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The Teaching and Teachings of Booker T. Washington and Malcolm X

     Booker T. Washington and Malcolm X both distinguish themselves as self-made African American men who rose from treacherous beginnings to become influential figures in the fight for social equality. Having began their lives at the bottom of society, both men found their self-worth through their shared pursuit of education in severely limiting circumstances. As they discovered their own senses of pride, they grew critical of White society's systemic abuse of Black people. Washington sought a post-slavery society in which African Americans could freely enter the workforce and find purpose through meaningful industrial work. Malcolm X was a prominent Black nationalist who was active during the Civil Rights Movement, promoting ideas more radical than those of Washington. Originally born Malcolm Little, the "X" in his name represents the African surname he was deprived of. Instead of seeking integration into White-only institutions, he argued that Black people needed more ...
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Hurston and Cullen's Views on Heritage

In "Characteristics of Negro Expression," Zora Neale Hurston analyzes the patterns present within African American literature; among these is the subject of African heritage. Hurston treats African heritage as an idea that authors are widely familiar with, aligning with authors like Claude McKay though starkly contrasting with Countee Cullen's Africa poems. In his poem "Heritage," Cullen famously writes, "What is Africa to me?" before listing the many Africa stereotypes he is familiar with. In doing so, he emphasizes his lack of true connection with his ancestral homeland. All he knows of Africa are the vague notions of "Jungle star or jungle track," criticizing the views of African Americans who claim to know Africa and contradicting Hurston's broad viewpoint. African identity is an idea that Hurston discusses through popular examples from folklore and "culture heroes" such as animals typically found in Africa. In incorporating...
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Optimism Gets the Job Done

One of the most striking aspects of Booker T. Washington's Up from Slavery autobiography is the credit he gives to his experience as a slave, arguing that those enslaved learned many practical skills from their labors. Given that slavery is widely considered to be one of American history's cruelest episodes, reading an ex-slave's strangely positive depictions is startling, yet these ideas are not unique to Washington's story. In Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl , her recollection of the hardships she endured are mixed with similar anecdotes about her positive and beneficial experiences, such as learning to read and write from her mistress. These details reveal the tremendous range of conditions faced by slaves, as well as the optimism necessary to survive slavery and emerge from the experience stronger than before. In Jacobs' case, the positive details she describes create a sharper contrast with the suffering she is put through. Many times...
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The Various Quirks of Benji's Narration

    The narration of Sag Harbor isn't like any of the books we've read this year. The events aren't simply narrated in an as-they-happen, linear progression, and most of the book is comprised of Benji making anecdotes. What's important to realize is that he isn't narrating in real time, but looking back at these events years later. Most of his comments are reflections he makes on the kind of person he used to be, and how he spent this one transformative summer. He's had time to analyze these events, and he shares his analysis in his narration. Whether by taking the perspective of an academic who is eagerly studying adolescent behavior or simply looking back on the past and reflecting on how he's changed since the events in question, the way this story is laid out creates a reading experience that's half memoir, half textbook.        Benji often feels like a form of anthropologist among his friends, with the ways he examines others' behavior and draws...
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Jason's Coming-of-Age in Connection to his Parents

In the first chapter of Black Swan Green , Jason Taylor's life seems as though it's controlled by the oppressive forces of British secondary school. He seems hopeless, desperate for the approval of others yet hindered by his "posh" background and infamous stutter. By the last chapter, the tides have turned entirely as Jason is no longer trying to be submissive in an effort to "look good" to the popular kids and failing, he's acting in defiance of them -- and succeeding. As a coming-of-age novel, this massive shift in Jason's personality is quite significant, but what exactly caused this transformation? While there are certainly a plethora of life-changing events throughout the story, Jason's parents, or perhaps their absence, has a direct connection to his social behavior. Early on in the book, Jason's parents are quite present in his life. When Jason goes to play outside with Dean, his mother is right there at the door keeping her eyes on hi...
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Alison's Investigation

    One of the first things we noticed in our class discussions of Fun Home is that Alison has a very complex relationship with her father. She has the constant desire to improve her connection with him, and has clear insecurities in the thoughts she has about him. When she learns that he suddenly died from being hit by a truck, she is unsure how to feel. While others assure her that her father's death was an accident, Alison can't help but think that her father's death was a deliberate act of suicide. She notes that, "the truck driver described my father as jumping back into the road, 'as if he saw a snake.' And who knows. Perhaps he did." Despite her admission to the plausibility of the truck driver's statement, she still describes it with a dismissive tone that contrasts with her explanation of a possible suicide. She thinks of her father's death as suicide in an almost superstitious way, taking into account the small connections between her fa...
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Buddy Willard is a Human Bell Jar

     Buddy Willard is a character who provokes some of Esther's strongest commentary. At first glance, her hatred and disgust for him seem overly pessimistic and critical. After all, he's such an accomplished and lauded young man who certainly has the attention of several other women. Her family and other close peers clearly view him as the ultimate boyfriend Esther could ever have, so why doesn't she? Is she being fair toward Buddy? The reason for her criticism, however, is precisely this flattering view of Buddy held by society in combination with the experiences Esther shares with him. Esther is certainly a strong social critic, and the fact that the expectations of Buddy differ from the expectations of her sits particularly poorly with her. She often uses the word "hypocrite" when describing Buddy, which initially may seem difficult to interpret, but Esther makes it clear that getting to know Buddy quickly reveals his many flaws, "Of course, I didn't ...
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