African American strugle for recognition - Book Report/Review Example

The African American struggle for recognition, identity and acceptance as part of the human race may, quite accurately, be used to summarize the general premise of both Richard Wright's "Big Good Black Man," and Ralph Ellison's "Battle Royal." Both stories expose the struggle which African Americans confront as they try to operate within the confines of societies which persistently perceive of them through the racial lens. Ellison's protagonist is confronted with the imperatives of having to prove his individuality and having to enter into a battle royal in order to be granted a college scholarship and, thus, the chance to become someone. Wright's protagonist has to prove himself a human being and, indeed, all his actions, words and attitudes are continually compared to the norm for determination of whether he is a man or beast. Both protagonists are viewed as quasi-human because of their skin color and, accordingly, their struggle, whether consciously or unconsciously taken, begins from point zero. The implication here is that theirs is a struggle to establish that which non-blacks take for granted; the struggle to achieve societal recognition of their humanity and establish their individuality. Racism, as both authors communicate, contests their humanity, their manhood and individuality. Proceeding from the aforementioned, this essay will critically compare and contrast the primary theme, setting and viewpoint of either story in order to illustrate how each author deals with the topic of race. Although both stories appear to adopt race as their primary theme, a close critical reading of "Big Good Black Man" and "Battle Royal" indicates that race is the general topic of both, rather than their theme. Instead, the primary theme in both "Battle Royal" and "Big Good Black Man" is the struggle to affirm identity and confirm humanity within the context of societies which perceive of members of the black race as sub-human or alien to the norm. Both Wright and Ellison portray racial tensions and race relations in terms of a search for identity and the redefinition of manhood. To be recognized as someone and to have his humanity acknowledged, Ellison's protagonist lived by his grandfather's advice: "Live with your head in the lion's mouth. I want you to overcome 'em with yeses, undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to death and destruction, let 'em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open" (Ellison, p. 938). He submitted whenever he had to, even agreeing to engage in a "battle royal" to gain a place at university and prove himself someone, a man. In other words, he adopted an insidious persona, appearing unassuming and unthreateningly and, importantly, accepting of societal definitions of his own self while, in fact, he was accepting of none of the stated and was motivated by the determination to become someone, establish his individuality and impose his unquestioned humanity upon his surrounding society. Similarly, Wright's protagonist, whether he does so consciously or not, has to prove himself a man, rather than a black thing. Jim, whose appearance is antithetical to all that which Olaf associates with mankind, must establish himself as a man through action, words, behavior and attitude. His sheer blackness is such that Olaf simply cannot accept him as human. Within the context of the stated, the theme is similarly the affirmation of humanity and identity within the parameters of a societal which is incapable of recognizing him as such simply because of his skin color. The implication here is that both works of fiction delve into the topic of race to portray the extent to which the reluctance of the Other to accept alternate types of manhood and humanity as legitimate provoke a search for identity and the redefinition of manhood. The settings of both stories are also comparable because the locus of action in both is, whether figuratively or literally, a boxing ring. In Ellison's "Battle Royal" the protagonist is called upon to affirm his humanity, confirm his manhood and establish his worth by entering into a boxing ring. The setting is, thus, an overtly antagonistic and confrontational one. The same is true for "Big Good Black Man." Set in the northern-most reaches of Europe, the land of blue-eyed, blonde and pale beings, Jim whose "skin was so black that it had a bluish tint," emerges as the incontrovertible antagonist (Wright, p. 207). Within the context of the stated, the hotel becomes the boxing ring. It is the arena where Olaf and Jim spar and throw punches at one another, each trying to establish his manhood, his being and, ultimately, his supremacy over the other. Both settings are, in other words, overtly antagonistic and, as such, reflective of the undertones of racial tension which run throughout the two stories. The points of view expressed in both stories are also comparable insofar as they revolve around the definition of the self vis--vis the other. In Ellison's story the narrator, who is also the protagonist, tells his story within the constraints of an I' and them' viewpoint. From the very first lines, readers are confronted with the fact that the narrator's point of view is determined by his perception of others and his assumption regarding Others' perceptions of him. As he says from the outset, "all my life I have been looking for something and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was" " (Ellison, p. 937). As evidenced in the aforementioned quote, the point of view expressed in "Battle Royal" is a reactive one, in the sense that it responds to and is shaped by perceptions of the views of others of the self. The same is true fir Wright's story. The unnamed narrator, expressing Olaf's point of view, similarly confines his perception of the Other from to the I/us' versus Him/them,' dyad. It is, thus, that Olaf's expressed viewpoints of Jim tend towards the depiction of the man as quasi-human, as semi-bestial. This is amply evidenced in several instances throughout the story such as when Olaf thinks that " .. this particular black man Well, he didn't seem human. Too big, too black, too loud, too direct and probably too violent to boot" (Wright, p. 208). The implication here is that the viewpoint in both stories is directly influenced by perceptions of Other-ness or how the protagonists' appearance differs from the supposed norm. Similarities in theme, however, do not negate the presence of obvious differences. In "Battle Royal" the focal theme is the affirmation of identity while in "Big Good Black Man" it is the confirmation of humanity. Ellison's protagonist enters the ring in order to become someone and to prove that he is an individual, not just a faceless, identity-less member of the African American race. As the narrator says, "All my life I was looking for myself It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization which everyone else appears to have been borne with: That I am nobody but myself" (Ellison, p. 937). His entry into the ring is not simply expressive of his determination to become