- Read the Essay 1 assignment (see link above under âStudent Workâ Ă âEssaysâ).
- Finish reading the first two reading assignments (#1 and #2, by Gloria Naylor and Ta Nehisi Coates, in âReadingsâ).
- Respond by Friday evening to the following two prompts. Share your response as a comment below (see âOpenLab Bibleâ under âCourse Infoâ for instructions on how to comment).I. On reading Naylor. This is a narrative-based essay, like the one youâll be producing for Essay 1. Let it be an inspiration to you all. Write a response to it, considering some (if not all) of the following questions. Please write your response in paragraph form; please do NOT simply answer the questions in order. Itâs better for you to follow your own train of thought than to try to answer my questions as though they were a test (they are NOT a test).
II. On definition in Coates. Whenever one declares what something IS, one is making a definition. In essay 1, you will (somewhere but not everywhere in the essay) formulate and argue for your own definition of what âeducationâ is.
Weâre looking at Ta Nehisi-Coates text for inspiration regarding how definition can be used. In Ta Nehisi-Coatesâ Between the World and Me he forms a powerful definition to frame the story he tells his son about living as a black man in America in the 2010s. He writes: ârace is the child of racism, not the father.â As you may have gleaned, this is no ordinary dictionary definition of race; this is one of the ways Coates wants to define race. I want you to do two things with this:
A) Unpack the implications of Coatesâ definition of race. Why does he think this? What impact does it have on how you think about race? How is it related to current events that you are aware of? Again, begin with 1 or more of these questions and see where it takes you. Donât feel obligated to answer all of them in a row.
B) Write your own definition of âraceâ or âeducationââup to you. Explain why youâve defined the term as you have.
1. Why does Naylor think the written language is inferior to spoken
language?
A word can have a variety of meaning in the written language, a word can have a âhistoryâ, a word can mean any other thing depending on their past lives. Keeping this in mind, mostly everyone had a different experience with the meaning of a word and considering whether or not its bad. Naylor made a comparison towards the spoken language and written language with the chicken and egg dispute. âWords themselves are innocuous; it is the consensus that gives them true power.â
2. How does she use the word nigger to support her assertion?
When Naylor explained her first time hearing the word âniggerâ, she did not state the fact whether or not if the boy who called her a âniggerâ was black nor white, only âa boy.â This small detail can have a huge impact when the word is used. If the boy was a white boy then the audience can have an idea on what the boy meant due to history with slavery. But if the word was used by a black boy we can assume not only its meaning was changed entirely but the approach. Nowadays with black history, the word â niggerâ developed overtime with âaâ in its ending rather than the âerâ or âhard râ as a term of greet towards black people.
3. What does Naylor assume about the racial identity of most of her
readers?
Judging by the year her most famous novels were published around the 1980s, she wanted all people of color to understand her work on black lives and to understand the struggle, pain and hardship black individuals had to endure for their entire lives because of the color of their skin they were born with. Naylor may have believed that her novels will reach out to those of an ignorant mind and make them see we are all in one.
âBetween the world and meâ Assignment
To begin with, I believe the word education can mean someone who is unique and wise with their own studyâs, someone who is not only in power with knowledge but someone who cares about society and maybe one day with the rest of humanity unites for a better tomorrow. From every teacher I ever had, they all wanted us students to succeed in life and to have a positive impact for a better future, for America and for generations far our time.
Race as people know means humans of different color from around the world but to me the word means weâre all the same. Everyone on this planet bleed the same blood no matter what color we are. Since a toddler I grew up with these beliefs and want everyone to treat each other the same, we are all one.
Eufemio,
Your responses to Naylor’s text are much appreciated. Your thoughts are strong enough to stand on their own, without necessarily responding to me questions. See if you can formulate your response without using my questions to separate out different sections.
