Jessie had such a tempestuous relationship with W. E. B. Du Bois. Why do you think she was so attracted to him? Why do you think she continued the relationship, even though she knew there was no future in it? Do you think she made the correct decision at the end of the book?
He really believed in her. How wonderful for such a young woman to have this amazing man know of her intellect and asking her to come and work for him. She had an amazing job. She lived for this job and was attracted to him. She mentioned more than once she never wanted to marry. She seemed to be happy to be with him when she could. Also she did not want to break up his marriage. But she was upset when she found out there were other women. She did the right thing leaving her job. She wanted to be editor and that would never have happened. I am sorry she did not get another job as an editor. I imagine she enjoyed teaching and was an excellent teacher.
There were a lot of reasons for Jesse to be attracted to WEB Dubois. He was intelligent, most likely charismatic; he respected Jesse as an intellectual equal (almost), and he was civil rights leader. I think part of the attraction might have been that Dubois didn’t put the same expectations on Jesse other paramours would have. She was not interested in the roles generally expected of women at that time. I think Jesse felt valued and loved in her relationship with WEB Dubois. It seemed like at the point she ended the relationship she no longer felt as loved and valued due to her realizations of WEB Dubois’ relationship with Georgia Johnson (and possibly other women). She realized that she was never going to be the editor of The Crisis, her true dream. It made sense that she would end the relationship and her job as neither was really fulfilling to her anymore.
I agree with Michelle. Du Bois was powerful and yet was interested in her perspective. Like her father, he enjoyed reading the same material and discussing issues. Both of those men valued her intellect. He provided housing and a professional position that she probably would not have attained without him. He knew important people and was charismatic. I think she made the correct decision at the end of the book. Even though he valued the work she did at the Crisis, he showed her on several occasions that it was his way and that he was in charge.
I think she was attracted to a handsome man who treated her well and was respected in civil rights. Once she had that attraction, it was hard to let go because he would ‘sweet talk’ her and treat her to many things. I absolutely think she made the right decision in the end.
I think many women, as well as Jessie, are attracted to smart men in positions of power which is a rather normal human reaction. I think she fell in love with a man whose passions aligned with her own, both intellectually as well as sexually. Meeting him at a young age and being able to spend time sharing thoughts and conversation while working towards the same goals are often how the best love stories begin. However, the integrity she showed to herself once she felt the sting of awareness that she was not just in a relationship with a married man but with a man who treated relationships with multiple women fine as long as he was discrete and did not hurt people as acceptable. At that point, leaving to protect herself from the mental torture that would have followed her if she stayed in the relationship was the next right action to take. It was hard and took discipline and she had the fortitude to show herself the dignity and honesty it took to admit what she needed to do as hard as it was.
I agree with Michelle in that he “didn’t put expectations on her”. I do wonder what their relationship would have been like had he not been married.
I think she enjoyed the intellectual stimulation he provided.
I do think she made the right decision in the end. I found myself wishing she would have done it sooner.
A good decision and the right one in the end. Her relationship with DuBois was based on her admiration for him - his ability to introduce her to the right people, his work with the Civil Rights, him giving her a job and encouraging her as a woman to grow in her field.
DuBois making Jesse the editor of “Crisis” was a dead street. I am sad it took her so long to realize it. She spent too much of her life chasing his dream and hoping to realize hers. I also found it sad she never was able to show the world all of her editing skills, under her name. Yes she was working for “Crisis” but under the guidance or better yet the thumb of DuBois and never received the credit for her abilities. She, also, had excellent skills to guide young writers. Certainly that skill in general makes for a good teacher. And I am sure she, in her way, is responsible for far more writers than we were exposed to. I believe her sexual relationship with DuBois fit into the lifestyle she thought she wanted, no marriage, no permanent connection. However, if I can believe her Wikipedia bio, she did married late in life. I found myself wondering who he was, why did she choose him and was she happy?