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Magdalene, or Lena, is Milkman’s other sister, and her life path is antithetical to First Corinthians’. While First Corinthians attends college, travels to Europe, and eventually throws off the shackles of her classist upbringing and stifling family, Lena’s adult life is one of submission and stagnation. She chooses not to attend college, opting instead to take care of her mother and continue her legacy of domestic housework. The red velvet flowers that she continues to make symbolize the stifling, cyclical sickness that pervades the Deads’ cold, contrived household. Her life of obedience and domesticity is unfulfilling and tragic—Lena is yet another oppressed and disadvantaged Black woman who has been used and exploited by her male family members. Although Lena is aware of the tragedy and injustice of her circumstances, she doesn’t seem to have the resources to escape them. Like her mother, she seems resigned to a restricted, loveless life.
Although Lena is generally meek, her confrontation with Milkman is perhaps the most direct rebuke of Milkman’s behavior seen in the novel. Although Milkman is already becoming a changed man by the time Lena confronts him, her words ring true and show that Milkman still has a lot of work to do if he is to redeem himself. Lena compares Milkman’s behavior as an adult with the time he accidentally urinated on her as a child—while Milkman may not always consciously realize that he is hurting and disrespecting those around him, his presence and actions are a stain and strain on their lives. Particularly, Lena explains that, just like their father, Milkman mistreats women and expects them to live in service to him without ever giving anything in return. Lena believes that Milkman’s entitled and abusive behavior stems from his perception that his maleness makes him inherently superior to his mother and sisters. Her rebuke of Milkman is a moment of great release in the novel. It’s as if the voices of all the angry, abused women in Milkman’s life come together in Lena to admonish Milkman for his selfishness and cruelty.
