A Different Mirror Critique - Essay Example

? UNIT 2 JOURNAL UNIT 2 JOUNAL A Different Mirror Chapter 3 In this chapter, the will pay homage to roots of slavery in America, where the hidden origins of slavery are discussed. The writer opines that slavery took place in a very tactical and system manner, making it very difficult for it to be detected easily even by the Blacks who were to become victims later. At first, it was the Whites and Blacks living happily and dependent on each other but later, the Whites will be on the Blacks as the writer puts it. This chapter exposes the lack of acceptability among the Black race as they easily came to accept the Whites as possessing superior abilities of leadership to rule over them. Chapter 5 At this point, the Blacks had come to realize the depth of deception that had been placed on them through slavery. This is because unlike what they were made to believe in earlier times, such as what we are presented in chapter 3, they realized a serious lack of identity and personality. What was worse, their land was also taken and so they would have to reclaim them back. The writer was very accurate in describing the attempts that the Blacks made in reclaiming their land and other possessions that they felt the act of slavery had taken from unjustifiably been taken away from them. There was also much explanation on the justification for this call that the Blacks were making for their land. Chapter 13 As the Black community had started making efforts to reclaiming what belonged to them, the writer used the 13th chapter to reflect on the level of success that had been achieved by far. There is therefore the caption, “To the land of hope”, to depict that the Blacks were still convinced that their dream was appropriate. The Blacks continued to view the North as a land of hope, where they had to be to make the consolidation of their personality and identity complete. Later in the chapter, tribute is paid to some of the specific successes of the Black in various places in America, including what was described as “Black Pride in Harlem”. Pages 350 – 359 Even today, it is known that it is only in the United States where there are descriptions like “African American” or “Black American” and in other parts of the world like England and Australia; such descriptions do not exist even though there are English and Australians with Black origins. After reading pages 350 to 359, an understanding of how the term ‘African American’ is better understood. This is because as at this time in history, the African community had come to realize that they were part of a common people known as the Americans. Meanwhile, the indigenous American would refuse to appreciate this and so will draw a line of distinction. It is not surprising the writer described the situation as “Bomb the Color Line”. Pages 396 – 402 It has often been argued that true fighters are able to tell when it is that they must stop fighting based on the fact that continuing to fight will bring about defeat. In such situations, part of the options includes the deferral of the battle. This was exactly what the writer tells us was done after the rising wind of social justice had somehow been tamed by the authorities involved. To say the dream had been deferred may sound a defeatist approach but in reality, that was not what the true case was. The minority group within the American fraternity was only seeking the best means by which if they exploded, their explosion would create the best of effects. 2. Kaleidoscope 107-118 In these pages, Equiano gives a biographic description of his journey through America and England and how his experience as a Black voyager gave him a vivid idea of how slavery was intense in those lands where he was travelling. A very positive aspect of this piece of writing is that it serves as an advocacy as to how modern issues of slavery should be approached. This is because instead on accepting the status of slavery, Equaino fought for his personal freedom without waiting for another person to do this for him. 129-137 This is the part of the book where the “Domestic manners of the Americans” is given from Frances Trollope’s perspective of how the Americans conduct themselves domestically. As far as the writer was concerned, the Americans had something very serious lacking in their manners. It was a great piece for the writer to rightly link this to evidence with slavery through which she argued that Americans wanted to be lords always. Because the Americans never had another done by themselves, they merely never got anything done right. 201-217 As the title of the chapter implies, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” gives account of the struggles and abuses that a slave girls suffered at the hands of her masters on a plantation. Even though one may argue that the chapter was written with some levels of sensationalism that is aimed at provoking emotional unrest against slavery and abuse of women in particular, it will not be far from right to say that the theme of the chapter is factual and remains a true antecedent of what existed during the setting of the writing. 218-233 Though a fictional work, “Heroic Slave” takes inspiration of realistic history of how the battle for freedom and justice for the Black race and other minor race in America was fought. It is not surprising then that the work was based on the inspired life of Madison Washington who was an enslaved cook. As part of the quest to end slavery at all cost, the enslaved was inspired to use every means possible to gain freedom by establishing authority. Through a seizure of a ship that was heading for New Orleans therefore, the enslaved cook led a rebel group to bring freedom to 128 slaves from Britain. 