My only other question for you concerns Naylor’s imagined audience: do you think she’s writing primarily for people of color? It could be, but would she feel the need to explain the different meanings of this term to (black) people from her own community? I wonder about this…
Lastly, please have another look (and think) about Coates textâand in particular his claim about race being “the child of racism” rather than the parent. I think there’s more to say there when you have the time.
When someone is speaking, the audience gets a better understanding of the story since the speaker is using tone and expression. It is different when you are reading something because the reader is unaware of how the sentence is being presented. It is difficult to express the same feelings using the same words in written language because it can be viewed or taken several different ways. Naylor believes written language is inferior to spoken language. The word was in her presence before but she never really “heard” someone say the word “nigger” until a little boy shouted it once he realized that he received a lower test score. The tone of his voice made her feel that it was disrespectful and that he should not have called her that. Naylor possibly read the word before and could have interpreted it different way but after she actually “heard” it, she fully understand that the little boys intentions were to offend her. Naylor wanted to make sure her interpretation of the word was correct so she confirmed the meaning of it with her mom. According to the reading, it states “when used with a possessive adjective by a woman-“my nigger”- it became a term of endearment for her husband or boyfriend”. In the world we live in today with black history, “nigger” is a term to greet other black people. If the boy was white, the audience would have a clear understanding of what the boy meant since black people were not treated nicely when enslavement took place in history. Naylor’s intentions are to make the reader understand her personal experience. She wanted all readers to understand the struggle that black individuals had to deal with just because people believed that the color of your skin matters when it obviously has nothing to do with what the person that you are inside. Naylor wishes to touch the souls of those who did not understand the hardships that black people faced. She passionately wrote about her experiences so that the reader can almost feel what she felt. Naylor assumes that the racial identity of most of her readers is black since they could relate to what she was feeling and not feel alone. Naylor assumes her readers know that using the word “nigger” could be offensive regardless if the reader is white or black. Naylor’s main objective is to teach her readers by sharing her personal experience.
“Between the World and Me”
No matter what skin color you are, each and every one of us is human and the color of your skin doesn’t define you. Ta Nehisi-Coates states “race is the child of racism, not the father’. In other words, he is saying that the idea of discrimination came after the separations by physical attributes were made. Coates believes that there is not an official definition for race because it just doesn’t exist. It is a whole idea that was built by racists because they feel that they are superior to other races. I agree with his quote. It makes me wonder why the idea would even cross someone’s mind to shame a person for their race. This relates to current events that i have been noticing recently. For example, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer and there were numerous articles and protests saying that if the man was white, the officer would not have killed him. George Floyd didn’t deserve to go through the torture the cop put him through. Unfortunately, people are still racist as i explained above. Ignorant people will always find a way to one up someone which in my opinion is pathetic.
Race is the idea that the human species is divided into separate groups based on inherited physical and behavioral differences. I personally have a completely different view on the above definition. I believe that skin color shouldnât be divided into different groups because we are the human species and everyone is unique in their own ways which is beautiful. I hope that one day, everyone else could have the same mindset because it would be great if every individual could walk around with confidence knowing that they don’t feel inferior.
Great response to Naylor, Alexandria. A couple questions for you to consider if you revise this:
–You are right that it is harder to convey tone in writing than in speech. Naylor knows this. Tell us then, how does she try to use descriptive language to get us to “hear” the tone the little boy uses?
–I agree with you that Naylor is aware that many readers may take offense to the term “nigger”; but is Naylor’s point to have us leave her essay feeling that the word “nigger” is offensive? What do you think?
–Your explication of and response to Coates are both excellent. If we follow his logic, though, in thinking that race is a fiction produced by racism, can we manage to imagine a world in which this “fiction” no longer exists? In other words, do you think it’s possible to imagine a world in which we don’t see people as belonging to different “races”âand if so, how?
Written language is inferior to spoken language in light of the fact that written language and spoken language are totally different from each other. Itâs harder to understand the written language because people may get the wrong idea of the context since thereâs no physical expression or tone. No matter how much you describe a situation in a written language, thereâs a higher chance of people getting the wrong idea and not understanding what the author is saying. On the other hand, if you describe the same situation in a spoken language people will understand your point of view better. When you are speaking to someone thereâs a tone of the voice and expression that the audience can use to comprehend what the person is saying. For instance, when you are speaking to someone the majority of the people use hand gestures while speaking.
