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Problems with racism in literature
Literature social racism
Black like me book review essay
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Recommended: Problems with racism in literature
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin and A Place Called Heaven by Cecil Foster
Racism cruelly and completely corrupts the heart, body and
intelligence not only of the oppressed, but it dehumanizes and
brutalizes even the oppressors. In the autobiographical diaries, Black
Like Me, written by John Howard Griffin, and A Place Called Heaven,
written by Cecil Foster, both main characters alter their lifestyles,
one in America, one in Canada, only to suffer raw hate, violence,
crudity and inhumanity from white racists. Through these experiences,
both men encounter many racial barriers that exist between whites and
blacks, which entirely destroys the dignity and self worth of the
blacks. However, the cruelty towards the blacks was not their most
intriguing conclusion. Through observation, communication and personal
experiences, both men came to realize that racism is not a part of
human nature, but rather a by-product of the human nature of the fear
of the unknown.
John Howard Griffen was a white journalist who truly wanted to
understand racism and how it affected the blacks. Griffen began to
research the rise of suicide tendencies in Southern blacks. However,
he realizes that it is very difficult to collect useful information
because "the Southern Negro will not tell the white man the truth",
(Griffen, pg.12). The reason the blacks would not speak to him is
because he is white and whites were ultimately the driving force
behind the suicide of many blacks. The blacks feared the white man,
even Griffen, who disagreed with racism. He observed the situation,
saw the fear and the hurt in the eyes of the Blacks when he came to
speak to them, and decided that "the only way to observe what it was
like to be black, was to become black", (Griffen, pg.21). Griffen, now
disguised convincingly as a black man, was able to observe racism from
a different perspective. Griffen observed how he was treated among his
"fellow" blacks in order to attain his examination of racism. "A
pleasant young Negro woman took my order and fixed my breakfast…The
man at the counter turned toward me and smiled, as though he wanted to
talk", (Griffen, pg.23). This proves that it is the white's and the
black's implanted and prohibiting fear that ultimately makes their
minds up about the opposite race. If Griffen were still white, there
is no doubt that the woman and the man would not have been so pleasant
and open towards him. He observed the fact that just because he was
black, like them, that they felt content and safe speaking and
interacting with him. Griffen then continues to board a bus.
This week I read the short article on Alan Locke’s, “Enter the New Negro”. This article is discussing the Negro problem in depth. “By shedding the chrysalis of the Negro problem, we are achieving something like spiritual emancipation”. Locke believes that if we get rid of whatever is holding us back we would gain something renewing and beautiful.
In Kiese Laymon “How to Slowly Kill yourselves and others in America” and Brent Staples “Black Men and Public Spaces” both essays deal with being an African American man but the authors respond in a different ways. At one point in history being an African American wasn’t always the easiest but two Authors shared their stories about the experiences they had which were very different. Although the color of their skin is the same and how they treated was as well both authors take different precaution’s to handle the situations they were in to persuade the audience on how to deal with the effects of racism. Both authors show their hidden message through the actions presented throughout the essays. Laymon`s casual tone and will to fight make him more relatable
Chester Himes’ If He Hollers Let Him Go and God’s Little Acre by Erskine Caldwell
In Night by Elie Wiesel and Welcome to Hard Times by E.L. Doctorow, the reader witnesses the purpose of hope in one’s life. Wiesel and Doctorow fabricate their works around the trials and tribulations one suffers and what causes one to persevere to continue living. Elie and Blue, characters in the works, experience a life full of suffering and destruction. Even through this, they both live on with a purpose unknown to the reader, and perhaps unknown to themselves. Elie and Blue live on, but to no avail it seems, as both authors end their works with an ultimate destruction of the lives of their characters. However, Wiesel and Doctorow express that Elie and Blue persevere through their lives entirely as a result of hope. These authors suggest that suffering will exist in everyone’s life, and amidst this suffering one often searches for meaning. As Elie and Blue demonstrate, hope determines one’s meaning and purpose in life. Wiesel and Doctorow prove that one’s hope defines one’s existence; however, that hope only masks the futility of life, through the presentation of Elie and Blue’s construction of hope, destruction of hope, and adaptation of hope.
