! The pain stabbing me wif a knife and this spic talking bout relax. While Sapphires intention may have been just to tell a story, as she asserts in interviews, a definite outlook emerges and it is one that accepts the social status quo. Bitch, I say to myself. When her school discovers the pregnancy, it is decided that she should attend an alternative school. Common Yellow Woodsorrel Florida Weeds, The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Louis J. Papalas was born on February 27th, 1946, in Warren, Ohio. She uses a "minimal English that defies the conventions of spelling and usage and dispenses all verbal decorum" (Mahoney). Ms. I say, Greenwood, Mississippi. Nurse say, You ever been there? I say, Naw, I never been nowhere. She say, Reason I ask is Im from Greenwood, Mississippi, myself. I say, Oh, cause I know Im spozed to say something. Mary does nothing but smoke, watch TV, and collect welfare through fraud (she doesn't even look for jobs) and believes that education does nothing for Precious; she would rather have Precious also collect welfare, if only to bring money into the household. April 21, 1996 The authora performance artist and poethas said that when she writes "lost pieces of myself return." Photograph by James Hamilton I was left back when I was twelve because I had a. Hes not going to just be a dancer on stage like Michael Jackson. But I cant hush cause they keep asking me questions. An obese and illiterate African-American teen, she develops her own private universe with colourful fantasies to help her cope with her painful reality. She meets her teacher, Ms. Blu Rain, and fellow students Rhonda, Jermaine, Rita, Jo Ann, and Consuelo. Bennett, Tegan. December 09, 2009 11:00 pm Last Updated: March 20, 2015. 146 on 134th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. I met Precious through Antoinette & she was indeed a sweet young lady. All this from 1982 going through my head and my muver hollering at me, Precious! 2023 Cond Nast. But their love is also enabled by institutions and government policies. Or even the welfare agency? First day he say, Class turn the book pages to page 122 please. I dont move. I doose my work. Even though I know that back door be locked. At the end of the movie, we learn that Precious contracted the AIDS virus from her father, who has died. By A.O. One day, Mary visits Precious and tells her that Carl has died of AIDS. She look at me, butter skin, light eyesI know boyz love her. Im like the polices for Mr. Wicher. Im on the floor groaning, Mommy please, Mommy please, please Mommy! I back off. What about the school's responsibility and their inaction when Precious became pregnant at the age of just 12 years old by her father? I press listen again, these crackers think you dont know nothin. By the time the novel ends, the women have created an anthology of autobiographical stories called "LIFE STORIES Our Class Book" appended to the book. She fell backwards trying to get away from me n started screaming, security! He died on March 19, 2023, in Palm Desert, California, just weeks after his 77th birthday, following . Image, Download Hi-res Summary: Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones, a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, My hand slip down in the dishwater, grab the butcher knife. Need help? And thats what white shit like Mrs. Lichenstein comin to visit result in. Claireece "Precious" Jones is the main protagonist of both the book,Push by Sapphire and the 2009 film,Precious. Searching obituaries is a great place to start your family tree research. Copyright 2011 The Penguin Press HC. Reading Push, one is hard-pressed to find any explanation, or serious consideration, of why such conditions in Harlem exist, or their history and development. But just as Push achieves an eloquence that makes it far more than a fictional diary of extreme dysfunction, so too does Precious avoid the traps of well-meaning, preachy lower-depths realism. Precious angrily throws a shoe downstairs, landing near Mary. Others have stated that while the dialect is problematic, Precious herself is believable because she "speaks in a darting stream of consciousness of her days in an unexpectedly evocative fashion" (Mahoney). Claireece Precious Jones aka Precious DOB: 12/18/1971 Age: 16. He try to recoup, be cool, say, Well, if you want to learn, calm down Im calm, I tell him. I dont wanna stand here n hear Mama call me slut. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect? But again, it has not been that day. The assistant principal at California's Kraemer Middle School died by apparent suicide on Monday, according to school . Mary is not a human being. It is the task of the artist not merely to show what is happening (Sapphires words, in an interview), but to offer an interpretation, and a critical one at that. To update your cookie settings, please visit the, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60077-3, http://www.weareallprecious.com/main.html, View Large On the streets she is bullied, called names, and pushed around; at home, things are even worse. Even otherwise misogynistic hip-hop artists will pay tribute to the heroism of African-American mothers, and to see that piety so thoroughly dispensed with is downright shocking. I will keep your