Racial Barriers in Grace Paley's Short Story Samuel

Racial Barriers in Grace Paley's Short Story Samuel

It is hard to distinguish the difference between which race is more important. One might ask themselves if white is superior over colored skin. There have been numerous struggles and much success in the fight towards equality between the races. Although many large steps have been made, there are still existing racial barriers. One particular struggle is whether or not people of different races should interact with each other. Should Caucasian adults interact with young children of color? A question that becomes especially critical when children are putting themselves in potentially dangerous situations. This moral debate is portrayed in Grace Paley's short story, "Samuel."

The same conflict haunts both men and women, but is portrayed as two completely different groups. The narrator is selective omniscient and allows the men's and women's feelings to be expressed when presented with the same racial issue such as portrayed in "Samuel." This also allows the reader to observe how each sex responds to the issue. Grace Paley writes, "The men and women in the cars on either side watch the young boys playing on the platform. They do not like them to jiggle or jump but don't want to interfere" (191). This shows that both men and women did not like what the boys were doing outside on the platform, and each deals with it in very different ways.

The men in the subway cars make no effort to break through the barriers. They take no initiative to interact and stop the boys from the risky situation the put themselves in. The men seem to excuse themselves and the boys' actions by reminiscing their boyhood and all the brave adventures they had in their lives. Instead of ...

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... He becomes the symbol of hope that the Caucasian adults are willing to break down the barriers separating them from the African American children. When the other men just stood there daydreaming, this "citizenly" (192) man struck the first blow that could break down the racial wall. But because of this single action, one of the boys (Samuel) falls off the platform and dies.

I believe that if we stand together to fight the battles and the struggles of our society today it would only make us stronger. One individual cannot make a difference. The one blow of the "citizenly" (192) man is nothing, but many blows that are consistent and strong will break down the wall of inequality.

Bibliography:

Paley, Grace. "Samuel." Literature for Composition: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 5th ed. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: Longman, 2001. 190-192