Ma Rainey Black Bottom Critical Analysis

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During the early to mid 1900s Black men and women struggled to make a impact on society. Through segregation, Jim Crow laws, and racism –many African Americans were oppressed and left to suffer. Struggles were persistent between the White and black populations in America. Millions of blacks from the rural South left in order to find a better life in the industrial North. Lets not even get started on the treatment of women, let alone the black women. Therefore, when it came to expressing ones selves, music was the golden opportunity. However, during the early 1920s in the United States, working conditions for blacks and whites differed in the recording industry. The white man was always the boos while the black people were seen as the works. …show more content…

They thought of blues music as many white Americans think of rap/hip-hop in present day. It was just a bunch of noise that didn’t tell a story. August Wilson tells a power yet subtle story about the struggle of Black Americans during the 1900s. He writes about struggles in equality, and identity through the cast members of Ma Rainey music group.
As I reread Ma Rainey Black Bottom by August Wilson, I was surprised to find more connections than I initially found. Being almost at the end of the quarter, we as a class have delved into many different pieces of literature. Overall, many themes of the literature have been oppression, racism, and identity struggles. Sometimes as you read, you get lost in how everything is all connected. However, as I reflect back again on the first book we read in the class --certain themes are presented again. The theme of Power is the overlaying theme in Ma Rainey Black Bottom. During the play, the band members strive to complete a recording session despite conflicts that happen between the oppressor (Sturdyvant) and Ma Rainey. This conflict shows the historical battle between capitalist and the workers. The idea of …show more content…

Before taking this class, I never really delved into the idea of whiteness. I knew it was a thing, but no one ever talked about. However, after going to the passionate difficult dialogue on whiteness, I saw its impact on many of my peers. Also, I have seen how it has perpetuated a lot of hurt in society and a feeling of non-inclusion. Whiteness is the idea of the white race or culture having privileges or advantages in the United States through the government , media , corporations , schools and much more. This process of whiteness perpetuates racism in America. You don’t have to be white to employ whiteness. Whiteness is always present even when white people aren’t there. There are many situation sin the book in which whiteness was revealed. Irvin bribes the police officer to let Ma Rainey off the hook. Irvin proclaims “ (Slides a bill from his pocket)Look, Officer. I’m Madame Rainey manger…as soon as we’re finished with the recording session, I’ll personally stop by the precinct house and straightening up this misunderstanding .”(Wilson ,pg. 52). Another scene the displays whiteness in society is when Cutler has to ask Irvin for a specific form of payment. He has to ask fro this specific form because Cutler is unable to cash his check anywhere. As Hampton said in “The People Have to Have the Power” , the people have the power, it belongs to the people. The by product of capitalism is racism and one

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