The short story If I Quench Thee by William E. Chambers is an appropriate
story as it effectively deals with the issue of racism by showing it through
the eyes of a racist white father who assumes his daughter is marrying
a black man.
If I Quench Thee
Choose a short story that you know well that deals with an important
issue. State what the issue is and show, by referring to the plot,
character, and technique and how the author has successfully explored
the issue in an interesting and unusual way.
The short story “If I Quench Thee” by William E. Chambers is an
appropriate story as it effectively deals with the issue of racism by
showing it through the eyes of a racist white father who assumes his
daughter is marrying a black man.
“If I Quench Thee” is about Arthur Stern, a successful business man
who visits his daughter who works as a social worker in the ghetto.
Whilst Arthur is visiting her she is visited by a black man who is
rejected by her father because he is racist so he leaves. He waits
outside and thinks about it and realises he can bare his daughter
dating a black man so he goes back to apologise. When he returns he
overhears the black man saying to Arthur’s daughter Monica that
marrying her would be the best the he would do. Hearing this Arthur
fills will anger and leaves. He waits for Tod to come out then murders
him saying that it was a mugging and it was self defence. In the
police station his daughter turns up and tells her father that the
black man was the vicar for her wedding. This has been the only time
Arthur was ever scared.
Arthur Stern is a successful business man who owns a mink farm. He
was in the Korean war which I think lead to his hatred of other races.
Arthur an...
... middle of paper ...
...
disgusted that people could be so racist and how people could think
that they have a right to kill others just because they aren’t the
same skin colour as them. It made me think about how sick and twisted
people can be and how that some people can hate something so much that
they would take it too such extreme lengths as to things such as
murder. I personally think racism is wrong because people of a
different race aren’t any different or inferior to white people like
Arthur Stern thought.
To conclude, I think that the author has expressed the view on racism
in an effective way relating to the plot, characters and techniques
used. Even though Stern was such an “evil” man, he can still feel
regret for such a terrible act after realising that what he has done
is actually wrong. This makes me believe that human society can
improve on its views of racism.
The test he had so eagerly taken identified him as every single race except African. He is, according to the test, 0 percent African. The life he had built was made under an assumed race. He had been passing for black for over fifty years. The discovery sent his world into a spiral and he began questioning what he should consider himself. He had been a part of a community forged through blood, sweat, and tears only to find out that he did not belong. He was now excluded due to the one-drop rule. He had lost his community, but it was all he knew.
With the news, stereotypes, and racism I can see how once he moved to a new area he would be more sensitive to whites fearing him. He may not have thought about it before in the comfortability in his home town. It is instinct to be more aware of things we as humans don’t usually think about in a new environment. Things are not always as they seem to be. He perceived false judgment at times, but at other times he had experienced true prejudice against his skin color and quite possibly
Although he learned of his true identity at an early age, it seems as though the narrator preferred to be white. This could have possibly been influenced by his upbringing during his early childhood and the mistreating of blacks as opposed to the higher regards for whites. He seems to accept a white, and sometimes often racist view of the world in general. This can be noted in ways such as when he states he never forgave the teacher that led him to understand he was black. Also, in his travels throughout the South, the way he observes his surroundings is often like those made through the eyes of a racist white man. He picks out the "unkempt appearance, the shambling, slouching gait, and loud talk and laughter” of the lower-class blacks that he meets (p. 40). He also admits that he never really enjoyed seeing a rich white widow have a black companion. Then, after partaking in a debate about race among several white passengers on a train, the narrator expresses his admiration for the most racist man that was involved in the discussion. It also seems as though he only had eyes for white women and he eventually married one and had children with her. Although he may have preferred to
Robinson served stateside during the war, and achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant status. While serving in Texas, Robinson was court-martialed for refusing to move to the back of the bus, almost eleven years before Rosa Parks. Robinson was later acquitted and received an honorable discharge.... ... middle of paper ... ...
parents mistreated him. His mom really only cared about alcohol in which his dad didn't show love towards him instead disrespect and abuse. As a result, he was mainly with the His gang "the
career was heavily affected by racism; however, it is that racism and hardship which helped him
Fred Korematsu was a civil right activist that fought against racism. Korematsu was not allowed to join the United State coast guard because of his race. He was so heavily discriminated that he couldn't even get a haircut or a bite to
again could be an excuse for why he had no respect or care for others.
The reality of a Chinese immigrant’ life was not optimistic although many Asians came across the Pacific Ocean longing for the American dream. Like his father, Wesley wanted to go to college, but had to compromise with reality. Thus, he started to work in a painting company. At that time, Chinese-Americans usually worked on railroad industry, or opened small family business such as hand laundries. While the World War II, they played a big role as part of American citizen. They served in the American military against the Japanese, and funded the war. For instance, 22% of all Chinese men in America were in the U.S. Army. During the World War II, Wesley Ko also participated in many heavy combats as a leader, after experiencing apprehensive period as an Oriental. He was in six campaigns for two and a half years such as the Normandy invasion, the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle for Cologne, etc. Of
Finding a job was hard for him.As a Teen he had a hard time finding a job because of what he believed in.They would not let him have a job because he was a Japanese American. Years past, and he got a job as a farmer and housekeeping. His work was 10 hours for 6 days.
When food is wasted water is wasted. The amount of food that gets wasted everyday worldwide is incredibly high. There
In a “Modest Proposal”, by Dr. Jonathan Swift, the author proposes a solution to the overpopulation and poverty in eighteenth century Ireland. The proposal is for Irish parents to sell their children as food, so they can earn money. The proposal was brought up in the year of 1729, when the problems were present in Ireland. The proposal was a way to get rid of the poverty stricken families, overpopulation, and malnutrition in Ireland. The parents were to plump their children up, by feeding the kid milk from their mother. Once the child reaches one year of age, they will sell him/her to someone of fortune, such as a landlord. In today’s society we have homeless citizens on the streets, families too poor to provide for their children, and a portion
Racial hatred traumatized countless African Americans who would fight for their rights. Rights that people now take for granted. Martin Luther King, Jr. suffered from discrimination throughout his entire life. He helped motivate people to stand up for what they believed in and he taught them to never give up. He also helped many children and families throughout his life. In his “I Have a Dream” speech he states:
First off, we will start in his childhood, in the years 1966, when he was a small child, to 1979, when he graduated from high school. I guess you could say his childhood was pretty normal for a kid about eight years old other than moving a lot since his father was in the military. Once he got to high school, things got a lot tougher for him. He had really started to slack on his school work and his grades were plummeting. The only good he got from
There is a little known story In Philippine history about the Philippine-American war of 1899-1902, the fact is one American citizen fought for the Philippine liberation forces. David Fagen is an African-American soldier, who defected to Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's forces to fight his own countrymen. David is from Tampa, Florida, born around 1875; enlisted for the 24th infantry. The 24th infantry is one of four "black" regiments, who arrived in the Philippines to augment the white American troops, occupying the Archipelago. The black regiments of the US armed forces were at the fore front of major skirmishes with the "Insurrectos" or rebels of Central Luzon. Fagen however,was said to have experienced racism in the predominantly white military, and was often ridiculed and given "tough jobs".