Stereotypes and generalizations are extremely prevelant throughout this novel. Some of the characters embrace them and some reject them. An example of the rejecting of these stereotypes really stuck out to me through the character of the chef. It is described that, "the chef had a violent distaste for all the stock things that 'coons' are supposed to like to the point of stealing them. He would not eat watermelon , because white people called it 'the niggers' ice cream'"(161-162). The chef is one of the few characters in the novel, besides perhaps Ray, who rejects these stereotypes and will not allow himself to be typecast. There are many other broad stereotypes such as that all Mulattos have unpleasant voices and when Rosalind is sick Ma Lawton says Jerco "better go an' scares up a white one... Ise nevah had no faith in these heah nigger doctors,"(254). At first I found it kind of sad how the characters insult and generalize their own race, but then I recalled an interestingly and enlightening moment in my African American literature class last semester. A student in the class explained that he and his friends called each other the "N word" on a regular basis and that he felt the reason why many black people casually refer to each other with such a derogatory term is because it is taking the word back from the white man. They are using it in a new way among each other as a form of empowerment and embracing where they have come from in history. With this in mind I think perhaps the reason for so many of the characters stereotyping their own race is meant to have the same effect. I do not mean to say that some of the characters do not think the stereotypes are true, as from their wording it is frequently clear they believe these generalizations to be facts, but this is a possible explanation for why they are OK with using these stereotypes and do not find them offensive when used among one another.
Do you think that race stereotyping has decreased at all in recent years? In reference to educated black men Miss Curdy says, "Nobody can't tell me no fairy tales about niggers. Wese all much of a muchness when you get down to the real stuff,"(164). Obviously this is another stereotype, but what do you think this means?
I actually think it's increased. The more that race is talked about the more people are aware of the various stereotypes which makes them want to turn them into something positive instead of negative. Therefore you find people of a race making fun of themselves to kind of do it before other people can do it...it can help in a way but overall I think it's damaging.
ReplyDeleteMedia has made it easier, in some ways, to justify and reinforce stereotypes and racism by representing races or cultures through the generification of single images or phrases or ideas. We tend to accept the representations very easily and they spread quickly because of technology. For example, viral videos like the "hide yo kids, hide yo wife" guy.
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