1. Laymon includes a Jewish boy named Evan, in which both City and Shalaya believe he is white despite his frequent refusals. What is Laymon trying to convey through this passage? “’We ain’t white like you. You can be Jewish and white or you can just be Jewish or you can just be white. Either way, you said it yourself. You gotta not act right to get killed. What do we have to do?’” (Laymon 139). Historically, Jews have suffered a decent amount of violence, discrimination, and segregation due to the Holocaust and subsequent discrimination as Evan mentions. However, Laymon, through the inclusion of this passage highlights that the Jewish people such as Evan have a privilege that African Americans do not. Throughout the quote, the use of the
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When 1980s City goes back in time to 1960s he encounters a sign that says “’WHITES ONLY – KEY IN FRONT.’ Scratched under the word “front” was the sentence ‘Nigger-loving Jews ain’t wanted here. The second door… said “COLORED” (Laymon 142). This draw parallels to Pot Belly telling MyMy “You best don’t grow to be no nigger-lover” (Laymon 95). Is Laymon conveying the people who associate with black people receive the same amount of discrimination and why are white people who associate with black people negatively seen? As displayed in the first quotation the sentence about the Jews is written underneath the sign for “WHITES ONLY”, whereas black people and other marginalized groups receive their separate bathroom. The sentence “Nigger-loving Jews” only bars “Nigger-loving Jews” from using the whites only bathroom. This is not a physical characteristic as one is not able to discern from other Jews which one is a so-called “nigger-lover”. Furthermore, the sentence’s main purpose below the sign is to be a threat towards people who associate with black people, that they will potentially experience what black people do. The sign is not meant to explicitly exclude “Nigger-loving Jews” from the bathroom, although it is probably preferable that they don’t use it. In the case of MyMy being warned not to become a “nigger-lover” reflects that she is almost disgracing her white race by associating with 2013 City. By Pot Belly saying, “you best don’t grow” conveys that she is still young and has time to change her ways before she almost permanently becomes a “nigger lover”. Racist people hate black people, which is why they don’t appreciate it when members of their race associate themselves with them, however, they can’t lead themselves to hate these white people. Instead they can warn against their actions but will not treat them exactly like black people. Therefore, by associating with black people, this enables white people like MyMy and white Jewish people to be treated
When 1980s City goes back in time to 1960s he encounters a sign that says “’WHITES ONLY – KEY IN FRONT.’ Scratched under the word “front” was the sentence ‘Nigger-loving Jews ain’t wanted here. The second door… said “COLORED” (Laymon 142). This draw parallels to Pot Belly telling MyMy “You best don’t grow to be no nigger-lover” (Laymon 95). Is Laymon conveying the people who associate with black people receive the same amount of discrimination and why are white people who associate with black people negatively seen? As displayed in the first quotation the sentence about the Jews is written underneath the sign for “WHITES ONLY”, whereas black people and other marginalized groups receive their separate bathroom. The sentence “Nigger-loving Jews” only bars “Nigger-loving Jews” from using the whites only bathroom. This is not a physical characteristic as one is not able to discern from other Jews which one is a so-called “nigger-lover”. Furthermore, the sentence’s main purpose below the sign is to be a threat towards people who associate with black people, that they will potentially experience what black people do. The sign is not meant to explicitly exclude “Nigger-loving Jews” from the bathroom, although it is probably preferable that they don’t use it. In the case of MyMy being warned not to become a “nigger-lover” reflects that she is almost disgracing her white race by associating with 2013 City. By Pot Belly saying, “you best don’t grow” conveys that she is still young and has time to change her ways before she almost permanently becomes a “nigger lover”. Racist people hate black people, which is why they don’t appreciate it when members of their race associate themselves with them, however, they can’t lead themselves to hate these white people. Instead they can warn against their actions but will not treat them exactly like black people. Therefore, by associating with black people, this enables white people like MyMy and white Jewish people to be treated