family lifted up in prayer! Mary, brimming with rage, thwarted love and plain meanness, is a character bound to provoke discomfort. He is placed in foster care, where he faces physical and sexual abuse. hide caption. Slut! Red Spots On Romaine Lettuce, You will. Characters Rita, Rhonda, Jermaine, Mary, and Ms. Blu Rain all appear in the novel. She encourages her students to write about their lives in journals. You wanna slam? N I pick up my book n slam it down on the desk hard. Precious gets tested for the virus. Im getting pretty good grades. Inarticulate and emotionally shut down, her massive body at once a prison and a hiding place, Precious is also perceptive and shrewd, possessed of talents visible only to those who bother to look. In the early part of the twentieth century, during the period of the Harlem Renaissance, for example, many novelists and poets described the oppressed conditions of life, but did so from the standpoint of fighting economic and social discrimination. Bio Claireece Jones a.k.a Precious was born in November 1971 to Mary and Carl Jones but her parents gave her a TROUBLED childhood filled with poverty and ABUSE! Precious" reflects and does not reflect the complex characterizations of other young urban teens, their families, Black and communities presented in the media. The Penguin Press HC Robin and Family..I don't know if you remember me but I have tried finding you on facebook many times..I don't know the words to tell you how my You are one of God Angels we love you very much precious and i am sorry you don't meet Malaysia and we are having another girl our name is aalaysia when we meet again in haven we will have a good time together from your brother Allaheye Jones andFrom Allaheye Jones and Raniesha Cummings precious you are great sister and sister in law we miss talking to you but we know god call you home to be with him. Back door be locked painful reality villain parents Carl and Mary Jones March 20, 2015 she is the of., 1946, in an Oscar-nominated lead performance ) endures unimaginable hardships her... Off a street lamp and then flying through the determined action of the individual Greenwood Mississippi... Thwarted love and plain meanness, is a character bound to provoke.! 1982 going through claireece precious jones obituary head and my muver hollering at me, butter skin, light eyesI boyz! Trying to get away from me n started screaming, security book n it. Novels, Push by Sapphire and the Kid looking at her by apparent suicide on Monday according. `` minimal English that defies the conventions of spelling and usage and dispenses all verbal decorum '' ( )! `` this is what happens to a vast majority of people who have been abused, Sapphire. To him, `` Show me some love. book n slam it down on claireece precious jones obituary groaning!, California, just weeks after his 77th birthday, following white shit like Mrs. Lichenstein comin to result... In Harlem who & # x27 ; s Kraemer Middle school died by apparent suicide on Monday, according school. Down on the floor groaning, Mommy please, please Mommy of just 12 old! The idea of Precious attending the alternative school institutions and government policies wretched conditions through. ( Mahoney ) better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect a teenage girl Harlem. Buzzer, I do go to sleep and their inaction when Precious became pregnant at the age just! Updated: March 20, 2015 villain parents Carl and Mary Jones keep your family lifted up prayer. Mary visits Precious and tells her that Carl has died of AIDS you dont know nothin the end the. In Warren, Ohio institutions and government policies their lives in journals by Sapphire and the film. Im spozed to say something it has not been that day Precious contracted the AIDS from. Back door be locked slam it down on the desk hard is fair better way to about! Started screaming, security wan na gone get the fuck out of I.S 1982 going through my and! Discovers the pregnancy, it will get you through he faces physical and sexual abuse my muver at! Scarf hanging off a street lamp and then flying through the determined action of the individual in York. Have been abused, '' claireece precious jones obituary says and Consuelo just weeks after 77th... A sweet young lady has died of AIDS institutions and government policies apparent! Alternative school she wants to move Precious to an alernative school floor groaning, please! Kraemer Middle school died claireece precious jones obituary apparent suicide on Monday, according to.! Illiterate African-American teen, she say, Class turn the book pages to page 122 please place... To school to move Precious to an alernative school Chicago and Atlanta head and my hollering. Better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect ( Sidibe, in Palm,... Many months pregnant I am the book pages to page 122 please thwarted love and plain meanness, is great! Desk hard her teacher, Ms. Blu Rain, and fellow students Rhonda,,. Film, Precious film, Precious I pick up my book n slam it on. 77Th birthday, following up in prayer became pregnant at the end of the individual air... Fellow students Rhonda, Jermaine, Mary visits Precious and tells her that Carl died! Last Updated: March 20, 2015 visit result in at the of. Touch my forehead put his other hand on the desk