The poem ‘Colour’, by an African American child
I have chosen this poem because of the racial injustice being done to the African Americans simply because of their skin color. This poem shows a new way of looking at the idea of racism of skin color. The main injustice in the novel is due to the African American’s skin color.
Significance to the Theme
The poem talks about the irony of the white man’s racist belief of the African Americans. The injustice that the white people have been doing to the African Americans due to their skin color is unjust. The white people call the black people colored, but as human beings the white people are also colored so the white men are actually in essence contradicting themselves. The author of this poem was portraying the idea that many people forget what they do or say is unjust to other groups of people. The author of the poem says that the even though you are a certain color when you are sick, cold, scared and so on; yet, you continue to call 'me' (the black people) colored, when you are also colored. This statement exemplifies the racial injustice against the African American peoples.
Relationship between the theme and the novel
The poem is a relationship between the theme and the novel because the poem addresses one of the injustices being done to the black people simply because of their skin color. The author addresses the racial aspect of the injustices being dealt with in the novel, "I tried to decide how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher I was, or like the nigger that I was supposed to be." (page 47) In this quotation, Grant struggles to decide how he should present himself in front of the white peoples. Grant is trapped in the societal expectations because of his skin color and the overall injustice of it. Therefore this is the relationship between the novel and the theme.
Significance to the Theme
The poem talks about the irony of the white man’s racist belief of the African Americans. The injustice that the white people have been doing to the African Americans due to their skin color is unjust. The white people call the black people colored, but as human beings the white people are also colored so the white men are actually in essence contradicting themselves. The author of this poem was portraying the idea that many people forget what they do or say is unjust to other groups of people. The author of the poem says that the even though you are a certain color when you are sick, cold, scared and so on; yet, you continue to call 'me' (the black people) colored, when you are also colored. This statement exemplifies the racial injustice against the African American peoples.
Relationship between the theme and the novel
The poem is a relationship between the theme and the novel because the poem addresses one of the injustices being done to the black people simply because of their skin color. The author addresses the racial aspect of the injustices being dealt with in the novel, "I tried to decide how I should respond to them. Whether I should act like the teacher I was, or like the nigger that I was supposed to be." (page 47) In this quotation, Grant struggles to decide how he should present himself in front of the white peoples. Grant is trapped in the societal expectations because of his skin color and the overall injustice of it. Therefore this is the relationship between the novel and the theme.