Racial Discrimination
America, a country of many ethnic communities, has struggled with the vice of the racial discrimination and segregation since its appearance. Prior to the migration of the whites into America from Europe, Indians, as the Africans, had already existed there. However, whites grew in numbers, influence and control to become the dominant race in America after their resettlement from Europe. With time other minority races such as African Americans were brought in as slaves from Africa during the slave trade era to work in the whites’ farms. Nonetheless, the whites often disrespected minor the races as African Americans and Indo-Europeans dominating in such areas like politics and white-collar jobs. They also lived in the better cities and enjoyed rich neighborhoods, among other prestigious areas in America. On the other hand, minorities were neglected and offered less attractive jobs, they lived in the poor neighborhoods and attended understaffed and low-quality schools as well as hospitals. As whites continued to occupy the top jobs where policies and laws were enacted, minorities only saw their condition grow worse as their welfare was not considered. These racial differences have created hatred between the different races, especially whites and blacks and whites and Indians. In fact, blacks developed hatred towards the whites as they considered them as their enemies of progress whereas whites continued to treat blacks as “half-human”. This atmosphere of hatred can be felt in the daily lives of blacks, Indians and whites, as it is expressed in many forms such as in music, poetry, and stories. This essay examines how deep is the racial discrimination in America and its effects as illustrated by the three different authors: James Baldwin in his story “Sonny’s Blues”, Alexie in “The Lone Ranger, Tonto Fistfight in Heaven”, and Gwendolyn Brooks in his poem “We Real Cool”.
In the story called
“Sonny’s Blues” James Baldwin highlights the racial discrimination by showing the harsh and terrible living environments of the African Americans. Although the story revolves around the relationship of Sonny and his elder brother, it is also a fictional adaptation of the real, deep-rooted experience of many African Americans. Sonny, in the beginning of the story, is depicted as a troubled young man who has a drug addiction and is arrested in a heroin bust. As a matter of fact, such a struggle was very typical in the Harlem society at the time where thousands of African Americans were suffering due to racism and poverty. Sonny’s elder brother’s indication is that even though he was a grown-up man, he still hung around that block, spent hours on the street corners and was always high and raggy. This shows the terrible social environment in Harlem as well as gives an understanding that drug is a common problem in the society. Moreover, it is also a demonstration of the fact that many people are escaping the unfair reality by using heroin or engaging in the criminal activities. Besides, Sonny’s brother was shocked when he read about Sonny’s arrest, he says, “He’d always been a good boy, he hadn’t ever turned hard or evil or disrespectful, the way kids can, so quick, so quick especially in Harlem”. Such negative depictions of the kids, along with the severe drug problems in Harlem, has led the readers to believe that these people are in the lowest social class and mostly suffer in life being often rejected by the society. Since Harlem is an African American society, it is obvious that African Americans are segregated from the higher class and most of these people are lower class citizens who are constantly struggling with life.
The story “Sonny’s Blues” further presents the discrimination of the blacks by whites and how whites poorly estimate the lives of the blacks, as the author explains the death of the brother of Sonny’s father. The sad story of Sonny’s uncle’s death as narrated by the Sonny’s mother clearly tells us how whites regarded blacks as half-human whose death was not important at all. This is explained by Baldwin when he talks about the fact that the car that hit the brother of Sonny’s father had the white passengers and about their failure to consider stopping to give attention to the injured because he was a black. He says, “…and he heard white men shouting and the car continued going and it isn’t stopped till this day.” Baldwin clarifies, “And, time your father got down the hill, his brother weren’t nothing but blood and pulp”. The author uses the death of the further to show that whites treated blacks scornfully and with contempt. The story dispays white men whooping and hollering at black men to express their animosity. Sadly enough, even though the driver is driving under the influence of alcohol, he goes ahead to engage in a risky and deadly behavior of directing his car straight at a drunk man. The narrator says, “… and they aimed the car straight at him. They were having fun, they just wanted to scare him”. In this extract, the author tries to illustrate the often scornful attitude of whites towards blacks. Therefore, this indicates the superiority complex that the whites had over the blacks.
