Mrs. Breedlove considered herself an upright and Christian woman, burdened with a no-count man, whom God wanted her to punish. {Cholly was beyond redemption, of course, and redemption was hardly the point - Mrs. Breedlove was not interested in Christ the Redeemer, but rather Christ the Judge.} Often she could be heard discoursing with Jesus about Cholly, pleading with Him to help her "strike the bastard down from his pea-knuckle of pride." And once when a drunken gesture catapulted Cholly into the red-hot stove, she screamed, "Get him, Jesus! Get him!" If Cholly had stopped drinking, she would have never forgiven Jesus.
Mrs. Breedlove views herself as a devout and moral woman, yet she is weighed down by her husband Cholly, whom she believes is deserving of punishment. She focuses on the idea of divine retribution, seeking out judgment rather than mercy. Her relationship with God is transactional, as she implores Him to deliver justice to Cholly, whom she sees as irredeemable.
Her fervent prayers reveal her deep resentment towards him; she wishes for divine intervention to humble his pride. In a moment of chaos, when Cholly's drunken state leads to an accident, she enthusiastically calls upon Jesus to inflict punishment, demonstrating her fixation on retribution over compassion. If Cholly were to change his ways, she would still harbor animosity towards Jesus for not allowing her the satisfaction of chastising him.
