Angie Thomas Concrete Conversation

Similarly to hooks, Walker tells his life story through his eyes, the point of view of an African-American male. Walker gives anecdotes that inform us of key themes in his upbringing. From a young age Walker saw humanity divided by color. Seemingly unable to let go of past racism in society, Walker’s girlfriend claimed that he was “the first person she has ever known who has taught

Continuing through Just Mercy, Stevenson’s (2015) use of descriptive language and vocabulary helps to understand the issues of racial injustice.

Both authors explore examples in which they are treated in a racist or discriminatory manner. Brent Staples encountered a younger woman and “came upon her late one evening on a deserted street… she cast back a worried glance… picked up her pace and was soon running in earnest.” (Staples 1) Just the mere sight of him made the woman scared, after this experience he feels “surprised, embarrassed, and dismayed all at once. Her flight made me feel like an accomplice in tyranny.” (2) He realizes that he is “indistinguishable from the muggers...” (2), or at least to the woman. Staples experiences, first hand, discrimination; the woman is fearful of him because of his race, and Staples feels the full effect of that. Gloria Naylor recounts the first time she was ever called the N-word. It was in class and she she says “she couldn’t have been more puzzled.” She “didn’t know what a nigger was,” but she did know “it was something he shouldn't have called” her (Naylor 3). She was thoroughly confused and later asked her mother what the word meant. Naylor is treated poorly due to the color of her skin. Similarly to Staples,

The wide range of vocabulary used in White Rage presents a notion to the readers that although Carol Anderson is very critical and biased

Angie Thomas’ novel The Hate U Give is the story of a teenage girl facing racism in the world around her. Starr Carter lives in Garden Heights, a neighborhood filled with gangs, when one of her best friends Khalil is shot by the police, she is quick to know he had been killed because of the racism that exists in our world. Throughout the novel, Starr is constantly trying to show the world why Khalil died in order to get justice for his death. She does not believe he deserved to die or the cop who shot Khalil deserves to walk free of the crime he committed. Through different characters, the author is able to convey the message of one should not form opinions on someone or something based on stereotypes. Throughout the novel, some characters struggle with judging people before they know their past. Angie Thomas is able to get this across to readers not only through Starr, but also characters such as her father Maverick, her friends from school, and even Officer Cruise, the officer who killed Khalil.

To engage a large audience, Staples appeals to readers with his use to two different points of views throughout the essay: societal views and black views. Staples tries to connect with the readers by giving examples of unconscious thoughts that run through the minds of most people when in the same situation as the “white women.” In his opening sentence, Staples calls the women a “victim.” In her own eyes, she herself was “victim” due to the influence of generalized stereotypes presented in our culture. She becomes quick to judge based on Staples appearance: his skin tone. Because of his color, his every action becomes nothing but threats and anxiety on the women. “She casted a back worried glance. To her, the youngish black- broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pockets of a

She then goes on to talk about how the justice system criminalizes these deceased black men into “big” and “scary” to try to make them look guilty or deserving of whatever happened to them and save the officers involved. Anderson really focuses on this one case and how it impacted her thoughts and feelings towards the white America.

The movie “Crash”, by Director and Writer Paul Haggis, follows 8 ethnically diverse families/ individuals facing the struggle of modern day racism and stereotypes created and faced in modern Los Angeles, California. These individuals take the roles of individuals living their daily lives within Los Angeles, California while facing stereotypes. The cast portrays: 2 caucasian white male police officers, an African American director and his wife, a white district attorney and his wife, a Persian immigrant family, and a Hispanic father whose occupation is a locksmith. The scene chosen from this film involves the police officers (Officer Ryan and Officer Hanson) pulling over the African American Director (Cameron Thayer) and his wife (Christine Thayer) at a traffic stop. This scene establishes two different types of theoretic sociological concepts of Thomas Theorem and cognitive dissonance.

The film examines systemic and institutional racism in the police station when Hansen talks to his superior officer about switching partners; his superior, Lieutenant Dixon, is a black officer and says that reporting Officer Tom Hansen as a racist could cost all of them their jobs, especially in the LAPD. Dixon suggests transferring to a one-man car and mockingly suggests Hansen explain his request by claiming to have “uncontrollable flatulence” rather than say his partner is racist. We also see instances of where racism is not race against race, it also portrays race against gender and race against class as two major forms of racism conflict in the movie.

How does the author use simple language to display a deeper meaning? The diction used by Sharon Olds and Sara Teasdale illustrates a mood of judgment. They do this by using simple sentences about how appearances could be deceiving. Olds using the skin color as a way to convey a mood of judgment.

In life, you never know if you can see the person you may see on the sidewalk or even across the stress. But, in all realities, that person may have a connection to your life. They can be your future spouse, boss, or the murder who may kill your loved ones. In the movie Crash, everyone has connected to each other in a different or common way. The film takes place in Los Angeles, where minorities are dealing with racial tensions while living in the city. The film broadcasts live of many individuals from different socio-economic classes, which they have life-changing experiences during challenges with prejudices and stereotypes. The film shows interpersonal communication which is “The ability to process and gain information between two or many people” (William 20). The film follows the lives of many resides of different races, social class, careers. The group main character in these groups is John Ryan and Tom Hasen who are Caucasian LAPD police officers. Cameron and Christine Thayer who are a young African American couple. Peter and Anthony who are young adults African- American car thief’s. Farhad who’s an Prussian business owner. Daniel who’s an Latin American locksmith. Lastly, Shaniqua Johnson who an African American administrator.

“Night Vision” speaks to how intrinsic racial profiling has become in our country, with the scenario of Ayanna, a black woman, associating a criminal with being black. Ezra utters his objection to this when he states, “That you didn’t even consider-there was no

Much like in Jungle Fever right after Drew has kicked out Flipper from the house for cheating, Drew holds a meeting with her close four black friends and use their anger and frustration to create a “dialogue that empowers them as individuals and as a self-defining community, poised for change and rebuilding”(Paulin, 177). Throughout this scene Drew blames herself for not being light skinned enough for Flipper, which is the reason he cheated on her. A strong sense of jealousy takes over Drew’s mindset and soon her dialogue becomes constructed, “she openly expresses her contempt for Angie’s race and class, stating: “she ain’t nothing but low-class white trash”(Paulin, 176). Another example can be made when Angie comes home and her father

‘Grey Matter’ is a short movie script by Jeanette D. Farr which concerns itself primarily with race relations and stereotyping. A young African-American male confronts an old white woman in a police station with regard to her apparent racial profiling. As it turns out, he is there to return the very same wallet that she is about to report as lost. The dyadic conversation between confrontation and conclusion is initiated by the nonverbal cue of her moving her handbag away from him. Through language and interactive listening, the conflict plays itself out in perceptions of self and other. Ultimately, the interpersonal relationship between the two characters is deepened. The many facets of communication,

Angelina never knew how people could stand such a boring scene. Her eyes were drooping already. She would have left already, but that would make her seem rude, and her parents would not be happy. She looked over at her sister Elise, and noticed just how focused she was. It was almost irritating how everyone in the room could pay attention to one poet. If it had been singing, she might have liked that a bit more, but instead she had been forced into going to some place where all she could do was sit and listen to old people speak.