Why do you suppose Piedmont chose not to see Lily and Robert at the end of the novel? Would you have made the same choice if you were in his position?
Created: 08/07/19
Replies: 15
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Because of the way Piedmont felt about Lily, when he knew he would be in trouble for such feelings. I think when he later saw Lily and Robert together, he would not have felt comfortable interacting with them together.
Join Date: 02/15/17
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I thought Piedmont’s decision was a very mature one. He was always uncomfortable with the feelings he and Lily shared. Then after seeing the two of them together, he knew there would never be a place for he and Lily in society at that time.
Join Date: 08/10/17
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When Piedmont walked away from Robert and Lily it was a gift to Lily. He had really cared for her and could see that after the birth of her child, Lily would choose to have her husband and her marriage. Piedmont would only serve to complicate the possibility of Lily's choice being successful. His was a thoughtful and mature choice.
Join Date: 04/26/17
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Join Date: 08/06/17
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I think Piedmont’s feelings for Lily were so new to him and tender that he felt he wouldn’t be able to retain his composure if he put himself in a situation with Robert and Lily together. And of course he knew the relationship was not real...it was temporary and just based on very rare circumstances.
Join Date: 08/30/14
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A relationship between a white woman and a black man was very dangerous. Piedmont kept thinking to Emmet Tillman throughout the book. The threat of death over such an occurrence was very real. He did the right thing by just walking away.
Join Date: 02/06/17
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The responses are very interesting to me because I didn't think for a moment that Piedmont refused to see Lily because of his love for her. When Piedmont left his mom's home after the school rejection, he hadn't had a lot of personal experiences with racism. He listened to his roommates in the evenings, but for the most part, Piedmont kept his head down, minded his own business, and tried really hard to get along.
By the time Piedmont left Lilly's poolhouse, he had been beaten by two policemen, robbed, threatened with his life (after saving a life) at a hospital, listened more intently to Michael and Jeremy, and (sort of) participated in a robbery. I think Piedmont chose not to see Lily because by this time he believed in self-preservation more than anything else. Due to the relationships he developed with both Robert and Lily over the course of the novel, Piedmont was given a second chance. I don't think he wanted to jeopardize that. i wondered if it was also possible that he didn't see Lily and Robert as just people any more; he saw them as white people.
Join Date: 05/16/16
Posts: 149
I admit I was a bit surprised by this turn in the story. We hear a lot of Piedmont's story in this book, but I'm still not sure I completely understand him. I agree with acstrine that his perceptions had changed regarding Lily and Robert. I also agree with Marcia S as there were several times he mentioned Emmet Till and he didn't want to end up like that.
Join Date: 08/12/16
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I suppose it would have probably been too painful for Piedmont to see Lily and Robert together, especially knowing the feelings he had for Lily. Also, I think he was trying to start things over in his life and probably didn’t want any reminders of what had happened in the past with both Robert and Lily.
Join Date: 02/24/17
Posts: 64
Seeing Lily again would have been too painful for Piedmont. He wasn't the inexperienced young man he had been...he had experienced brutal racism and had become aware of the danger he placed himself in if he were to be seen around her again. A loss of innocence story, I believe.
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I think Piedmont had truly fallen for Lily in the short time they were together. He knew that due to the "norms" of society at that time he could not be with her. He didn't want to break his own heart any more than it already was nor did he want to make Lily feel uncomfortable. He did this for both of them.
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