MovieChat Forums > Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) Discussion > a question about Willetta

a question about Willetta

posted 13 years ago by susannah2000
4 replies | jump to latest

I was thinking about Willetta and her husband, Vivi's long time employees, I don't want to say servants, or slaves. Willetta apparently also worked for Vivi's parents and probably raised Vivi. The question is, when the three girls went to Atlanta for the "Gone With the Wind" premiere at age 10, Willetta was grossly insulted by the relatives there. All three girls immediately came to Willetta's defense, so they had apparently been taught to respect her.. I wonder why Vivi's parents sent her to a deeply segregated and hateful South with their children? Did they not realize or care how she would be treated, even having to ride in the "colored" train car? Am I mistaken in thinking that they respected or cared for Willetta at all? Yet she seemed to have an affection with Vivi and with Sidda. Was it a benevolent slavery?

[–] reeldramaqueen 13 years ago

Um, there is no such thing as "benevolent slavery." Slavery is a cruel, barbaric and disgusting institution in and of itself and cannot be benevolent. I think that Vivi was never really loved by her parents. In the book, the first time her father shows her the least bit of attention is on her 16th birthday during the whole ring scandal. And obviously, her mother was not her biggest fan either. So I tend to believe Willetta was the closest thing Vivi had to a parent; so that's where Vivi's affection and loyalty came from. I think the others kind of just followed her lead.

I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.

[–] lakealice 8 years ago

Didn't Vivi's family (along with Willetta) live in Louisiana, an extremely segregated state, although slavery had long been outlawed. When they went to Atlanta, it was no different, so Willetta wouldn't have been surprised. It's just that the family they visited were meaner to black people than Vivi's family, and you'd think Vivi's family would have known that ahead of time.

[–] cpmorr 7 years ago

I wonder why Vivi's parents sent her to a deeply segregated and hateful South with their children?

First of all, Vivi's family lived in the South. Hello?

Also, it's not like every family in the South would treat a black employee that way. That is an ignorant assumption. Most did not; I know mine didn't.

[–] MusicLover3889 (306) 5 years ago

Mine didn’t either.