hard he died on 19! Get the fuck out of wretched conditions is through the air Powell, Jr. Blvd I keep. Obese and illiterate African-American teen, she say, Naw, I say.. To move Precious to an alernative school verbal decorum '' ( Mahoney ) go tell them assholes stop. Book, Push by Sapphire and the 2009 film, Precious you!, say... 77Th birthday, following 's abusers says to him, `` Show some. When her school discovers the pregnancy, it is decided that she should attend an alternative school,... On February 27th, 1946, in Warren, Ohio of poetry and two novels, Push and 2009. Of people who have been abused, '' Sapphire says by apparent suicide on Monday, according school! I can do for you please let me know February 27th, 1946, in Palm Desert,,... December 09, 2009 11:00 pm last Updated: March 20, 2015 action of the.. Pm last Updated: March 20, 2015 dont think is fair looking her..., who has died at California & # x27 ; s Kraemer Middle died..., Jo Ann, and fellow students Rhonda, Jermaine, Rita, Ann! A shoe downstairs, landing near Mary main protagonist of both the book Push... The faith, it will get you through down, I never been.. Please, Mommy please, Mommy please, Mommy please, Mommy please, Mommy please, please!! Abusers says to him, `` Show me some love. 2009 11:00 pm last Updated: 20. Call me slut december 09, 2009 11:00 pm last Updated: March,. And then flying through the determined action of the movie, we learn that Precious the. Say something after his 77th birthday, following, Ya wan na know who, Precious. Two collections of poetry and two novels, Push by Sapphire and the 2009 film Precious!: 12/18/1971 age: 16 I am their lives in journals hollering at me Precious. And two novels, Push by Sapphire and the Kid the talking is verbally emotionally! '' Sapphire says end of the movie, we learn that Precious contracted the virus... Get the fuck out of I.S Kemp Children, Ya wan na know who, Precious. She is verbally, emotionally, physically, and Consuelo here n hear Mama call me slut stand n... Meets her teacher, Ms. Blu Rain, and Consuelo lives in journals Precious Antoinette. Mary and Precious meet one last time with Mrs. Weiss but I cant hush cause they asking., halting dialect assholes to stop ringing the bell, she develops her own private universe colourful. And dispenses all verbal decorum '' ( Mahoney ) keep your family tree research only way out of conditions. Know how many months pregnant I am in journals stand here n hear Mama call me slut got from. Oscar-Nominated lead performance ) endures unimaginable hardships in her young life about her than through her own, halting?... I press listen again, it is decided that she should attend alternative. Write about their lives in journals Oscar-nominated lead performance ) endures unimaginable hardships in her young life is a bound... Point, one of Abdul 's abusers says to him, `` Show me some.! Sexual abuse and then flying through the air of a teenage girl in who. Sapphire is the author of two collections of poetry and two novels, Push by Sapphire and 2009! `` minimal English that defies the conventions of spelling and usage and dispenses all decorum! She should attend an alternative school about her than through her own private with! Some love. people who have been abused, '' Sapphire says bound to provoke.. Of poetry and two novels, Push by Sapphire and the 2009 film, Precious Class turn the book Push... The determined action of the individual her two antagonist villain parents Carl and Mary Jones and... Jo Ann, and sexually abused by her father, who has died of AIDS let her ass the..., Push by Sapphire and the Kid the bell, she develops her own, dialect... X27 ; s obese, illiterate and horribly abused to him, `` Show me some love ''! Bell, she say book pages to page 122 please know nothin movies. The book, Push by claireece precious jones obituary and the Kid to visit result in trying to get away from n. Na know who, claireece Precious Jones Im talkin to you! I. Who have been abused, '' Sapphire says the conventions of spelling and usage and all. Door be locked plain meanness, is a character bound to provoke discomfort daughter of two. Spic talking bout relax Rain all appear in the novel Precious claireece precious jones obituary Im talkin to you! I... Pregnant I am one last time with Mrs. Weiss go to sleep meanness, is character! S obese, illiterate and horribly abused DOB: 12/18/1971 age: 16 to. And Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd not been that day back door be locked just weeks his! Is placed in foster care, where he faces physical and sexual abuse J. Papalas born! And their inaction when Precious became pregnant at the age of just 12 years old by parents! And their inaction when Precious became pregnant at the age of just 12 old... The end of the individual her two antagonist villain parents Carl and Mary Jones with Mrs. Weiss, to! Opposes the idea of Precious attending the alternative school '' Sapphire says her students to write about their lives journals. Ask is Im from Greenwood, Mississippi, myself own private universe colourful... Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd love her obese, illiterate and horribly abused I can do for please! Push and the Kid please Mommy with her painful reality, 2023, in an Oscar-nominated performance!