Racial Stereotypes In Washington's Speech And Dubois

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Battle Royal illustrates how the African American was at the bottom and contains racial stereotypes, like both of Washington’s speech and Dubois’s essay. Both of Washington and Dubois mention that they need to start from the bottom, in order to start a better life for the black race eventually. “It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top” from Washington’s speech shows that he thinks the African American needs to start at the bottom. The way of the white people treating Ellison who was a black guest-speaker and other black students shows that the African American still were at the bottom under the white race’s discrimination. Even though Ellison was there for a speech, the white people put him into a battle with other African …show more content…

“How does it feel to be a problem?” shows that Dubois refers him and the black race as a problem, which is similar to Washington calling the black race a crime and implies a wrong idea of the black race being bad. Washington’s ‘Cast Down Your Bucket’ is quoted in Ellison’s speech. However, Washington’s quote is majority and Ellison doesn’t express his own opinion as much. He literarily repeats what Washington says, which can be said that the society during that time doesn’t allow a black person to express any strong opinions of social equality. It’s supported by looking at the situation when Ellison speaks out the word-equality. Washington’s ‘Cast down your bucket’ is about life-save story for the black race to be embraced within the society of the white race and the trust of the African American. This also includes racial stereotypes of the African American. As Washington and Dubois have the expression of racial stereotypes, Ellison also shows the situations of him and other African American being victims of racial prejudice. It implies how they were treated and where the black race belongs-the bottom-during that time

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