If you cringe at stereotypes, get ready or some uncomfortable situations in these chapters. As you read, think about stereotypes that exist in our culture and your own life, specifically. As you know, race, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation and social/economic status are a few of the areas that tend to be targeted. Compare and contrast the stereotypes that Ellison illustrates with those that you see today. Have we made progess? What are some viable solutions for dealing with stereotypes and their consequences?
More to think about:*What is the narrator's principle motivation for accepting the job?
*What is the effect of the trip through Central Park?
*How is color used to affect imagery in the salon?
*Why does Emma wish that the narrator were blacker?
*What is ironic about Brother Jack's suggestion that the narrator become the new Booker T. Washington?
*What is the idea behind the narrator's confrontation with the drunken man who wants him to sing, because "all colored people sing"?
*What is the difference between the definition of "we" that Mary embraces and the definition that Brother Jack embraces?
*Why does the narrator get so angry when he notices the cast-iron bank in the shape of a caricature of a black man?
*What is the metaphorical value of the fact that the clock in Mary's kitchen is slower than the narrator's?
*Explain the following quote: "Some folks just live in filth," she said disgustedly. "Just let a little knocking start and here it comes crawling out. All you have to do is shake things up a bit."
*What is ironic about the narrator's attempt to get rid of the coin bank?
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Edith Wharton
John Steinbeck
Mark Twain
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Ralph Ellison
Alice Walker
10 comments:
In chapter 15 the narrator became extremely angry when he saw the cast-iron bank in the corner of the room. Perhaps the reason why he got so mad is because the cast-iron bank represented the idea that black men are simply objects. On the shirt of the figure in bold, white letters it read FEED ME. This could represent the idea that black depend on the white society for money. The trick that the cast-iron bank does could also represent the idea that black men are willing to do entertaining tricks for whites to earn money. After the narrator broke the figure into pieces he attempted several times to get rid of it. However, everytime he thought he successfully got rid of it someone would give it back to him, almost like it was haunting him.
I'm going to answer some random questions from the list. So first of all, Emma was a little disappointed seeing the narrator, saying he should be "blacker." I think she probably wanted a darker skinned African American, as other African Americans would probably relate more to someone who has darker skin. Lighter skinned African Americans were generally more accepted by white culture in post-slavery times, causing a distrust in many other African Americans. Even though the narrator has lighter skin, he was still stereotyped by a drunk man at the party. The drunk man asks the narrator to sing a spiritual, because all African Americans are supposed to love to sing. The man is just reinforcing a typical stereotype. But the narrator realizes that he is not offended by the drunk man's request. He has become so used to the racism of the society he lives in that he doesn't even realize that he should be offended. The racism of the South runs very deep, even in the less segregated society of New York City.
Yay! Another comment! In chapter 15 the narrator became enraged by the sight of the bank in his apartment at Mary's. It was in the shape of an African American, and it was posed in a somewhat comical fashion. The narrator became furious and smashed the bank, injuring himself in the process. The source of his anger may have been the demeaning way that the African American was depicted. It reinforced the stereotype held by whites during the time that all blacks were stupid and incompetent. I also think Karen's idea may have some value to it. I hadn't thought of it before, but the narrator may have been angry because the bank reinforced the wrong idea that blacks were helpless and depended on whites for everything. Once the narrator breaks the bank, he regrets it and tries to fix it. This may be his subconscious accepting the fact that racism and stereotyping is part of life, and that he actually relies on it in some ways. Racism won't go away, and the narrator realizes this.
The idea of the drunken man asking the narrator to sing is a stereotype of black people. The white brothers in the Brotherhood think that just because he is black he can sing.
Emma wishes the narrator were blacker because she thinks the people will believe he is more sincere if he were to be more black. That is another stereotype because they think the more blacker they are the more they care about changing the laws for black people.
In chapter 14 the narrator feels foolish for turning down a job when he has no money and owes his landlord Mary money. Even though he disagrees with Brother Jack about him caring for the black community he takes the job he was offered for the purpose of getting money. The narrator also thinks he might as well make speeches, it is something he is good at and he enjoys it. Little did he know that a new job comes with a new identity. The narrator is now given a new name and he is told that he should forget his old identity. This adds to the fact that the narrator is invisible by forgetting his old identity and letting someone else give him a new one.
I believe that one common stereotype used in this section was the drunken man asking the narrator to sing. Most people have assumed for a long while that black people can sing since the days of the blues and slavery. The narrator, surprisingly, feels no offense towards this remark for the racist society he has come to assume of all of the world. (and judging by the way the story has been going, he has no reason not to assume this.)
It is ironic that Brother Jack would say that the narrator could be the new Booker T. Washington. Washington wanted blacks to assimilate to white culture by winning over whites to believe in the black culture as well as simply integrating themselves peacefully through society. The Brotherhood however, is more for the advancement of blacks through force not integration. It is rather strange that he would say this.
The only reason the narrator wants a job is because he wants to prove to Bledsoe that he belongs at the college and all he wants is to get back to school and learn. What's so ironic about the fact that Brother Jack would say that the narrator will become the next Booker T. Washington is ironic because they are against the way Booker T. Washinton fought for civil rights. The Brotherhood's teachings are opposite in a few ways.
The drunk man asking the narrator to sing is stereotyping in the book, even though the narrator doesn't think much about it. It seems stereotypical for a drunk man to ask the narrator to sing, as he is black and the drunk man is slightly making fun of the black man as he is asking him to sing, as many black people sing well. As for taking the job, the narrator's motivation for accepting the job is to prove to others he can do something with his life.
If the narrator were "more black" then people will believe his is authentic. This is an obvious sterotype because the "blacker" you are the more you care about black society.
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