The poem “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks shows the depressive mood that has engulfed the African Americans due to their seemingly unending suffering based on their color. The poem is expressed in an ironical tone to stress the expression of those who have been hardened by their struggles and oppressions. The poet tells us about a group of people (the pool players) who live in a very deplorable and harsh environment where they are seemingly in a constant fear of death. This is well illustrated by the phrase, “Jazz June. We die soon”. The poem is also written in a protesting mood. A group of people seems to protest against their state which has been neglected for a long time to the extent that it grew worse and none bothers to listen to them. It is noted in the line “Lurk late. We Strike straight”. This typically depicts the racial discrimination and oppression that African Americans have undergone during many decades. As portrayed above, minority races, who are possibly African Americans, have been forced to fight for their survival; thus, they have turned into criminals in order to survive. The neglect as a result of the racial discrimination seems to have pushed the victims to engage in the chaotic and unlawful behaviors to express their anger to the oppressors. This situation is clearly described by the poet where he writes of pool players who have rebelled against the authority committing crimes and staying out of the school. The author quotes them saying, “We left school” which expresses the anger and protest of this group.
Finally, the author of “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” also reports about the racial segregation and discrimination between the whites and the Indian minority in America. The kind of hatred that existed between the two groups is clearly illustrated. The author demonstrates an atmosphere of racial animosity, segregation, and profiling, as he shows in the dialogue between the narrator and an officer. The officer said, “Well, you should be more careful where you drive, you don’t fit the profile of the neighborhood”. The narrator replies and claims, “I wanted to tell him that I didn’t really fit the profile of the country but I knew it would just get me into trouble”. The conversation shows that the blacks are underestimated regarding their abilities and skills being doubted even in such simple tasks as driving. Moreover, they were often not welcome in many neighborhoods because they did not meet the required standard to stay in the certain places dominated by the whites.
Besides, the story tells the reader of a country where minorities are always suspected, based on their color, to be criminals and dangerous people. The clerk says, “Can I help you?” as if searching for some response that would reassure him that I wasn’t an armed robber. He knew this dark skin and long black hair of mine were dangerous. I had a potential. The quote gives a clear indication of the racial injustices. The blacks were judged not by the wrongs they committed but by the perception of the whites based on their color. Thereupon, just by the virtue of being a black, the narrator is suspected to be an armed robber.
What is more, racial discrimination has become a deep rooted vice in which many other minority tribes have developed the same hatred towards whites. It has gone to the extent that many live in a constant fear of violence that might emerge between the two groups. The horrific picture experienced by the narrator in his dream depicts this. Disembodied, I could see everything that was happening. Whites killing Indians and Indians killing Whites…Other tribes arrived on horseback to continue the slaughter of whites, and the United States Cavalry rode into battle.
In conclusion, the racial discrimination is a deep rooted vice effects of which are clearly seen. As analyzed in Baldwin’s, Alexie’s and Brooks’ works, racial discrimination has affected minorities in many ways. People like African Americans are forced to live in the deplorable conditions and harsh environments as depicted in the lives of Sonny’s family in the “Sonny’s Blues”. Due to the racial discrimination, many blacks are forced to be occupied with drugs in order to hide their sorrow and sufferings. Minorities are shown to undergo a lot of sufferings, they die young, they leave schools, they engage in strikes and other criminal behaviors as a way to fight for survival and show their protest. Unfortunately, they are still neglected as outlined in the poem “We Real Cool”. It is now evident that racial discrimination has led to the segregations and racial profiling. Many minorities are badly treated and suspected as criminals and armed robbers, as illustrated in the story “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven”. It is because of this kind of discrimination that the country has continued to witness constant tension between the white majority and the minority groups like Indians and African Americans. The work points to the need for the country to address this vice. Evidently, if not addressed, it will continue to worsen with time as the minorities feel discriminated in the way in which resources are distributed making them venture into criminal activities as a retaliatory strategy.
