Analyzing Barbara Harlow's 'Resistance Literature'

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I. Theoretical Part: Resistance Literature. Resistance literature is mainly considered as a tool of protest for those who are powerless. It is a way of expressing the restrained spirit of the people, also an expression of rebellion. Barbara Harlow claims that this term was first used by the Palestinian writer and critic Ghassan Kanafani to describe the contemporary of protest by his people. "Resistance Literature", Harlow argues, "calls attention to itself, and to literature in general, as a political and politicized activity. The literature of resistance sees itself further as immediately and directly involved in a struggle against ascendant or dominant forms of ideological and cultural production." Barbara Harlow, Resistance Literature. In this context, most writers, critics, or historians define this term relevant to revolution and rotes. "resistance literature addresses thematically the sociopolitical context from which it emerges and rigorously chronicles the writer's experience of colonialism, revolution, solidarity, dislocation, and/or exile... breaking …show more content…

Although slavery was officially illegal after the American Civil War, racism was still alive in many areas, especially in American South. The play expresses the social roles of both Blacks and Whites during its time period. Most Whites believed they should be superior to the African Americans, who often worked for them in cotton fields as their grandparents had when they were slaves in the 1800s. For the most part, African Americans accepted their fate because they knew that there could be disastrous consequences if they tried to change the status quo. William says it best, when he is speaking to his mother, Cora: "A nigger's just got to know his place in de South, that's all, ain't he, ma?" (I). Norwood also expresses the same to Robert: "if they turn crops they get paid." Norwood shows that his employee "know their places" (II,

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