One of the most sensitive issues in America today is this: Does racism really exist?
And of course it does, but then to what degree?
So reading Brown Girl Dreaming, really gets interesting, because "we" are allowed to gain perspective from little Jacqueline on what "their" experiences really are.
Excuse my quotations, I have a hard time with categories. And I'm conflicted over separating humans based on race, even if it is only concerning personal experience and culture. When does something become offensive?
Anyway, so far one of the coolest things for me is that the writing feels unbiased. And I think the reason is because it's been told so far through the eyes of a young child.
To her, all that comes with living is hope for happiness, home, and what it will mean to someday be Jacqueline.
In fact...she is fascinated with that aspect...of what it will mean to be her. "I don't know if these hands will become Malcolm's-raised and fisted, or Martin's-open and asking..."(26)
She comes up with several examples of who she could become. Diverse examples even, as we see the contrast between Malcolm and Martin. Malcolm being aggressive, and Martin being peaceful. She doesn't know how she will choose to make a difference...
But she wants to.
She has expectations for herself, but she doesn't know what she expects from herself yet.
She is already aware of racial issues.
She doesn't let it control her life...but isn't it amazing as she externally reflects on her infancy that she is already imagining for herself what part she will take in the social rights movement?
And she has even smaller issues to overcome it seems, at least before she might be given the right to even fight for her own people.
What about the fact that she is a female? Living in a time where they are even lesser than they are considered now?
But she seem's to be empowered. Even though her father seems less brave than her mother, he gives her this self-confidence that she has all ability to be a strong and persuasive individual.
"Name a girl Jack and people will look at her twice, my father said."(28)
Maybe for this time period this might be true. Others would view her differently, because just with her name she would already challenge social norms. And so before she could even speak a word she might already stand for something.
She may not have known that as an infant, but she wants that for herself now.
She is okay with Jacqueline though.
I feel very connected with this book so far. While the issue of race has nothing to do with it, I am very connected in how she has always felt like she wants to find some large purpose for herself. I connect with her very strong feelings of home as well. Home is enormously important to me, and as I go off into the world on my own, I wonder how I will take home with me, how will I adapt?
And of course it does, but then to what degree?
So reading Brown Girl Dreaming, really gets interesting, because "we" are allowed to gain perspective from little Jacqueline on what "their" experiences really are.
Excuse my quotations, I have a hard time with categories. And I'm conflicted over separating humans based on race, even if it is only concerning personal experience and culture. When does something become offensive?
Anyway, so far one of the coolest things for me is that the writing feels unbiased. And I think the reason is because it's been told so far through the eyes of a young child.
To her, all that comes with living is hope for happiness, home, and what it will mean to someday be Jacqueline.
In fact...she is fascinated with that aspect...of what it will mean to be her. "I don't know if these hands will become Malcolm's-raised and fisted, or Martin's-open and asking..."(26)
She comes up with several examples of who she could become. Diverse examples even, as we see the contrast between Malcolm and Martin. Malcolm being aggressive, and Martin being peaceful. She doesn't know how she will choose to make a difference...
But she wants to.
She has expectations for herself, but she doesn't know what she expects from herself yet.
She is already aware of racial issues.
She doesn't let it control her life...but isn't it amazing as she externally reflects on her infancy that she is already imagining for herself what part she will take in the social rights movement?
And she has even smaller issues to overcome it seems, at least before she might be given the right to even fight for her own people.
What about the fact that she is a female? Living in a time where they are even lesser than they are considered now?
But she seem's to be empowered. Even though her father seems less brave than her mother, he gives her this self-confidence that she has all ability to be a strong and persuasive individual.
"Name a girl Jack and people will look at her twice, my father said."(28)
Maybe for this time period this might be true. Others would view her differently, because just with her name she would already challenge social norms. And so before she could even speak a word she might already stand for something.
She may not have known that as an infant, but she wants that for herself now.
She is okay with Jacqueline though.
I feel very connected with this book so far. While the issue of race has nothing to do with it, I am very connected in how she has always felt like she wants to find some large purpose for herself. I connect with her very strong feelings of home as well. Home is enormously important to me, and as I go off into the world on my own, I wonder how I will take home with me, how will I adapt?
Ally, you write that the book feels unbiased because it is written through the eyes of a child. I consider two other points when looking at the racial issues and undertones of this memoir. First, it is retrospective. Jacqueline Woodson was 51 years old when this memoir was published in 2014. She certainly is not a child when she writes this and yet it is so eloquently written that we hear it as if a child is speaking. That is what makes her brilliant. Second, as Dr. J. said, the intended audience for this memoir is 8-12 year old children so I believe Woodson writes accordingly for them on difficult issues of racism and racial violence. I agree with you on her constant value of home and her childhood, maybe lifelong, quest for purpose. What more can we ask from a writer than to read great poetry about things we hold dear? I love this memoir as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you wrote about how the text suggests the importance of purpose and empowerment. Where do you think Woodson's sense of empowerment comes from?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you wrote about how the text suggests the importance of purpose and empowerment. Where do you think Woodson's sense of empowerment comes from?
ReplyDeleteI thought you brought up a good point about home. I think it takes a while for people to actually find what "home" is to them. Which was really relate-able when she struggled with placing what home was or she home was split in a few places for her
ReplyDelete