James Baldwin’s Blues for Mister Charlie, written in 1964, is an experimental drama which was written to ‘shock’ audiences in a time where non-violence was seen as a form of submission. The play, based on a murder trial which occurred in 1955, focuses on the murder of a black man by a white man. Baldwin not only highlights the racial situation using the dialogue between African-American characters and white characters, but he also makes use of the set, which is divided into Blacktown and Whitetown. The set is a physical manifestation of the racial division, which also allows the reader or audience to see clearly the perspectives of both races uncensored. This physical divide is re-echoed at the end of the play, in the segregated courtroom.
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Parnell is a white journalist who supports integration, inter-racial friendship, and social justice in his writings. Parnell faces inner conflict, as although he is a friend of Lyle, he is one of the few, if not only white characters who treats Lyle’s crimes as both serious and wrong. He believes justice should be served for Richard and the African-American community. Although Parnell is a friend to many of the African-American characters, he is not entirely trusted by them. We can see this distrust in Meridian’s suspicion that Parnell is just treating him as the white man's ‘favourite Uncle Tom’. Baldwin uses Parnell to portray to the audience or reader that whites can never be trusted. Parnell is a white liberal, but ultimately he sides with his own race.
Baldwin’s play Blues for Mister Charlie portrays whites as racist oppressors, who treat African-Americans as subordinates. Baldwin expresses his negative views of whites using inter-racial dialogue, and also using the divided set to allow the reader or audience to view the perspectives of each race individually. Like Baraka, this African-American playwright chooses to portray white characters in a negative way in his
Parnell is a white journalist who supports integration, inter-racial friendship, and social justice in his writings. Parnell faces inner conflict, as although he is a friend of Lyle, he is one of the few, if not only white characters who treats Lyle’s crimes as both serious and wrong. He believes justice should be served for Richard and the African-American community. Although Parnell is a friend to many of the African-American characters, he is not entirely trusted by them. We can see this distrust in Meridian’s suspicion that Parnell is just treating him as the white man's ‘favourite Uncle Tom’. Baldwin uses Parnell to portray to the audience or reader that whites can never be trusted. Parnell is a white liberal, but ultimately he sides with his own race.
Baldwin’s play Blues for Mister Charlie portrays whites as racist oppressors, who treat African-Americans as subordinates. Baldwin expresses his negative views of whites using inter-racial dialogue, and also using the divided set to allow the reader or audience to view the perspectives of each race individually. Like Baraka, this African-American playwright chooses to portray white characters in a negative way in his