The chaos and destruction that the Nazi’s are causing are not changing the lives of only Jews, but also the lives of citizens in other countries. Between Night by Elie Wiesel and The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, comradeship, faith, strength, and people of visions are crucial to the survival of principle characters. Ironically, in both stories there is a foreseen future, that both seemed to be ignored.
As Elie Wiesel once stated, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented” (“Elie Wiesel Quote”). Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow, which discusses criminal justice and its role in mass incarceration, promotes a similar idea regarding silence when America’s racial caste system needs to be ended; however, Alexander promotes times when silence would actually be better for “the tormented.” The role of silence and lack of silence in the criminal justice system both contribute to wrongly accused individuals and growing populations behind bars.
He is very optimistic about his speech in the first line. However, he bluntly addressed the issues of hardship, which African-Americans endured while America was beginning to become a stronger symbol of hope and freedom. He acknowledged the experience of wealth which his race became accustomed to, the ghetto poverty. He recognized the right of each color and pale man who contains the right to live, liberty, and the pursuit of true happiness. As bluntly as he began his speech, he boldly pointed out the Supreme Law of The Land- the Constitution - and quoted the Declaration of Independence as it was.
The two races have lived here together. The Negro has been here in America since 1619, a total of 344 years. He is not going anywhere else; this country is his home. He wants to do his part to help make his city, state, and nation a better place for everyone, regardless of color and race. Let me appeal to the consciences of many silent, responsible citizens of the white community who know that a victory for democracy in Jackson will be a victory for democracy everywhere” (Medgar Evers in Jackson Mississippi, 2013).
HOST: Dr King, tell us how did you get the world to see the struggle of black America?
James, Johson Weldon. Comp. Henry Louis. Gates and Nellie Y. McKay. The Norton Anthology of African American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2004. 832. Print.
In the stories “A Rose for Emily” written by William Faulkner, and “The Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, talk about how two women are experiencing the same emotional situations they have to endure. Both of these stories express the emotional and physical trials the characters have to endure on an everyday basis. In the story “The Yellow Wallpaper” it shows a woman who is oppressed and is suffering from depression and loneliness. In “A Rose for Emily” it is showing the struggle of maintaining a tradition and struggling with depression. Both of the stories resemble uncontrollable changes and the struggles of acceptance the characters face during those changes.
Short stories are temporary portals to another world; there is a plethora of knowledge to learn from the scenario, and lies on top of that knowledge are simple morals. Langston Hughes writes in “Thank You Ma’m” the timeline of a single night in a slum neighborhood of an anonymous city. This “timeline” tells of the unfolding generosities that begin when a teenage boy fails an attempted robbery of Mrs. Jones. An annoyed bachelor on a British train listens to three children their aunt converse rather obnoxiously in Saki’s tale, “The Storyteller”. After a failed story attempt, the bachelor tries his hand at storytelling and gives a wonderfully satisfying, inappropriate story. These stories are laden with humor, but have, like all other stories, an underlying theme. Both themes of these stories are “implied,” and provide an excellent stage to compare and contrast a story on.
Lynch is a writer and teacher in Northern New Mexico. In the following essay, she examines ways that the text of The Souls of Black Folk embodies Du Bois' experience of duality as well as his "people's."
Zora Neale Hurston’s writing embodies the modernism themes of alienation and the reaffirmation of racial and social identity. She has a subjective style of writing in which comes from the inside of the character’s mind and heart, rather than from an external point of view. Hurston addresses the themes of race relations, discrimination, and racial and social identity. At a time when it is not considered beneficial to be “colored,” Hurston steps out of the norm and embraces her racial identity.
Sometimes people are faced with tough decisions that can change their life forever. In the short story, Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemmingway tells how a couple faces the decision of whether or not to have an operation done that would change their life. While the two main characters, The American and Jig, are at the train station they are having a last minute conversation on whether or not they should have their child aborted. Through symbols, setting, and the character’s actions, Hemmingway reveals the theme that people communicate and show their feelings or opinions on matters through more ways than just obvious verbal assertions.