Friday, September 16, 2011
Comparing "Hair" and " Theme For English B"
A topic that influenced both "Hair" by Malcolm X and "Theme For English B" is the racist society around the time that both authors lived in. Their writing was affectected by it because the theme for both is racial identity, or finding a place in society as a coloured man. However, the theme is treated differently between the two pieces. "Hair" exaplains or signifies that the author was in the state of trying to fit in society and denying his racial identity in a way. He feels that it is neccessary for him to change his appearence to get a right spot in society. On the other hand, "Theme for English B" has explained that the author acknowleges that their places in society are considered different, but knows that his appearence should not change the way that he is treated. He shows less effort to fit in. He is aware of the fact that the African Americans are still a part of Caucasian Americans.
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I had the same conclusion as you when I compared both stories. I think that in Malcolm X, he changed himself to be more respected by society and hoped to be treated more like a white person. In order to do so, Malcolm changed his African American hairstyle to a conk, which was traditionally worn by white people. At that time, he does not realize that he does not gain respect by anyone, but disrespects his own race. Later on, as he reflects his story, he finally realizes it wasn't right to do. In Theme for English B, the author doesn't have a need to change his appearance in order to accept himself. I strongly agree with this statement. "He shows less effort to fit in." The two stories are different, because in Malcolm X he does not accept himself in the beginning but as he reflects he learns his lesson about his race, where as in Theme for English B the author is well aware of his social ranking but doesn't have a need to change himself, because he knows that everyone is equal, even though they might not be treated equally by society.
ReplyDeleteYage i agree that both authors experienced similar lives and yet treated those lives so differently. its interesting how two people can both experience a traumatic and racist past and yet have such contradicting conclusions on how they view that particular past. Like you stated above its obvious that Malcom X feels anger towards the way that society viewed and treated him, which led him to conform, while Langston Hughes ultimately feels as if blacks and whites can learn from each other and make up one society, even though Langston Hughes admits in his poem that whites are more privileged in that society.
ReplyDeleteHi Yage! OK so I read your post and I picked up something I never thought of before. Although I knew that Malcolm X was probably conking his hair to look more white, I didn't consider the fact that he was disrespecting his culture. Sure, he was denying it by joining the countless other "brainwashed" African Americans, but I see how denying your ethnicity for the sake of being the "cooler" citizen can also be disrespectful to those who did decide to hold onto their culture. I also agree that Langston Hughes tried a whole lot less harder to fit into white culture, but I think that was since he didn't view himself in the least as a white person. Rather, as a black man coexisting with the white population. So yeah, nice job. :D
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