Being a victim of prejudice can make people feel unequal to others like in the story “Everyday Use.” Mama imagines herself on a show like Johnny Carson, and asks herself “Who can even imagine me looking a strange white man in the eye?” (Walker 149). Feeling like she is unequal to white people, Mama cannot imagine herself doing this because she feels that they are better than her since she presumably has had unpleasant experiences in her past. When this story was written, racism was common, so it is safe to say that Mama had many terrible experiences with white people because it was normal then. Mama says, “It seems to me I have talked to them always with one foot raised in flight, with my head turned in whichever way is farthest from them,”
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Armand treated his slaves badly, and the narrator says that “Young Aubigny’s rule was a strict one” (Chopin 903). Compared to his father, Armand was stricter towards the slaves because he believed he was superior to them. Roslyn Roy states, “His cruelty toward the slaves, and ultimately toward his wife and child, is not simply a product of nineteenth century racism,” which means that Armand’s behavior toward the slaves was not normal because he was excessive in his cruelty towards them (222). When Desiree’s baby is about three months old, she realizes that his skin color is much like La Blanche’s little boy. Desiree asks Armand, “’What does it mean?’” and Armand says, “the child is not white; it means that you are not white” (Chopin 904). Desiree gets very upset with Armand because he is accusing her of not being white. Trying to convince him that she is in fact white, she says, “’Look at my hair, it is brown; and my eyes are gray, Armand, you know they are gray. And my skin is fair. Look at my hand; whiter than yours’” (Chopin 904). Attempting to convince her husband that she is white, Desiree tries to do everything in her power to make her husband believe her because being black would have changed her life. If she was black, she would not be accepted, …show more content…
In “The Lesson,” Miss Moore takes the children to FAO Schwartz, a toy store. Sylvia sees a woman wearing a fur coat and says, “White folks crazy,” showing the first sign of racism in this story (Bambara 925). Because it is summer, and the woman is wearing a fur coat Sylvia judges her and calls her crazy. Since she believes that white people have more money than her, she is prejudice towards them. When Miss Moore tells the children to go into the toy store, they are leery to enter. They feel like they do not belong in this store, and Sylvia says, “But I feel funny, shame” (Bambara 928). Because Sylvia and her friends are from the slums, they feel like they do not belong in this store because it is for rich, white people. This is another similarity for all three of the stories because Sylvia and her friends feel like they are not accepted, which is how Desiree and Mrs. Johnson felt as well. When the children enter the toy store, Sylvia says, “And people lookin at us,” which makes her feel like she does not belong in this store (Bambara 928). Even though Sylvia is a child, she knows that she is different than the people who normally shop here because she is not part of the upper class, and she does not belong in this kind of store. This is like Mama in “Everyday Use” that cannot look a white man in the eye
Armand treated his slaves badly, and the narrator says that “Young Aubigny’s rule was a strict one” (Chopin 903). Compared to his father, Armand was stricter towards the slaves because he believed he was superior to them. Roslyn Roy states, “His cruelty toward the slaves, and ultimately toward his wife and child, is not simply a product of nineteenth century racism,” which means that Armand’s behavior toward the slaves was not normal because he was excessive in his cruelty towards them (222). When Desiree’s baby is about three months old, she realizes that his skin color is much like La Blanche’s little boy. Desiree asks Armand, “’What does it mean?’” and Armand says, “the child is not white; it means that you are not white” (Chopin 904). Desiree gets very upset with Armand because he is accusing her of not being white. Trying to convince him that she is in fact white, she says, “’Look at my hair, it is brown; and my eyes are gray, Armand, you know they are gray. And my skin is fair. Look at my hand; whiter than yours’” (Chopin 904). Attempting to convince her husband that she is white, Desiree tries to do everything in her power to make her husband believe her because being black would have changed her life. If she was black, she would not be accepted, …show more content…
In “The Lesson,” Miss Moore takes the children to FAO Schwartz, a toy store. Sylvia sees a woman wearing a fur coat and says, “White folks crazy,” showing the first sign of racism in this story (Bambara 925). Because it is summer, and the woman is wearing a fur coat Sylvia judges her and calls her crazy. Since she believes that white people have more money than her, she is prejudice towards them. When Miss Moore tells the children to go into the toy store, they are leery to enter. They feel like they do not belong in this store, and Sylvia says, “But I feel funny, shame” (Bambara 928). Because Sylvia and her friends are from the slums, they feel like they do not belong in this store because it is for rich, white people. This is another similarity for all three of the stories because Sylvia and her friends feel like they are not accepted, which is how Desiree and Mrs. Johnson felt as well. When the children enter the toy store, Sylvia says, “And people lookin at us,” which makes her feel like she does not belong in this store (Bambara 928). Even though Sylvia is a child, she knows that she is different than the people who normally shop here because she is not part of the upper class, and she does not belong in this kind of store. This is like Mama in “Everyday Use” that cannot look a white man in the eye