When the boy called Naylor the term âniggerâ, she was surprised even tho she saw that word before. At first, she didnât know how to take it because she never heard anyone say that word out loud. Since she only saw the word âniggerâ written, she didnât know it was a disrespectful word to use or didnât know the meaning of it. After she heard the boy call her that in a loud and rude tone she realized what he meant. Naylor wants all people of color to understand the meaning of her novel. She wants everyone to understand the struggles she faced growing up as a black woman. Naylor knows that not many people will understand her pain but she wants to express her feelings and give knowledge to her readers.
“Between the World and Me”
According to google education means âthe process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university.â People have different meanings of education. For some people, education means being stuck in school for six hours, and for others, it means living life and learning things from your experience. For me, education is teaching myself things I need to know that will help me in the future and life. I view life as an education. Education is not âwhatâs y=mx+bâ, itâs about learning useful knowledge that you need in order to live a good life.
âBut race is the child of racism, not the fatherâ means that people are racist against other peopleâs race because they think they look better than the others. Society created racism and from there it spread all around the world. It doesn’t matter what color you are, at the end of the day we are all the same. Coates is trying to teach his son that there are people who will be racist but you canât let that get to you.
Be proud of who you are and your race. Donât let people bring you down because at the end of the day they are irrelevant. They are just hating because people these days donât know how to share the love. Your family is the only people that will treat you normally with love and care but soon as you step into the world, people start judging you. But you have to learn to not care. All people want to do is now compete. It doesnât matter how you look, where you live, what you do, how much money you have, the only thing that matters is how you treat other people because at the end of the day we are all humans.
Mehreen, thank you for your thoughts. Here’s a few of my own you can use to revise this, should you choose to:
–Although it’s not quite what Naylor is saying, I’m very interested in your view that verbal language is superior to written languageâparticularly your point about gesture. Certainly gestureâor, more specifically, physical gesticulationâis necessarily absent from language written on the page. But A) does that make it the same as verbal language (speech) or is it a supplement to speech that you can use when you’re present with someone in the same room (or Zoom meeting ;)… and B) are there not ways that a writer can make up for the fact that they’re usually not in the same room (or Zoom meeting) as their reader? In particular, I think Naylor does this; she manages to get us to imagine the tone and gesture of the little boy who calls her a “nigger”; tell us more about how she does this; it is magical.
–Careful: prior to the event at school, Naylor has primarily “heard” the word “nigger”âshe doesn’t suggest she has seen it written.
–Glad your definition of education involves teaching yourself; I think that this is ultimately how education works best: when a learner teaches themselves (with or without the support of a “teacher” or someone else…)
–Can you explain this part more: âBut race is the child of racism, not the fatherâ means that people are racist against other peopleâs race because they think they look better than the others.
—How does the quote suggest this to you? Does it suggest anything else?
