A Reading Of Micheaux 's Within Our Gates

To show first hand to the whites the inequality’s and hardships that the blacks face, the entire first section is in a narrative and a descriptive format. The use of these types of essays lets the readers feel more involved in the story and feel things for themselves. Split into two sections within itself, this first paragraph juxtaposes two stories — one about a “young Negro boy” living in Harlem, and the other about a “young Negro girl” living in Birmingham. The parallelism in the sentence structures of introducing the children likens them even more — despite the differences between them — whether it be their far away location, or their differing, yet still awful, situations. Since this section is focused more towards his white audience, King goes into a description of what it was like living as an African American in those times— a situation the black audience knew all too well. His intense word choice of describing the boy’s house as “vermin-infested” provokes a very negative reaction due to the bad

The characters that face the most effects from their social economic statuses are Sherman Alexie’s, Corliss and Dream Catchers’ Krystal. Their social economic statuses are similar, Corliss being a Spokane Indian and Krystal, an African American both are representing minorities. Sherman Alexie, great Native American author writes, “As a poor kid, and middle class Indian . . . destined for a minimum wage life” (5). Often minorities such as them, usually are expected to have lower class jobs, essentially “waiting tables or changing oil.” Corliss’ dad is a victim of this fact, having a “blue-collar job.” Krystal has a job as a bagger at a supermarket at night, proving that minorities from a less than fortunate background are expected to have minimum wage jobs in the working class America.

The stereotypes in the story, makes it difficult for the readers to conclude the race of each character. People assume that the African American character would be illiterate and uneducated and the white character to be well-educated. During the time period of the story African Americans did not have access to a decent education; making it harder for them to learn just the basics. Whites had access to good education, making it easy to believe the white character is more educated. It is also believed that a person that is well educated will have a better lifestyle when they are older. A well-educated person will have a better job, paying more, and have a better opportunity to afford the means of a luxurious lifestyle. An under educated person will most likely live in poverty, struggle for their basic needs, or live in a declining neighborhood. Behavior is a harder stereo type to use to distinguish a race. Many assume that whites have an entitled attitude toward life. Whites had access to a good education and jobs, they had a “I’m better than you” attitude. On the other hand, many think African Americans were upset because of how easy it was for whites to have better access to the basic necessities such as education and housing.

The novel starts with Coates addressing his son, Samori.He begins recounting a time when he was invited on a talk show and the host asked him what it meant to lose his body, looking for an explanation as to why Coates “felt that white America’s progress, or rather the progress of those Americans who believe that they are white, was built on looting and violence.” This turned out to be a very heavy, intense, and loaded question. Coates went on to explain to his son that America was built on the oppression, abuse, and exploitation of black people, of their bodies, which only intensifies the hypocrisy of the democratic foundation that America prides itself on. The recent murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Renisha McBride, and other black people and “the destroyers who were rarely held accountable” prove that the disregard and mutilation of black bodies is embedded in America’s DNA, and no one gives it a second thought. The American “dream” that is built on the purity and innocence of wanting happiness was only ever made plausible by the oppression of black people, who still struggle to achieve that dream because they were abused into a life of silence and fear. “The Dream rests on their backs, the bedding made from their bodies.” Coates went on to explain how this history of exploitation and the fear that’s been rooted into the lives of black people in America followed him throughout his schooling and on the streets of his neighborhood. The schools that he was sent to discouraged black children, rather than encouraging growth and facilitating a healthy learning environment. The streets were carefully orchestrated for self defense. You had to protect yourself, because you knew the law wouldn’t. At Howard University, “the Mecca”, the excitement of witnessing the diversity that flooded the

The black characters in the novel are all victims of this “separate but equal” mentality; the younger characters yearn for real equality and the older characters have settled in to their lives by accepting their “fate.” The existing structures of society in Bayonne, Louisiana prevent black characters such as Grant Wiggins and Vivian from ever breaking out of their social class; both are forced to remain in their lives as teachers of young black children who will also grow up to live limited lives. Wiggins says of his classroom, “I’m the teacher... and I

From the beginning of the story, we are shown racial inequalities. Ellison introduces us to our character who is a broke and hungry African American economically struggling to save his lady friend’s, Laura’s, life. The protagonist “got no birth certificate to

