Prejudice And Acceptance In Speech Sounds By Dwight Okita

Superior Essays
How do you see yourself? Are you fat or skinny? Are you pale or tan? How are your eyes shaped? What is your heritage? How often do you judge yourself or are you happy with yourself? As every person looks in the mirror to make observations of themselves and carries their own thoughts and beliefs onto others, prejudice or acceptance is the result. In three selected short stories: Speech Sounds by Octavia Butler, Hands by Sherwood Anderson, and In Response to Executive Order 9066 All Americans of Japanese Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers by Dwight Okita relay important messages that prejudice knows no boundaries, has not changed, and acceptance occurs in both those who judge and are being judged. Prejudice beliefs and actions have been …show more content…
As she accepted Obsidian’s offer to join him, she further places judgement on him when she realizes he could read and write stating, “She felt sick to her stomach with hatred, frustration, and jealousy.” (Butler 413). Later in the story, Rye encounters a woman, man, and two children. Seeing the woman and observing her movement Rye makes an observation stating, “she would be more likely to cut her own hand than to hurt anyone else with the glass.” (Butler 415). As the story develops, the woman dies from her wounds inflicted by the man that was following her, leaving two small children behind, and Rye the only one surviving. Rye believed the plague has affected everyone, so yet again she passes judgment on the two small children stating, “She did not need a stranger’s children who would grow to be hairless chimps.” (Butler 416). Prejudice beliefs in Hands is based on the actions one man takes, leading him to a life of seclusion and shame. Wing Biddlebaum, or Adolf Myers as he used to be, was the victim of prejudice actions and beliefs. He was a school teacher who used his hands as a main vehicle of communication with his students; “They became his …show more content…
Irene Blair writes “Research conducted over the past 15 years, however, has suggested that such efficiency goes beyond the perceiver’s cognitive laziness or strategic attempts to manage a complex environment.” (242). This means that more and more people are using the convenience of stereotyping to achieve an understanding of any one human being. This leads to a huge problem in human interaction because beliefs of one person are based solely on the way that person looks versus who that person truly is. In Speech Sounds Rye used great caution based on appearance, much like modern day American citizens do. Ironically, current citizens use he exact same observation and caution with those dressed in uniform. With police brutality at an all time high (or more noticeable and evident thanks to camera phones and social media), authority figures are seen as threatening. Homosexuality has also been at the forefront of prejudice and discrimination. An article written by Harvey Fierstein in The New York Times states, “Hate speak against homosexuals is as commonplace as spam. It’s daily traffic for those who profess themselves as regular Joes, men of God, public servants who live off my tax dollars, as well as any number of celebrities.” (Prejudices). WILL BE ADDING MORE SUPPORT AND INFO

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