someone but to become someone on his own merits and through his own individual efforts. In this story, the narrator is engaged in a conscious search for self-identity. In direct contrast, Wright's theme appears to be the unconscious affirmation of humanity. Jim shocks Olaf's senses and emerges, not only as antithetical to all that which he associates with human beings but, as a challenge to his points of reference. Jim is not white, yellow or brown but is uncompromisingly and thoroughly black. This means that not does his appearance stand in stark contrast to Olaf's but he challenges Olaf's notion and understanding of race. He is accustomed to yellow, white and brown but Jim is different and is unlike anything Olaf has ever seen. The implication here is that that which Olaf references when defining Man is at odds with Jim's example of Man. Within the context of the stated, the theme revolves around Jim's unconscious establishment of his identity as a man, as a human being. Hence, while the primary concern in "Battle Royal" was the affirmation of individuality, in "A Big Good Black Man," it is confirmation of humanity. Just as is the case with theme, the similarities in setting are balanced by differences. Ellison's story unfolds in pre-Civil Rights America where the humanity of blacks was disputed. In contrast, Wright's story unfolds in post-Civil Rights Europe. Differences in geographic setting are not limited to locale and time but to the general environment within which either story unfolds. Quite simply stated, Wright's protagonist is placed in an environment within which he is incontrovertibly alien. In Copenhagen, Denmark, where the majority of residents are not white but the ultimate expression of that which is Caucasian, Jim's sheer and uncompromising blackness is shocking. Set against the unmitigated whiteness of his surroundings, his skin color immediately identifies him as alien. The setting, in other words, is utilized to establish stark contrasts. This deeply affects the story, insofar as the stark contrasts enabled by the geographic setting, implies that Jim is truly alien to Copenhagen and, accordingly, nothing less than a shock to Olaf's senses and sensibilities. This is hardly true of "Battle Royal" where the protagonist/narrator is native to his environment/setting but is, nevertheless, called upon to prove himself , not just a part of, but worthy of it. While conceding to the fact that whites largely outnumber blacks within the context of the elite setting within which the story unfolds, the fact remains that the protagonist is a minority but an alien, as is Jim. It is geographical settings which have determined, or enabled, the aforementioned. Consequently, differences in setting imply differences in the meaning and implication which either setting brings to the story. Added to the above, similarities in points of view should not obscure the differences between the two. Apart from the most obvious difference, which is that the narrator in Ellison's story is also the protagonist, whereas in "A Good Black Man," he is unnamed and external to the story, sympathetic tendencies differ, or that "A Battle Royal" is told from the perspective of a marginalized black youth who has yet to carve himself an identity and "A Good Black Man" from the perspective of an old retired, frail white sailor whose life is supposedly behind him, there are numerous other differences. The more fundamental of these is that Wright's narrator (or narrator who conveys Olaf's viewpoint) speaks from an embittered perspective while Ellison's narrator speaks from an innocent, as yet hopeful and optimistic perspective. The said differs colors the stories and affects the manner in which either story presents the two African American characters. In one scene, Wright's narrator says " the black mass of power stood still, immobile, looking down at Olaf. Then Olaf sucked in his breath as the devil of blackness commanded him: Stand up!' Olaf tried to rise; then he felt the black paw of the beast then with a slow and deliberate movement of his gorilla like arms, he lifted his mammoth hands to Olaf's throat" (Wright, pp. 211-12). The narrator portrays Jim in bestial, inhuman terms and, in so doing, echoes Olaf's embittered, pessimistic and prejudiced view of life and of the races. In contrast, Ellison's narrator vocalizes a more optimistic perspective. Certainly, engagement in a battle royal for the purposes of being awarded a deserved college scholarship may be demeaning and dehumanizing. Nevertheless, it is conveyed from within the parameters of an optimistic perspective on life. Rather than focus on its demeaning aspect, the narrator highlights the potential promises which a victory could bring. The implication here is that differing points of view do not simply color readers' perspectives on the characters themselves but further directs the plot and the manner of its conveyance, as in whether it is told from an optimistic or a pessimistic viewpoint, a jaundiced or an innocent and hopeful one. Proceeding from the above stated, it is evident that despite similarities, both stories are distinct. The similarities, as explained in the essay, emerge from the racial topic which informs both Wright and Ellison's tales. Accordingly, themes are comparable, in that they may generally be described, or identified, as the search for identity and the affirmation of humanity within the context of racially prejudiced societies. As regards setting, both are similarly comparable in that the hotel, on the one hand, and the boxing ring, on the other, may be defined as arenas of confrontation within the framework of racially prejudiced societies. Lastly, points of view are also somewhat similar given the fact that they are informed by the confrontational, racially prejudiced framework of either story. It is, thus, that the points of view in both are immediately influenced by the notion of the self versus the other. Despite similarities, however, the stories are distinct from one another. Therefore, while themes are comparable they are also unique. Hence, in "Big Good Black Man" the theme is confirmation of humanity while in "Battle Royal" it is affirmation of identity. As regards geographic setting, the stories are obviously different n that the one is set on Copenhagen where the black man bursts on the scene as a distinct oddity, while in the other the setting is pre-civil rights America where blacks, although an inarguable minority, are not as uncommon as they are in the northernmost reaches of Europe. Lastly, points of view differ whereby "Battle Royal" is narrated by a black youth while "A Good Black Man" is narrated by a retired Danish sailor whose life, to all intents and purposes, is behind him. In other words, similarities in all of theme, points of view and setting do not negate the existence of differences. Works Cited Ellison, Ralph. "Battle Royal." Making Literature Matter. Ed. John Schilband John Clifford. Boston: Bedford, 2000. Wright, Richard, "Big Black Good Man". Literature; Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell. Boston: Thompson Heinle, 2004. Read More