363-374 Much of an advocacy for all people to succeed in life, regardless of their color, race, background or religion is promoted by including “Dust Tracks on a Road” in the book. This is because the story that is told of Hurston and his ability to rise through the ranks of education into eventually becoming who he wanted to be in live gives inspiration to readers that even though there may be factors like slavery and servitude that suppress personal freedom, success in life could still be possible in such situations. 445-452 Another advocacy for racial success in the midst of hardship and trailing deprivation of rights and freedom is discussed through the reading of “Black Boy”. This is because the author uses his own life to be an example of how it was possible for him to withstand race relations down South till he eventually moved to Chicago, where some level of racial freedom was enjoyed. To a large extent therefore, the chapter speaks about the need to use personal efforts to get what a person envisions to get without looking at obstacles and obstructions around. 565-575 Sula is presented in these pages with two major focuses. The first is to champion the course of females and the second is to champion the course of Blacks. Black women are therefore at the most advantaged on learning about how the freedoms of their social existence lie in their own hands. Though written from a controversial perspective, the writer makes attempt to explaining that whatever freedoms and social liberties that White women have should also be considered acceptable among Black women. 3. African American Arts African American arts are seen as a form of cultural oriental mechanism for giving personality identity to the Black community in America (Wagner, 2006). To this end, African American arts are expected to be upheld and acknowledged by the Black community in America as a heritage that they ought to hold on to and defend to the later. Three questions however remain. The first of these is the question of what African American arts are and whether or not these forms of art have been adulterated. Generally, African American arts are those forms of art that take their source from the use of very natural environmental materials and tools in their preparation and making (Moyers, 2013). Apart from the source of tools and materials, it is expected that a completed work of African American art would have a natural taste and nature appeal for aesthetic appraisal. Commonly therefore, African American arts are made of wood, leather, stones, beads, and clay. These works of art are expected to give the kind of cultural identity talked about earlier because it is originated from the African American race and are made in a way that no other form of art is made. As the definition of African American arts has been established, it is important to look at the issue of whether or not the African American community has lost value for its art. Walking through a very typical African American community, it is common to find a number of artists who are engaged in the creation of works of African American arts. But clearly this cannot be enough justification that the people still hold on to their art. This because Moyers (2013) has argued that the people of African origin in America must show a sense of belonging with their art rather than merely leaving it to be done as an occupation by a few people. By a sense of belonging, it is expected that ordinary African Americans will adorn some of these works of art and have them as the most significant appearance that gives them the desired identity. A typical example of this would be for African Americans to wear cloths of African American artistic background and decorate their homes with same. Unfortunately however, there is virtually no distinction between African Americans and other Americans because on a constant basis, the style of dressing, eating, decorating and speaking. Almost all African Americans are going the way of White American in terms of these variables. Finally, it is important to note that the fact that there has been some level of despising for African American arts by the African Americans themselves do not mean that all hope is lost on this form of art. It is still very possible that this form of art will be revived. But in order to make the revival possible, a holistic approach that is based on changing the very mentality of the African American people about their cultural identity is admonished. This could be done through the educational system whereby the curricula of schools are made to highlight the core aspects of African American art heritage and the need to accepting it as a tool for promoting the unique identity of the African American. What is even significant is that when well promoted, this form of art could be an important economic venture for African Americans, giving them economic liberation and hope (Engelstad, 2005). Cited Works Engelstad, Emmanuel., Ed. Challenging Situadedness, gender, culture and the production of Knowledge, Eburon academic publishers. 2005. Print. Moyers, Bill. Full Show: Living Outside Tribal Lines. 2013. Web. September 6, 2013. Perkins, George and Perkins, Barbara. Kaleidoscope: Stories of the American Experience. Oxford University Press: Oxford. 1993. Print. Takaki, Ronald T. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America, Revised Edition. Back Bay Books: New York. 2008. Print. Wagner, Michael. Born in the USA: How a Broken Historic System t. Berkeley: University of California, 2006. Print. Read More