When the Black Girl Sings (pg. 225-266 Chapters 30-32)

Summary:
In the final chapters of When the Black Girl Sings, we conclude with the night of Lahni's singing competition. Chapter 30 starts off with Marcus picking up Lahni from her house to arrive at the school early. He was wearing a silver-gray suit. Once they arrived at the school's parking lot, Lahni felt nauseous and threw up there. She was nervous and had the feeling that she was not good enough for the competition. But, Marcus reassured her that everything is going to be fine. They went backstage where the people who are performing that night. Amber, one of the contestants for the singing competition is so confident that she is going to win that she didn't practice her song. We learn that Amber is being accompanied by Mr. Faringhelli on the piano, Lisa is being accompanied by her father, Henry Shin on the violin, and Lahni is being  accompanied by Marcus on the piano. There were 3 judges who were going to decide the competition. One special guest judge is the mayor's wife. After the orchestra played, there was a brief intermission to begin the competition. Lisa is going to sing first, then Amber, then Lahni. Lisa sang a Korean song, Amber sang a Broadway song, and Lahni sang a spiritual song. When it was Lahni's turn to sing, she gained confidence out of nowhere. She didn't want to be scared anymore. She didn't want to be scared of what might happen to her family, and from then, she knew exactly who she was. The song made her realize that whatever may happen in the future, she would be okay because she knows that God is watching her. The winner of the competition was...Lahni!

Quote:

"Oh I wouldn't mind if I sit with my parents," Amber said brezzily. "I just don't have anything to change back into my gown when it's time for me to go on" (Wright 237).

Reaction:
This quote was spoken by the one and only Amber. I can automatically tell what kind of person she is, conceited. Amber is a person that only sees herself and doesn't care about how she makes you feel. For example, she was late to dress rehearsal and didn't apologize. When she asked Lahni if her afro was a wig, that was really rude. She makes people feel embarrassed publicly. When she said that Mr. Faringhelli forgot to introduce her song, she said that the title was English so he should have had no problem with the pronunciation, referring to him not being able to pronounced Lisa's song title since it was in Korean. He felt embarrassed. In fact, he turned red. Then after the competition, she is complaining why the judges take so long to decide who the winner is. She claims that the minute they hear that person, they know their decision. If she is going to have that kind of attitude in the real world, then she is going to lose friends and be all by yourself. She can't be that much pride in herself. If she doesn't change, that attitude will come back to bite her and that will not be good.

When the Black Girl Sings (pg. 182-224 Chapters 24-29)

Summary:
The rehearsal at the school didn't go as well as Lahni planned it to be because of the incident she had with Onyx 1. So, it was finally time for Lahni to tell the truth about Onyx 1 to her mother. Ursula wanted to call the police on Onyx 1, but Lahni said that she didn't have to. After that, Ursula made Lahni call her dad concerning about the singing competition Tim was upset that Lahni didn't tell him sooner, but he was coming. So, Lahni asked her parents a huge favor; they have to sit next to next and pretend as though they are a happy couple. The singing competition is approaching and Lahni still does not have a dress to wear. Then Ursula goes crazy in looking for the perfect dress. Lahni is annoyed and she wanted to go home. After all of this hunting, Lahni found a lavender dress with pearls that Carietta gave her. Her shoes to match with her dress with her dress is a little small for her feet. She is also going to have a big afro. Then, Lahni finally told Katie her big secret that her parents are separated and getting a divorce.

Quote:

"I won't embarrass you. We won't embarrass you. You have my word" (Wright 210). 

Reaction:
This quote is from Ursula reassuring that her and Tim will not get in a fight. Ursula and Tim know how much this competition means to Lahni and they don't want to be the ones to mess it up.When the competition comes, I wonder if Ursula and Tim are going to keep their promise of siting together and to not get into a fight. Will more people find out about Ursula's and Tim's separation? Will Lahni be distracted while she is singing because of her parents and will that cost her the competition?   

When the Black Girl Sings (pg. 121-181 Chapters 17-23)

Summary
Chapter 18 starts out with Lahni and her dad going to his hotel and that she is not too excited about it. Then, when they arrived at the hotel, Lahni found a woman in her father's bathroom and that was the last straw for Lahni. So, she called her mother to take her home from the hotel. She doesn't want her dad to take her home. Ursula was really mad for what Tim has done to Lahni. Then, Mr. Faringhelli is still waiting for Lahni to pick a song for the competition because time is running out. Soon, she picked the song "His Eye is on the Sparrow" and wanted Marcus to accompany her on the piano. Marcus will be present for rehearsal night. Then, the stalker of Lahni, Onyx 1, tapped a photograph of himself to her bike seat having written U R 4 ME. Then she learned that he got into a fight with 2 black boys and got suspended because he called them black apes and had a knife with him. That was a double whammy. Finally, Lahni had the courage to tell her mom that she is in a singing competition and agreed that they would go shopping for the right outfit. Ursula was upset that Lahni didn't tell her sooner. Then, when it was rehearsal night, she finally met Onyx 1 face to face and acted like a "female dog" towards him. He asked her to go out with him and she turned him down like he was dirt and said that he does not want to mess with her.


Quote:

"My father was already part of a different world. A world I didn't want to take part of....and now he knew what an idiot he'd been. He'd have to beg my mother's forgiveness and mine too, for being so dumb" (Wright 129). 

Reaction:
This quote was from the trip to the hotel with Lahni and her father. This trip added insult to injury on the father-daughter relationship. That made the family situation worse and is portrayed that Tim is being the bad guy. He is the person to blame for the divorce and the distant relationship between him and his daughter. I don't blame Lahni for actions for not going back home with her father because she does not want to be with the person that broke her mother's heart and made her depressed. Now it is clear that Lahni is not comfortable with Tim at all and wants to stay away from him as far as possible. There are a few things I want to learn. I wonder if Tim will reconcile with Ursula before the divorce is final and can be a happy family again. I still question if that woman in the bathroom is really Tim's girlfriend. Lahni thinks she is but the reader is not entirely sure. Last, I wonder if that will be the last time Lahni and Tim will ever meet.