AGENDA:
1. Discussion questions. Post comment.
a. All the characters are products of their time and place, and
instances of racism in the book run from Pappy’s outright bigotry to
Laura’s more subtle prejudice. Would Laura have thought of herself as
racist, and if not, why not? How do the racial views of Laura, Jamie,
Henry, and Pappy affect your sympathy for them?
b. The novel deals with many thorny issues: racism, sexual politics,
infidelity, war. The characters weigh in on these issues, but what about
the author? Does she have a discernable perspective, and if so, how
does she convey it?
2.Video?
3. Work on short story
HMWK: Read Part II (to page 212) for Monday
a) Laura would have not thought herself a racist, as most racist do not know that they are racist. Also, she would've thought her treatment towards minorities was normal due to her never being taught differently growing up in the south. My sympathy only increases for characters who are less racial, as I am in the minority, and only appreciate those that appreciate me.
ReplyDeleteb) Personally, I believe the author focuses particularly in on racism a lot more over other controversial issues in the novel. She conveys it by bringing up racial slurs and terms, and describing and displaying the differences and the racial divide between opposing sides.
1. I don't think Laura would think of herself as a racist. She has lied in the south for her whole life, therefore any negativity towards African-Americans would be seen as the norm. For me, I would only give my sympathy towards those who wasn't as outright with their racist remarks.
ReplyDelete2. She does have a perspective but she mainly focuses on the racism in the Delta and she conveys this by using the language that the people in the Delta use to describe the African-Americans that live their. She also brings it up with the African-Americans. She uses this as a way to show the divide caused by racism.
a. All the characters are products of their time and place, and instances of racism in the book run from Pappy’s outright bigotry to Laura’s more subtle prejudice. Would Laura have thought of herself as racist, and if not, why not? How do the racial views of Laura, Jamie, Henry, and Pappy affect your sympathy for them?
ReplyDelete- I don't think Laura would feel that she is racist because she does work with black people, befriend black people and things of that sort, and so she would more than likely think that covers up for her still feeling a sort of superiority towards them. I have no sympathy for Pappy, Henry, or Laura for that matter because they blatantly feel a superiority to black people because they are white and that's not something you get sympathy, something you get disgust and hate for. For Jamie, I feel sympathy because he has found friendship in Ronsel because of their mutual experience in war, but because of the racist environment they are in, that friendship is looked at as alien or looked down upon sort of, and it causing a bit of disruption to the way of life that is present.
b. The novel deals with many thorny issues: racism, sexual politics, infidelity, war. The characters weigh in on these issues, but what about the author? Does she have a discernable perspective, and if so, how does she convey it?
- I feel the author would display her perspective through her characters because in her characters there are different and similar views, all of which could be correct, and as a writer I feel you have to be open minded to all perspectives on issues.
a) I don't think Laura would have thought of herself as a racist, she treated Florence with kindness when she came to help her daughters when they were sick. Pappy wanted her to sleep in the barn but Laura disagreed and let her sleep in the house. Laura also treated people of color normally since she had never been taught to hate them. My sympathy is only for those who are less racial (so I have no sympathy for Pappy)
ReplyDeleteb) I think the author focuses on war and racism the most, since many of her characters were soldiers in the war, and many are racist. She brings up many racial slurs and events, and has her soldier characters bring up their title a few times.
A) Laura would not have thought herself as a racist, but simply a woman who was playing her part; to do her job as a mother and walk in her husband's footsteps. the racial views is Laura's case, I feel sympathy for Laura because she isn't thinking for herself. The other characters, not so much.They not only as males but as people who are highly respected, they shouldn't feel right doing that to people who are deemed different. so I feel no sympathy for the white males in this story because they have the freedom that the other characters do not.
ReplyDeleteB) Actually, considering the author's age and her explicit experience only one can gain from dealing with racism and sexism first hand. she has a perspective to show that even in that time not all people of color took that or would swallow their tongue, even when they knew was at risk. she focuses on mostly racism and sexism, which has always been the top two issues, and everything that follows.
a) Laura would more than likely see herself as someone more racially tolerant than the rest of her family. She'd believe herself to be much less of a racist than Pappy. As for her husband, Henry, he's shown his prejudice and it lowers the sympathy I'd feel for him. However, Henry doesn't appear to be a flat-out racist.
