Monster and Incognegro are both about African Americans who find themselves mistreated and judged by people of other races. Discrimination and white privilege are present in both novels. In Monster the main character, Steve is discriminated against and has to try to overcome white privilege. The jury is already thinking he is guilty just because he’s a young black on trial. In the story Steve’s lawyer tells Steve repeatedly that she has to make him apart more human or that he has to find a way to separate himself from the other person on trail. In Incognegro the main character, Zane, is a fair skinned African American. He passes for white and therefore enjoys all the benefits of white privilege. Discrimination is also present in this book because lynchings were a popular pass time in the south at the time in this story. It can also be see when you consider the sheriff is holding Zane’s brother for murder when he knows he didn’t do it. Race can also be discussed in this unit because in Incognegro Zane says that race is just a bunch of rules and that it’s a strategy. This brings a lot of questions to the surface for discussion. Is race something someone just made up and if so what are the rules of race? Can the rules be changed?
I like the question you raised about: is race just something someone made up. I never thought about that before. Somebody probably saw the differences between themselves and someone of a different race, and thought they were obiviously different, but that somehow one was better than the other. It's interesting to think about how something like race and the rules of race, could just be made up.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned that Steve's lawyer kept reminding him that she had to separate him from the other people testifying and on trial. It's like she thought that he would immedeatly be grouped with these people just because he was black. You also asked if the rules of race could be changed. I think this would be alot like getting rid of racism. It might be hard to do because these "rules" are ingrained in both blacks and whites.
ReplyDeleteYou brought up a good point about Steve's lawyer trying to make him appear human and trying to separate him from the other kids on trial. She basically said that the jury wouldn't see them as human they would just see them as black hooligans. You also brought up a very good question. Is race just something somebody made up? I really have no idea but it is something to think about.
ReplyDeleteAnswering the question can the rules be changed, I think the answer is yes. I think if blacks are the majority and whites were the minority than the rules would definitely be changed. Also, if a new generation can forget the racism the rules would also be changed.
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