Daily Archives: October 14, 2022

Does the writer’s race matter when the narrative deals with issues of race?

Chopin, Fiction

Kate Chopin an author that an excellent job portraying truth in distinct literary illustrations. I absolutely love how Chopin illuminate’s the readers understanding, on how much being identified as white man was so important during the 1800’s era. An example of how Chopin does this can be seen in these two pieces of scripture. “What Desiree said was true. Marriage, and later the birth of his son had softened Armand Aubigny’s imperious and exacting nature greatly.” (Chopin) and later m. “‘Armand,’ she panted once more, clutching his arm, ‘look at our child. What does it mean? tell me… ‘It means,’ he answered lightly, ‘that the child is not white; it means that you are not white.’ ” (Chopin) As we analyze these to two interactions, we notice how Chopin demonstrates how the reality of being a father sits into Armand, and how it softens his heart to be much more sensible and emphatic. But we then later see how the reality of his ethic background starts to haunt Armand when he sees the African American feature in his child. This reality causes Armand to deny his wife and child. Holding the importance of being identified as white man more than being a father and husband. Chopin uses this to explain to how valuable it was to be a white man and how influenced a man’s pride.
                I mention all this to relay how Chopin does such a remarkable job conveying truth, not matter the race of Chopin. Race holds no weight when it comes to expressing opinions and facts on Race. I do not believe in classifying a person simply by their skin color. It simply is not fair; your skin color will never represent your heart. Your actions do. I have met a vast amount of white skinned color people with great personalities and great heart and vice versa. I am a Hispanic dark skinned colored man and was raised around many other dark-skinned men. What I have come to understand that everyone has the right to express their opinion.

Works Cited

Chopin, K. (n.d.). Desiree’s Baby. Retrieved from Gothic Digital Series @ UFSC: https://repositorio.ufsc.br/bitstream/handle/123456789/132722/Desirees_Baby_%28Kate_Chopin_1893%29.docx.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Chopin & Race

Chopin, Fiction

In certain cases, I feel that the author’s race does not matter when dealing with racial issues, but you must do it in a way that avoids fostering bias. I believe the trick is to solicit feedback from genuine members of the culture you wish to write about. Putting their opinions ahead of your own, and never second-guessing them. People are more likely to believe a person and listen to what they have to say when they can relate to them. Chopin’s criticism just served to draw the attention of those who resembled her, something black people in that era were likely to find problematic.

Feminism in Ichiyo

Fiction, Ichiyo

Ichiyo was born during the Meiji era, when women were permitted to attend school just to learn how to read and write. Only a few women had the same opportunities for further study as Ichiyo. Women did not have rights at the time. They were the property of their dads or husbands. Women were obliged to marry at an early age in order to please their families and cultures, have children, and stay at home to cook for their husbands, clean the house, and care for the children. Ichigo was well aware that women were more than that. She told true stories through her writing. She was a strong woman who supported her family following the loss of his father. Giving your daughter’s hand to other families at a young age has been practiced for centuries and continues to be practiced in many areas of the world.

Writing as Activism

Bambara, Fiction

Toni Cade Bambara, born Toni Cade, was an American writer, civil-rights activist, and teacher who wrote on African-American issues. In the 1970s she was active in both the black liberation and the women’s movements. While textual activism had a significant influence in 1971, I feel that in today’s culture, social media is extensively implemented as a kind of media activism because to its interactive characteristics and widespread adoption, and how the interconnectivity disseminates information and rallies supporters in volumes. With that kind of influence, textual activism does not have the same impact on BIPOC. I also feel that demonstrative forms of activism, such as peaceful protests, rallies, and marches, are effective strategies to effect change for BIPOC.

Feminism in Ichiyo

Fiction, Ichiyo

We know that Ichiyo would write stories having to do with the real situations the women of her time would go through. However, I think that the female character in her story can also represent her relationship with writing. Ichiyo always struggled with wanting to produced work that was perfect in her own way or publishing what she could for money. As head of her household, she usually felt like she had to think about how her decisions would affect her family, just like Oseki had to do when she contemplated about leaving her husband. If she only published her writing when she found it to be perfect, she and her family would be at risk of poverty. She would have had to find a husband, become a rich man’s mistress, or resort to prostitution. Because women had little to no power and usually very minimal education as well, these were the things they normally would have to resort to in order to support themselves and their families.