At the point when somebody is talking, the crowd shows signs of improvement comprehension of the story since the speaker is utilizing tone and articulation. It is distinctive when you are pursuing something on the grounds that the peruser is unconscious of how the sentence is being introduced. It is hard to communicate similar sentiments utilizing similar words in composed language since it tends to be seen or taken a few distinct ways. Naylor accepts composed language is sub-par compared to communicated in language. The word was in her essence previously however she never truly “heard” somebody state “nigger” until a young man yelled it once he understood that he got a lower test score. The tone of his voice caused her to feel that it was insolent and that he ought not have called her that. Naylor perhaps read the word previously and could have deciphered its distinctive path however after she really “heard” it, she completely comprehends that the young men aims were to irritate her. Naylor needed to ensure her understanding of the word was right so she affirmed the significance of it with her mother. As indicated by the perusing, it states “when utilized with a possessive descriptive word by a lady “my nigger”- it turned into an affectionate nickname for her better half or beau”. On the planet we live in today with dark history, “nigger” is a term to welcome other individuals of color. In the event that the kid was white, the crowd would have an away from what the kid implied since individuals of color were not treated pleasantly when subjugation occurred ever. Naylor will likely cause the peruser to comprehend her own understanding. She needed all pursuers to comprehend the battle that dark people needed to manage on the grounds that individuals accepted that the shade of your skin matters when it clearly has nothing to do with what the individual that you are inside. Naylor wishes to contact the spirits of the individuals who didn’t comprehend the difficulties that individuals of color confronted. She energetically expounded on her encounters so the peruser can nearly feel what she felt. Naylor accepted that the racial personality of the greater part of her pursuers is dark since they could identify with what she was feeling and not feel alone. Naylor accept her perusers realize that utilizing “nigger” could be hostile in any case if the peruser is white or dark. Naylor’s fundamental goal is to show her pursuers by sharing her own understanding.
In any case, I accept the word instruction can mean somebody who is special and savvy with their own study’s, somebody who isn’t just in power with information however somebody who thinks about society and perhaps one day with the remainder of humankind joins for a superior tomorrow. From each educator I at any point had, they all needed us understudies to prevail throughout everyday life and to have a positive effect for a superior future, for America and for ages far our time.
âBut race is the child of racism, not the fatherâ implies that individuals are supremacist against others’ race since they think they look superior to the others. Society made bigotry and from that point it spread all around the globe. It doesn’t make a difference what shading you are, toward the day’s end we are in no way different. Coates is attempting to show his child that there are individuals who will be supremacist yet you can’t let that get to you. Be glad for what your identity is and your race. Try not to let individuals cut you down on the grounds that by the day’s end they are unessential. They are simply despising since individuals these days don’t have the foggiest idea how to share the affection. Your family is the main individual that will treat you ordinarily with adoration and care yet soon as you step into the world, individuals begin making a decision about you. In any case, you need to figure out how to not give it a second thought. All individuals need to do is currently contend. It doesn’t make a difference what you look like, where you live, what you do, how much cash you have, the main thing that issues is the way you treat others on the grounds that toward the day’s end we are altogether people.
Lubna, thank you for your generous and interesting thoughts. Here are some of my own to spur revision, should you pursue that with this response:
–Throughout your comment, you use the terms “peruser” and “pursuer” in ways I’m both interested in and unfamiliar with. What do you mean when you use these terms? Perhaps there are other words we might think of that can more accurately capture what you’re trying to say.
âAlthough itâs not quite what Naylor is saying, Iâm very interested in your view that verbal language is superior to written languageâparticularly your point about gesture. Certainly gestureâor, more specifically, physical gesticulationâis necessarily absent from language written on the page. But A) does that make it the same as verbal language (speech) or is it a supplement to speech that you can use when youâre present with someone in the same room (or Zoom meeting ;)⊠and B) are there not ways that a writer can make up for the fact that theyâre usually not in the same room (or Zoom meeting) as their reader? In particular, I think Naylor does this; she manages to get us to imagine the tone and gesture of the little boy who calls her a âniggerâ; tell us more about how she does this; it is magical.
âCareful: prior to the event at school, Naylor has primarily âheardâ the word âniggerââshe doesnât suggest she has seen it written.
–Your thought on instruction as involving not only having knowledge and information but being able to think is quite powerful. The distinction between knowledge and thinking seems very important to continue reflecting on–as is your thought that instructors often depend on their students. More to say there?
âCan you explain this part more: âBut race is the child of racism, not the fatherâ means that people are racist against other peopleâs race because they think they look better than the others.
âHow does the quote suggest this to you? Does it suggest anything else?
