The story by Richard Wright of Chicago is one that allows me to view and recognize one part of discrimination that I have not fully analyzed: how African American's come to realize the "stay in your place" attitude. Growing up and reading several stories similar to Wright's, I always figured that every African American knew exactly how to act in public and towards the white population; it seemed to me as if it were instinctual. However, similarly to math for instance, it is learned overtime. Richard begins his journey to "Jim Crow Wisdom" when he is scolded by his mother for having been "engaged in war with the white boys." Following this event, he is then slapped in the face by the horrid realization that he is ultimately forced to leave his first job for something he didn't even do; it was the hatred of his fellow employees Morrie and Pease that led him down that path. He is put into many lose lose situations because of the color of his skin. White people are able to pass through life with little threat of harm, "but the color of a Negro's skin makes him easily recognizable, makes him suspect, converts him into a defenseless target" Wright states.
As Richard travels the bumpy roller coaster that takes him in and out of work, he becomes much more aware of his role in society. The stage of the story is set when Richard is first made aware of Jim Crow Laws thanks to his mother. Complications from Richard's jobs then lead him to the climax where he is forced to be pushed around without being able to stand up for himself. Then, something comes to surprise Richard. When he is working for the optical company in Memphis, he is treated more like a living, breathing human being. Although he is still not viewed as equal to the white men, he is engaged in conversations, which may seem small, but it is a change for the better. By Richard's fourth job, the reader can see that he has become "Jim Crow Wise," which I inferred as the resolution to the story.
You brought up a good point, Chloe. Like you, I thought African Americans before the 1960's automatically knew that many white people wanted to see them suffer. With that in mind African Americans (with a few brave exceptions) would live their lives as second class citizens, always side stepping conflict with whites. However, this article shows that that was not the case. Instead, black children had to endure a terrible experience before they submitted to the Jim Crow Laws. Your analogy comparing this submission to learning math was spot on.
ReplyDeleteNobody is born inferior to anybody, so as children black people probably learned early in life to respect the white people. As sad as that is, it was learned from white people who "put them in their place" or from their parents because they were scared of their kids getting into trouble, such as the case was here. So you're correct in saying that these Jim Crow laws were learned over time, through lessons like the ones in the essay.
ReplyDeleteChloe, I liked how you related African Americans learning how to act towards whites and students learning math. To me this sums up most of the article. As Richard went throughout his life he learned new lessons. Once he learned a lesson, he was sure not to forget what he had been taught. It was definitely sad to read about the way he was treated, and how he had to give in to the Jim Crow Laws and become, as you said, "Jim Crow Wise".
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