Class discussion helps. But it also hurts. Let me explain.
I didn't know what the title meant and honestly was too lazy to Google it. But... I thought it might have something to do with Roberta's illiteracy because I couldn't read it. Good title though. Really creative. Kudos to Ms. Morrison, she's a damn good writer. Music. I know in class we talked about the musical part being the sing-songy happy part... but I still have that dramatic, sort of like opera, singing and booming of drums in my head that goes better with the bad parts. Then the drama is over and the music and singing stops, and they just go back to talking. Maybe I'm alone in this, but try to imagine it if you want.
How it hurt...
I did not ONCE think that Roberta might be white and Twyla might be black. It never crossed my mind. The hair thing in the beginning, I've heard that before. And in my head I didn't see a big white woman with a Bible that brought her daughter fried chicken. That's terrible...but true. The first time they met, I didn't think a white girl in the 60's would know about Hendrix before a black girl would. This is all so terrible, I feel really bad because it seems like most the class at least recognised that they could be the other way around. Stereotypes suck.
Our parents teach us about other races by using stereotypes - like the Disney movies - and before we know it we are using them on a subconscious level. That's kinda scary. I don't want to think like this. Like in my blog before, when I wished we were all colorblind. I want that again. I want that big Mr. Clean Eraser so I can take it to my brain and make all my thoughts like that disappear. It makes me want to disappear.
This is definitely a story I want to do a response paper on. There is so much more to explore with this, I actually wish we could spend another class period on it, but I'm sure the next piece we read will mess with my mind just as much, it seems to be a reoccurring theme in this class. ;)
Until next time,
Keri Jo
I'm not going to say I'm sorry that your mind is being messed with, though that's never my overt intention, but I will say I'm glad that you're the kind of person who is open to having her mind messed with. Painful as it is, that's the only way to grow.
ReplyDeleteIt is going to happen, whether in your class or out in the real world. My parents were kind of racist, so it is hard to make my subconscience not think of sterotypes. The fact that I am passionate about being the opposite helps, but it also hurts because I realize AND CARE when I am wrong. But you are right, it is the only way to grow.
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