“Recitatif”

Thesis:

Racial stereotypes are common but do not define who a person is or who they will become in the future. There were many life experiences in this story that made the characters who they were not there race or what they were stereotyped by.

Themes:

Race, women, sister-hood.

-Race: in this story the author did not specify race, it was based off characteristics of each individual person and stereotypes people generally use to classify certain people.

-Women: the women in this story are different in various ways. Twyla and Roberta were both different girls but could relate to one another because of similar backgrounds. Mary who was Twyla’s mother was a dancer. And Roberta’s mom was a religious woman who looked down on women like Mary. Maggie was a mute and deaf, the lady everyone picked on because she had a hard life.

-Sister Hood: although Twyla and Roberta were not biological sisters they shared a bond in St. Bonny’s that made them as close as two biological sisters. Their backgrounds were similar, they were both poor, not well educated and both dumped in the shelter. Having this in common they shared a sort of bond together that in a way made them like sisters.

Summary:

Twyla and Roberta lived 4 short months together in St. Bonny’s shelter. When they parted ways they each took on different life styles, Twyla was a waitress and Roberta was a wild high school drop out. Later on they each married; Twyla married a fire fighter with an ok salary and had a son. Roberta married a rich man who was a widower with kids. Their lives turned out to be very different but they still had that sisterly connection as they did at St. Bonny’s. They grew to be different women and had different views and outlooks on life.

 

The History of The Idea of Race…And Why it Matters/ History of Race video

Thesis:

The main point in this article was where racism came from and the first European/Africans to become indentured servants or slaves. Generally people believe that Africans were the first one’s to be brought over as slaves and that they were they only type of slaves. Indentured servants who were mainly European arrived first and most did not survive the servitude. In 1619 the first Africans arrived but were not initially perceived as slaves. Some worked off their debts and became freedmen and entrepreneurs. These men were considered equal with the white men.

 

-One person I found intriguing was a man by the name of Anthony Johnson who was an African and owned 440 acres of land. He had head rights for 3 Africans, 3 Europeans and 2 Indian servants. He and his two sons were equal with the European men and participated in governing the colony and serving on juries.

-Another point I found interesting was that black men servants often married white women servants. And one fourth of the children born from European white women were mulatto.

Vocab. Words:

Debenture:  one secured by the general credit of the issuer rather than a lien on particular assets.

Emulate: to strive to equal

Ideology: the body of ideas characteristics of a particular individual, group or culture.

Callous: being thickened or hardened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Recitatif”

-I was surprised at the fact that they seemed to be close during their stay at St. Bonny’s and when they departed ways they grew distant. I feel that when they started their different lives they forgot about that time in their past child hood.

-I think maybe there are similar situations going on today in shelters for girls. And if more peoples decided to take action and give these girls a decent and persistent life they would be more inclined to a better view on life.

 

The History of The Idea of Race…And Why it Matters/ History of Race video

 

-I feel like I learned something’s myself in this article. Like how Africans were not the first to arrive in America and that there were some Africans who were considered equal the European men of higher power. I feel as if Africans may have gotten the butt end of the stick during this time just because of their color which also played a major part in this article.

-This article talked about racism and the treatment of poor European, African and Indian people. Because of their poverty, skin and culture they were treated like less of person and I feel as if all people should be treated equal and being bi-racial I think I can help make a difference in the community by becoming more active and interested in things going on around me in my community.

- My first reaction was how people could be so blind to the term “racism.”  Race is analyzed as a social/cultural reality that exist in a realm independent of biological or generic variations; which originated as a folk idea and ideology about human differences; social invention not a science.

-I think I can broaden my perspective more by reading and keeping up with more of the cultural things that are going on around me.