Different social classes come with different perspectives and challenges, usually the belief is that higher society is much happier than those in the lower rank, but not including race into the equation does not give all sides of that story. By evaluating parts in Cane by Jean Toomer, Passing by Nella Larsen, and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston the untold story of class and race is becomes clear. Color and classism have gone hand in hand for many years and evaluating the lives of characters that are considered the lowest of the low and yet made it up the totem pole brings up an important discussion. The conflicting ideas of race and class actually encourage racism and ruin the lives of characters in the black bourgeoisie.
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A popular phrase that is used to express frustration with the upper class is “the rich get richer while the poor get poorer” which simplifies the workings of how the upper class really earns the top spot on the totem pole. In the poem Reapers Toomer goes more in-depth on how the upper class uses and sometimes abuses the lower class in order to get on top. The overall presentation of this topic makes it seem like it’s a simple farm activity, but when looking closer the comparisons with the class system is clear. The reapers are at the top, the horses are in the middle, and the mice at the very bottom. The hierarchy is seen in action when Toomer witnesses “ the blade, Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade” (Toomer 6) .The reapers use scythes to collect crops in the same way that grim reaper uses a scythe to collect souls. Those souls belong to the mice, weeds and shade. The mice, weeds and shade represent many things, but mainly the natural world, the lower class and black people in American. The overall understanding when looking at these examples is that in order to thrive the upper class must kill and take advantage of the lower class, while also making sure that the lower class stays as the lower …show more content…
Mrs. Turner is a different story she believes that lighter skin should allow her and Janie to have “uh class tuh [them] selves” because she doesn’t want to be associated with people she considers inferior (Hurston 142). Climbing the social ladder seems to be her only goal and is even accepting of the marriage Janie has with teacake when she believes he has money. If a black man is poor, she wouldn’t consider associating herself with him and has even stated that marrying to lighten up the black community would be better. Instead of being angry with the white community for enslaving the black people and automatically making them of a lower status she worships them and hates her black side. Although American Society considers her fully black the argument she has presented is that she is lighter and therefore better than darker people. She insists on helping Janie find the way and wants her to meet her brother in order to separate her from Teacake who she believes is of a lower
A popular phrase that is used to express frustration with the upper class is “the rich get richer while the poor get poorer” which simplifies the workings of how the upper class really earns the top spot on the totem pole. In the poem Reapers Toomer goes more in-depth on how the upper class uses and sometimes abuses the lower class in order to get on top. The overall presentation of this topic makes it seem like it’s a simple farm activity, but when looking closer the comparisons with the class system is clear. The reapers are at the top, the horses are in the middle, and the mice at the very bottom. The hierarchy is seen in action when Toomer witnesses “ the blade, Blood-stained, continue cutting weeds and shade” (Toomer 6) .The reapers use scythes to collect crops in the same way that grim reaper uses a scythe to collect souls. Those souls belong to the mice, weeds and shade. The mice, weeds and shade represent many things, but mainly the natural world, the lower class and black people in American. The overall understanding when looking at these examples is that in order to thrive the upper class must kill and take advantage of the lower class, while also making sure that the lower class stays as the lower …show more content…
Mrs. Turner is a different story she believes that lighter skin should allow her and Janie to have “uh class tuh [them] selves” because she doesn’t want to be associated with people she considers inferior (Hurston 142). Climbing the social ladder seems to be her only goal and is even accepting of the marriage Janie has with teacake when she believes he has money. If a black man is poor, she wouldn’t consider associating herself with him and has even stated that marrying to lighten up the black community would be better. Instead of being angry with the white community for enslaving the black people and automatically making them of a lower status she worships them and hates her black side. Although American Society considers her fully black the argument she has presented is that she is lighter and therefore better than darker people. She insists on helping Janie find the way and wants her to meet her brother in order to separate her from Teacake who she believes is of a lower