ReplyDeleteb) I feel as if the author, if she's placing any of her own thoughts, she's hiding it very well. Letting every character speak their own views without much influence from her.
Laura would not have thought of herself as a racist, because it was a normal thing that most people around her growing up did. Personally I don't have sympathy for any of the characters, being that I don't connect with any of them. Racism is the main issue that the author weighs in on. She does touch on the other issues too, and her perspective comes out within the characters.
ReplyDeletea) Laura would not view herself as a racist because most people in that era did not see their treatment against blacks as prejudiced, but normal. They did not see any wrong. Pappy most likely did not think of himself as racist either. The racial views of Pappy makes me really dislike him, because his voice is just cold and heartless. He has no heart for African Americans, who are just as human as he is. Henry is okay. Laura makes him out to be a nice guy when it isn't about farming, and Henry manipulates black people to do more work on his farm to get money out of them. That is prejudiced, but I believe Henry isn't aware of his actions. Laura and Jamie are the least offensive, since they sympathize and even gets along with some African Americans while keeping their racial boundaries in tact (they do think well of them).
ReplyDeleteb) Laura brings up racism more than any other horrible issues. She uses the notion of racism is bad (obviously) since Laura's voice is very disdainful of Pappy, but the author never writes in his perspective since she doesn't want to garner any empathy for this man at all. He has no characterization but a blatant racist, and this is how she conveys her perspective in the story. Spend considerable time in Laura's, Florence's, Hap's, and Ronsel's perspective instead of be in the mind of Pappy.
1.Laura would not have thought that she was racist because I don't think racist people actually acknowledge that they're racist. Laura's prejudice is more subtle than Pappy's. Although they do not express it in the same way, they are both inherently racist.
ReplyDelete2. The author does weigh in on these issues; they wrote the voices and perspectives of the characters. The characters in the book have such strange perspectives on social issues, the author couldn't possibly be trying to voice their own views through the characters.
Laura would not thought of herself as racist, because while being labeled as racist back then didn't carry all of the negative stigma it does today, northerners still looked down on southern racists. Back then, racism was also a more extreme ideology and slight prejudice would not be considered racist as it is today. Lastly, people often like to think of themselves as unbiased despite their prejudices. The racial views of Laura, Pappy, and Henry cause me to have less sympathy for them the more racist they are because it's not an ideology I value and I also think its hypocritical when they complain about something and simultaneously are racist against black people who have it a lot worse than them.
ReplyDeleteThe author does have a discernible perspective regarding the issues she discusses. You can tell how the author feels about certain events and beliefs described in the book by her tone and how she describes their effects on characters, often engendering sympathy from the audience.
-Pahz
Laura would not view herself as racist because the behavior she was portraying was normal to people of that time. The only character who I don't have a bit of sympathy for is Pappy. The authors viewpoints aren't obvious because she lets her characters speak her thoughts instead of explicitly inserting them in the novel.
ReplyDeleteA) Laura wouldn't view herself as racist. At that period in time her behavior was normal and also her being a woman plays apart of how she acts. I have sympathy for her because at times when she wants to maybe say something she kind of gets shut down. Regardless she does once in a while say things to Pappy because he crosses the line a lot. Pappy is down right racist.I have no sympathy for him. He is so rude and hateful and he has no respect at all. Henry doesn't really seem racist I just don't think he every really stands up to Pappy when Pappy crosses the line with racial slurs. He kind of just lets things happen. Jamie doesn't seem racist. He's his own person unlike his brother. He doesn't seem to care what people think.
ReplyDeleteB)The author speaks through her characters so of course she has a discernible perspective. She uses different tones. You can see how things effect the characters.
1. Laura doesnt view herself as racist because she doesnt see what she does as racist, she's more subtle than pappy. They dont show it the same but they inherit the behavior. They dont see anything wrong with it because during that time its normal but pappy's treatment for African Americans is heartless.
ReplyDelete2. Regarding the issues she showed she let her characters speak and she hides it within them. How they feel i believe is something she feels but doesnt make it too obvious it just lives within the characters.
I think the lighter views of Jamie and Laura do help in making the much more likable. So when you read from their perspective you have a better time sympathizing with them. Henry isn't as bad a Pappy however they share a entitled point of view which makes him very irritating.
ReplyDelete2 While writing my story with similar type of characters I understand now the struggle Jordan must have gone through. I understand her attempt to imitate real life.