Dalton states, “Black folk certainly know what it is like to be favored, disfavored, scrutinized, and ignored all on the basis of our race. Sometimes we are judged on a different scale altogether” (273). Dalton is trying to state that African Americans know what it is like to be judged and because of this it creates a road block. In addition, race has become a universal problem that people tend to cause huge tensions and the way “Horatio Alger’s” essay states it is that everyone is equal would not be true. On the other hand, Sylvia seems to be under the paradox that Dalton has stated about race. Sylvia throughout the story goes on a field trip to a toy store where she sees items that cost a lot of money from the glass window, but when she enters the store an issue occurs. Sylvia states, “Not that I’m scared, what’s there to be afraid of, just a toy store. But I feel funny, shame. But what I got to be shamed about? Got as much right to go in as anybody” (269). Sylvia is afraid to enter the store because the fear of race keeps occurring in her mind. It is a huge issue because African Americans had many different views and it made them feel insecure. Also, Sylvia knows that the toy store is fancy and expensive, which triggers her to back off because she is from a poor background. Race has a huge impact on society, no matter what way it is looked at and Sylvia’s fear expresses that of many at the time.

The structure of the novel is significant in presenting the issues of racism from both sides of the story. The story starts with a prologue which sets the scene and

In stark contrast with her earlier disregard for economic and social injustice, Sylvia is now incensed by it. Her anger is further incited when Sugar speaks on the implications of these newly perceived inequalities: "‘I think,’ say Sugar pushing me off her feet like she never done before, cause I whip her ass in a minute, ‘that this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it?’ […] I am disgusted with Sugar’s treachery" (605). In concretely addressing the existence of socioeconomic inequality and its effects on their own lives, Sugar cements its realness in Sylvia’s mind—she can no longer

Micheaux’s purpose behind his film blacks about the issues of racism and stereotypes. The film opens with a young educated African American woman, Sylvia, who travels to the North to raise $5,000 to save a local school for black children. During her visit, Sylvia meets a handsome white man, Dr. Vivian. Along the way, she also encounters a wealthy philanthropist, Elena. After Elena learns about Sylvia’s work, she decides to give her the money that she needs. However, Elena’s southern friend discourages her from giving the donation and says that “blacks cannot get an education.” (Please Cite this source). Conversely, Elena decides to give $50,000 which will be more than enough the save the school. According to Bogle, Within Our Gates sparked a controversy with a lynching scene. The lynching scene shows a white mob lynching Sylvia’s adopted parents and almost killing their son, and also the mob lynched the white man’s servant, Efrem. In addition, one particular scene shows Sylvia being chased by a white man who almost raped her but notices that Sylvia is his daughter. In the end, Dr. Vivian confesses his love for Sylvia and the film ends with their marriage.

The central metaphor is Mrs. Turner’s worship of Caucasian traits, through which she believes that those who are white are more superior as she admires Caucasian traits and worships them, hoping she will ultimately inherit these qualities. Her inferiority and need to be white skinned makes her worship those who are, leading her to reach for an unattainable goal.

Setting is an important feature of novels. This narration takes place in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1960. A time that saw the segregation of black people and the dominance of white people in the southern United States. In this novel the setting of 1960’s Jackson, Mississippi exposes significant themes such as racial discrimination, social partiality. The setting also supplies decisive insight into character inspirations and views.

The prologue ends with an extremely unforgettable description that the narrator uses to foreshadow the nature of the moments to come. She ends by saying that growing up as a black girl in the South is like putting a razor blade to one’s throat, with emphasis on when that black girl feels alienated from her own community who are initially supposed to provide feelings of acceptance comfort and not the latter. Her sense of unacceptance and displacement is like the rust on the razor blade, making life that much more unbearable. She states that her displacement is “an unnecessary

The story, for the most part, centers upon an African-American family, their dreams for the future and an insurance check coming in for death of the eldest man. Stirring into the mix later is the hugely oppressive,

In Charles Chesnutt’s novel, The House Behind the Cedars, there are divides between individuals in the black community based off of skin tone. It reflects on the experience of John Warwick and his sister Rena Walden as they attempt to pass as white. Rena leaves home to come with John Warwick back to his home in South Carolina where he works as a white lawyer and Rena takes on the role of a white woman. But they face the reality that their attempt at passing comes with limited success.