On the wife of his youth - Research Paper Example

The Wife of His Youth In "The Wife of His Youth" from "The Unveiling of the Black Storyteller" Charles Chesnutt reflects peculiarities of his visions about the African Americans and reflects these ideas in the light of literary differences of the main characters. Mr. Ryder and Liza Jane are opposed to each other in Chesnutts choice of narration (Duncan, 1999). Liza Jane is less competent in her language practices and is lacking of appropriate number of words in her lexicon. Lehman claims that the social and political differences are studied in the story by Chesnutt. Mr. Ryder has a mild temper and a soft character (Lehman, 1990).

He refers to people of the black race as “black”, but Liza Jane is ruder in her expressions concerning race. Chesnutt chooses an interesting way for reflection of relations between the social and moral values and their reference to property and show (Bryant, 2000). Liza shows her eternal love and Mr. Ryder reflects his ideas and responsibilities concerning Liza Jane as his original love. Mr. Ryder was not afraid of acknowledging his wife from plantations after years of separation: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the woman, and I am the man, whose story I have told you.

Permit me to introduce to you the wife of my youth", - with these words Mr. Ryder introduced his wife of his youth into the refined and elegant society (Chesnutt). He challenged his world of upper class and he believed only in relations between a man and a woman and he did not mind skin color, but only was pleased by her perfect lips and beauty…Mr. Ryder was not scared off by the society and in spite of the fact that he was one of the leaders of the Blue Vein Societies, he demonstrated his neutral attitude to the African Americans (Fienberg, 1999).

It is a perfect example of the way a privileged class is presented in a positive light in relation to black-skinned people. Nowadays the problem of racial discrimination still exists, notwithstanding that there has been a lasting struggle with it. He proved that the color of skin did not matter much and even though Mr. Ryder tried to hide his real attitude to black skinned people behind his refined dictionary, Liza Jane helps him to get rid of this mask. This is a story about a brave man and a modest woman: his bravery made him rise above social and racial prejudices and her love and modesty made her accept this man as her original husband, a husband of her youth.

Therefore, this story by Chesnutt is very impressive and the modern society can learn many interesting things from complex racial relations in the society and the way they are connected with the modern background. We should be more tolerant and patient in our relations with people of different races and refer to their inner qualities and not to our perverted beliefs. Modern world is full of interesting opportunities and the prejudices should not spoil the life of those who are happy to ignore them.

Works citedBryant, Earle V.  "Scriptural Allusion and Metaphorical Marriage in Charles Chesnutts The Wife of His Youth". American Literary Realism, 1870-1910.  33(1) (Fall, 2000), 57-64.Chestnutt, C.W. The Wife of his Youth. Web. http://www.online-literature.com/charles-chesnutt/wife-of-his-youth/1/Duncan, Charles.  Telling Genealogy:  Notions of the Family in The Wife of His Youth. Critical Essays on Charles W. Chesnutt.  Ed. Joseph R. McElrath.  New York: G.K. Hall, 1999.  Fienberg, Lorne.

  Charles W. Chesnutts The Wife of His Youth: The Unveiling of the Black Storyteller. Critical Essays on Charles W. Chesnutt.  Ed. Joseph R. McElrath.  New York: G.K. Hall, 1999.  Lehman, C. "The Social and Political Views of Charles Chestnutt [sic]: Reflections on Storyteller". American Transcendental Quarterly 4 (3) (1990), 219-237.