Annika Hansteen Izora
African American Drama
Tuesday, October 14th
Topsy: The Perpetual Status of Pickaninny The publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin resulted in the construction of an arsenal of stereotypes against Black humanity. Amongst these renditions is the pickaninny caricature, “grow’d” from Topsy. Since written, the power of Topsy’s depiction has retained, leading to a conglomeration of responses by the African-American community, particularly within the realm of Black American theatre. This essay seeks to analyze and contrast the original Topsy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin to her modern day rendition by Richard Alexander within his work I Ain’t Yo Uncle. I seek to make clear the ways in which Stowe established the …show more content…
Stowe strives to depict the stupidity of Topsy, which serves to provide more of a comedic relief to the reader rather than a critique of the horrifying conditions in which Topsy was raised in. In the renowned scene of the discussion of Topsy’s birthplace between herself and Ophelia, Topsy replies to Ophelia’s questioning of her conception, “I spect I grow’d. Don’t think nobody never made me .” While this scene is a supposed “comic relief,” the line creates an eerie discomfort for the reader, as they are taken aback by Topsy’s lack of knowledge in even the most basic facts of birth. The ignorance that Topsy repeatedly spews throughout the novel is a means by which Stowe furthers her representation of Topsy’s madness. The hysteria to Topy’s character, whether through her dancing, language, or appearance, in contrast with the dutiful and loyal slave image of Uncle Tom or Eva, are used to stress Stowe’s point that African Americans may attain grace and humility if they are controlled. Topsy is the “…. black, keen, subtle, cringing, yet acute neighbor ,” representative of all traits “Afric,” “…born of ages of oppression, submission, ignorance, toil and vice! ” Topsy’s irrationality acts as the birthplace of the prevailing image of Black peoples as subversion to the white hegemony, leading to a stereotype …show more content…
Yet despite Uncle Tom’s attempt, explaining to Topsy, “Your black skin would be pretty in Africa ,” Alexander continues to underscore the strength in the hatred towards Topsy’s blackness and “Afric” that Stowe stressed. Against Uncle Tom’s lesson, and even her freedom from bondage by Ophelia, by the end of the play Topsy not only retains her anger, but also strengthens it. In the final scene of the play, Topsy interrupts Uncle Tom’s death with another rap, and directly cries to the audience, “This ain’t no mother-fucking play. I’m the governor of this bullshit story!..I love to hear glass break. I love to watch shit burn. I love to hear mother-fuckers scream. Word!! ” The exaggeration of Topsy’s fury is a means by which Alexander indicates to the audience with horror the degree to which the pickaninny stereotype has maintained and enflamed. Following Topsy’s final decree, Uncle Tom asks the crowd, “Any volunteers to take Topsy? Ya’ll think she come from nowhere? Do ya ‘spects she just growed? ” Uncle Tom’s comment is a key critique by Alexander of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In asking the crowd if they think Topsy “come from nowhere,” Alexander is demanding the audience to reflect on how Uncle Tom’s Cabin is the source from which figures such as Topsy have prevailed throughout history. The modern day depiction of Black youth as either ghetto,
African American Drama
Tuesday, October 14th
Topsy: The Perpetual Status of Pickaninny The publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin resulted in the construction of an arsenal of stereotypes against Black humanity. Amongst these renditions is the pickaninny caricature, “grow’d” from Topsy. Since written, the power of Topsy’s depiction has retained, leading to a conglomeration of responses by the African-American community, particularly within the realm of Black American theatre. This essay seeks to analyze and contrast the original Topsy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin to her modern day rendition by Richard Alexander within his work I Ain’t Yo Uncle. I seek to make clear the ways in which Stowe established the …show more content…
Stowe strives to depict the stupidity of Topsy, which serves to provide more of a comedic relief to the reader rather than a critique of the horrifying conditions in which Topsy was raised in. In the renowned scene of the discussion of Topsy’s birthplace between herself and Ophelia, Topsy replies to Ophelia’s questioning of her conception, “I spect I grow’d. Don’t think nobody never made me .” While this scene is a supposed “comic relief,” the line creates an eerie discomfort for the reader, as they are taken aback by Topsy’s lack of knowledge in even the most basic facts of birth. The ignorance that Topsy repeatedly spews throughout the novel is a means by which Stowe furthers her representation of Topsy’s madness. The hysteria to Topy’s character, whether through her dancing, language, or appearance, in contrast with the dutiful and loyal slave image of Uncle Tom or Eva, are used to stress Stowe’s point that African Americans may attain grace and humility if they are controlled. Topsy is the “…. black, keen, subtle, cringing, yet acute neighbor ,” representative of all traits “Afric,” “…born of ages of oppression, submission, ignorance, toil and vice! ” Topsy’s irrationality acts as the birthplace of the prevailing image of Black peoples as subversion to the white hegemony, leading to a stereotype …show more content…
Yet despite Uncle Tom’s attempt, explaining to Topsy, “Your black skin would be pretty in Africa ,” Alexander continues to underscore the strength in the hatred towards Topsy’s blackness and “Afric” that Stowe stressed. Against Uncle Tom’s lesson, and even her freedom from bondage by Ophelia, by the end of the play Topsy not only retains her anger, but also strengthens it. In the final scene of the play, Topsy interrupts Uncle Tom’s death with another rap, and directly cries to the audience, “This ain’t no mother-fucking play. I’m the governor of this bullshit story!..I love to hear glass break. I love to watch shit burn. I love to hear mother-fuckers scream. Word!! ” The exaggeration of Topsy’s fury is a means by which Alexander indicates to the audience with horror the degree to which the pickaninny stereotype has maintained and enflamed. Following Topsy’s final decree, Uncle Tom asks the crowd, “Any volunteers to take Topsy? Ya’ll think she come from nowhere? Do ya ‘spects she just growed? ” Uncle Tom’s comment is a key critique by Alexander of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In asking the crowd if they think Topsy “come from nowhere,” Alexander is demanding the audience to reflect on how Uncle Tom’s Cabin is the source from which figures such as Topsy have prevailed throughout history. The modern day depiction of Black youth as either ghetto,