*What is ironic about the narrator's discovery of a Bible in his room at Men's House?
*What is ironic about the difference between the way blacks could speak in the North as opposed to the South?
*What is the significance of the image of the Statue of Liberty with her torch "almost lost in the fog"?
*What is unusual about the narrator's description of the pictures in Mr. Bate's office?
*What does the vendor mean when he asks the narrator if he "got the dog"?
*What is the purpose of the drawn-out conversation between the narrator and Mr. Emerson's son?
*How would you describe the tone of Dr. Bledsoe's letter?
*What extended metaphor does the narrator use to describe the imagined conversation between the elder Mr. Emerson and Dr. Bledsoe?
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Edith Wharton
John Steinbeck
Mark Twain
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Ralph Ellison
Alice Walker
11 comments:
The tone of Dr. Bledsoe's letter is formal, using sincere, sweet words. The meaning of those words are terrible, however, proving that our character means nothing, and Dr. Bledsoe is a horrible person. He is concerned about the school and not the students who make the school. The overall effect of the letter does not leave someone in a bad taste because of the way it is written.
The difference in the North and the South is that the North is allows the blacks to speak more losely than they can in the South. In the South the narrator had to watch what he said so that he did not say the wrong thing to a white man, but in the North he notices that the black men say what they want to the whites and don't get in trouble. The North is obviously different from the South when the narrator first goes into Harlem because he notices a black policeman. In the South this is unacceptable. The narrator is trying to make it obvious that the North is less racist towards the black people than the South is.
Dr. Bledsoe's letter is all business. He is doing exactly what he needs to do in order to keep his position at the college. He needs to get rid of the student that "caused" the trouble so that he can come out as the good guy. He does not worry about the fact that now one of his good students (according to Mr. Emmerson's son who thinks it is impressive that the narrator is a junior at nineteen) can now not return to the place that he thinks of as his home. After reading this letter I wondered if this is how Dr. Bledsoe came up to the power that he is in now. He is extremely selfish and will do anything that will help him out in the longrun, not thinking of what he does to the people who stand in his way.
Black people speak differently in the North and in the South. I think it may be for a different reason than what Taylor said...
In the North, African Americans have much more freedom to do what they want. They are no longer followed around by the stereotype that all blacks are stupid and that they should be dominated by white men. Blacks speak freely in whatever way they please, still showing respect for white men, but not going out of their way. Blacks in the South are trailed by stereotypes. They are treated like children by whites "only speak when spoken to." But there's an added bonus! They must also speak with an insane amount of politeness. Even though whites often disrespect the narrator in the south by calling him "boy," the narrator cannot fight back. He continues to call the men who disrespect him so much "sir." How ironic...
Whites and Black speak differently in the North and south. I think I'm going to disagree with Stephanie on this one. In the north, blacks are given a bit more vocal freedoms (Ex: that guy in the street that the narrator comments would raise a riot in the South), however stereotypes do not go away at all. Even in the smallest of scenarios. For example
"The counterman came over.
"I've got something good for you," he said, placing a glass of water before me. "How about the special?"
"Whats the special?"
"Pork Chops, grits, one egg, hot biscuits and coffee!" He leaned over the counter with a look that seemed to say, There, that ought to excite you boy."
The waiter makes a blunt Southern-Black stereotype and gets away with it just fine.
Now this tiny little example might not seem like a huge deal, but its a prime example of stereotypes still existing in Northern culture.
And then theres the whole whites running everything behind the scenes in the North. And in the South.
Wow, thats depressing.
The Statue of Liberty’s torch is a symbol, it lights our path to freedom and enlightenment. The very first time the narrator sees the Statue the torch is almost lost in the fog. This is significant because it makes a point that America is not totally free. Part of us is still lost and covered up with emotions of hate, difficult stereotypes, and understanding the individual person. Even though the narrator is now in the North part of his own freedom and equality is still masked.
Dr. Bledsoe is not a very nice person. Like Nikki said, he only cares about the school itself. when the incident with Mr. Norton happens, he only cares about what could have happened to the school. He only cares about the damage it could have caused to the school.
Dr. Bledsoe not only expells the narrator, he also makes sure no one from the school gives him a job. In the conversation with Mr. Emerson's son it is discovered that Dr. Bledsoe does not care about the narrator, which leaves the narrator bitter and wanting revenge.
Dr. Bledsoe's letter about the narrator made it sound like he was a crimminal. His tone insinuating he did something horrible that is why he is not allowed back at the school. Who will want to hire someone who was kicked out of college?
In the South blacks could not speak like white people or they would be judged by other black people. In the North black people speak like white people so they will get better jobs and be respected by white people.
Bledsoe’s letter is formal, yet at the same time it seems demeaning to me. Interestingly enough, I don’t think the letter is solely demeaning to the narrator but rather it is also demeaning to Dr. Bledsoe. He wrote letters to these people who seem to be supporters of the school, but don’t hold any great power over it. Yet, Bledsoe, in charge of the school, seemed to be sucking up the whole time. This is likely how he came to be in power-the ability to say things in just the right way. Obviously the letter is also belittling to the narrator. Dr. Bledsoe outright says that he should have no knowledge of what is going on but rather to “let his vain hopes continue undisturbed.”
In the South, blacks are expected to be careful of what they say so they do not disrespect white men. But in the North, blacks can basically say what they want when they want. People in the North don't seem to care as much about what is said because it does not offend them or because they just don't care.
I would say the tone of Dr. Bledsoe's letter was sympathetic toward the narrator. He wasn't using words to up lift the narrator and show the qualities he has that would make him a good employee but words that made the reader feel sorry for him. The letter wasn't written to get the narrator a job but to protect the school.
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