Notion of Racism in World Literature - Essay Example

Racism Found In World Literature It is arguably true that there in no absolute meaning of racism due to lack of agreement on the meaning of discrimination. However, we usually refer to racism as the differences in views, traditions, practices, and beliefs based on racial orientation. Racism uniquely favors members of a certain race making them more desirable and superior while making others seem inferior. Racism is a global social issue that attracts the concern of various organizations and governments due to the adverse effects it has on humanity. Indeed, it leads to discrimination, exploitation, and unfair treatment due to their racial identity. It may take various forms that may include denial of human and basic rights, discrimination, insults, destruction of property, and violence. Notably, racism has been alive since the ancient and today various people are still experiencing it across the globe. Nevertheless, modern racism adopts modern forms and varies from traditional racism although in all cases racism is illegal and inhumane. As such, racism is a significant topic worth detailed address. In this context, I will critically review two sources that include the, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave" by Frederick Douglass and “The Little Black Boy" by William Blake to address the question what is racism. Various literatures define racism in distinct ways. This essay will define what racism based on the critical analysis of the scholarly sources is named here in. Notably the, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave" by Frederick Douglass, is a story depicting the life of a slave and his ambition to gain personal freedom from slavery. Racism comes out from a first-hand experience as the author tells his story. The story portrays slavery as a form of slavery that Douglass encounters from the beginning of the book both in body and in mind. Douglass is born of a slave mother and a father who was a slave owner. He portrays the racial differences and suffering that her mother suffered from his white father for being black where they rarely stayed together. Indeed, Douglass did not know his father and thus lacked the fatherly love probably because his father did not want to associate with him for being black. Additionally, unlike the white children who could tell their age, Douglass did not enjoy that right (Douglass 14). Moreover, against the norms and for being black, Douglass did not get the permission to go to her mother’s burial (Douglass 15). Indeed, he portrays how the white slave owners practiced racism on the slave women by raping them for sexual pleasure and an increase in their slave populations (Douglass 16). Indeed, Douglass’s aunt equally suffers beatings from the white slave owners (Douglass 17). There was no treatment or equal association between the slave owners and the slaves due to the difference in racial orientations. The slaves were therefore fearful of the slave owners who ruled over them and mistreated them. Douglass shows how slave owners discriminated against the slaves by denying them the right to education. Indeed, Mr. Auld forbids slaves from seeking to know how to read to the advantage of the whites (Douglass 35-42). Moreover, we can experience racism from how the slave owners value the slaves. Indeed, the slave owners valued the slaves alongside the livestock after the death of Douglass’s master (Douglass 44-45). Douglass lived with Master Thomas Auld who is equally mistreated him and later lent him to a white farmer Mr. Covey for a year in exchange of food. Notably, Mr. Covey bears the title of a "negro-breaker," who mistreats and discriminates the slaves. We can see him overworking Douglass and brutally beating him many times until he collapses (Douglass 54-58). His search for help from his master Thomas Auld yielded no fruits as he referred him back to Covey who was assaulting him. We can also see him surviving on meager food rations and lacking proper accommodation for being a slave (Douglass 49-51). Indeed, the “negro-breaker” even goes ahead to murder a slave while hiding from the law enforcers and the community eye (Douglass 30-31). Douglass later works in a shipyard and he continues to experience racism where white people abuse him by nearly taking off his left eye. Additionally, we can see the law defenders also discriminating against the slave where a lawyer refuses to help the abused Douglass saying he can only help a white person (Douglass 78-83). These acts depict utmost racism against the slaves. As a result, we can see Douglass sympathizing with the black slaves who are in slavery and those who are free where he offers to teach them as education will enlighten them to fight against racism. Moreover, he writes many speeches and editorials against slavery and slavery after escaping from slavery (Douglass 91-93). On the other hand, “The Little Black Boy" by William Blake equally addresses the theme of racism. This poem manifests and equally condemns racism. We can see a black boy comparing himself to a white English boy and seems to hate the black race (Blake Web). The black boy associates the whiteness with goodness and innocence on the inside and outside. He sees himself bereaved of light for being black and sees the white boy as an angel (Blake Web). This comparison manifests racism in the society subject to racial orientations. However, the black child remembers that his mother told him that his black skin is only a temporary cloud and results from constant exposure to the sun. The mother relates the sun to the love of God. She claims that black color will remain until he learns to live in the presence of God’s love (Blake Web). This explains that racism is temporary and we can eliminate it. This leads the black boy to the idea that he will tell the English boy about the temporary nature of racism and his wish that one day they will eliminate racism and live in love. We can also see the black boy’s affection to the English boy (Blake Web), which seemingly manifests that the blacks do not abhor racism or discrimination. This reflects anti-slavery and anti-racism. Indeed, the poem suggests that the efforts of the black boy to live in God’s love will finally yield good result and the two boys will one day live in equal love marking the end of racism. Moreover, the poem suggests that the black boy will ultimately gain spiritual superiority to the white boy thus manifesting the victory of love and end of racism. Indeed, the black boy and his mother have voices that claim God’s love will one day make both black and white equal thus eliminating racism. Ideally, the poem revolves around slavery and slave mentality where Blake seemingly portrayed his views regarding the whites' racism and suppression acts against slavery through the black boy. The poem manifests race and its influences on our lives. Nevertheless, the poem portrays racism as a temporary aspect that humans have the capacity to eliminate (Blake Web). Works Cited Blake, William. The Little Black Boy. 2013. Web. 2 August 2013. < http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172927> Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave. 2004. Web. 2 August 2013. < http://www2.hn.psu.edu/faculty/jmanis/f-douglas/narrative-douglass.pdf> Read More