Purpose Q1:
I believe that Naylor thinks the written word to be inferior to the spoken due to the written wordâs lack of real life emphasis. As she writes, âIn spite of this, I consider the written word inferior to the spoken, and much of the frustration experienced by novelists is the awareness that whatever we manage to capture in even the most transcendent passages falls far short of the richness of life. Dialogue achieves its power in the dynamics of a fleeting moment of sight, sound, smell, and touchâ (Naylor, 85). In this quote, she expresses her belief in the spoken word having the advantage over the written because of the formerâs stronger contact with the physical world. With the spoken word, we usually see who is speaking, what they look like, how they speak, and all these are factors that determine how audiences respond to what is being spoken. In history, there is a reason that great leaders have given speeches to their people, and it is because the spoken word has a voice attached to it, and when the ârightâ voice is heard, people respond. The great leaders of history could have easily written their speeches and have them be spread among their ranks, but the reason they stand on the podium and speak is because the spoken word has a face, and people are likelier to respond to faces; faces that represent an ideal or faces they share a goal with. Even in my own experience, the spoken word has had a more profound effect than the written. Being a leader of my high schoolâs theater club, I had to talk to my crew and direct them on what to do for the production, how to do those tasks, and how to maintain their safety. On opening nights and before performances, I talked to the cast and reminded them of how hard we all worked to pull off the performance. It wasnât anything that would start a movement, but the reason I did it anyway is because I knew that my people needed to hear an affirmation of our work, that what we were meant to do this, that our work was important, and we should go out there and wow the audience. I could have easily sent a text to everyone from the comfort of my booth, and have saved time instead of having to gather everyone. But I didnât. Because I see the evidence of the spoken word having more effect than the written when I hear the triumphant yells of my crew and cast after I tell them to go out on the stage and act their hearts out, and their yells are more reassuring than the signs that say âDo a good job!â.
Strategy Q1:
Naylor illustrates the difference between the way the white community and the black community uses the word âniggerâ by describing the numerous way her black family uses the word both positively and negatively versus how the white community uses the word solely in a negative light. To support her claim of her family using âniggerâ as a positive, Naylor writes âIn the singular, the word was always applied to a man who had distinguished himself in some situation that brought their approval for his strength, intelligence, or drive:
âDid Johnny really do that!â
âI’m telling you, that nigger pulled in $6,000 of overtime last year. Said he got enough for a down payment on a house.â
When used with a possessive adjective by a woman – âmy niggerâ – it became a term of endearment for her husband or boyfriend. But it could be more than just a term applied for a man. In their mouths it became the pure essence of manhood – a disembodied force that channeled their past
history of struggle and present survival against the odds into a victorious statement of being: âYeah, that old foreman found out quick enough – you don’t mess with a niggerâ (Naylor, 87). These behaviors that are detailed by Naylor show that the elders of her black family have found a way to render the word âniggerâ as âimpotentâ – using the word in such a way that its history of shaming and degrading black people is simply that: history that no longer holds meaning in their present.
Although Naylorâs family had their own way of bringing a new and more positive meaning to the word âniggerâ, Naylor recounts her same family using the word as an insult. In the next paragraph, she recounts: âIn the plural, it became a description of some group within the community that had overstepped the bounds of decency as my family defined it. Parents who neglected their children, a drunken couple who fought in public, people who simply refused to look for work, those with excessively dirty mouths or unkempt households were all “trifling niggers.” This particular circle could forgive hard times, unemployment, the occasional bout of depression – they had gone through all of that themselves – but the unforgivable sin was a lack of self-respect.â (Naylor, 87). This account of Naylorâs family using âniggerâ as an insult to those who do not respect themselves and those who donât push themselves to be better represents an example of words having no worth until a definition makes it either good or bad; because on one hand, Naylorâs family uses âniggerâ for both black people who succeed in life, and for those who âlack self respectâ, and the meaning of it depends solely on the person who says it.
Between the World and Me
When Coates writes ârace is the child of racism, not the fatherâ, I think he is trying to say that the idea of âraceâ stems from certain individual groups classifying themselves to be better, or different, than other groups of people, when the fact of the matter is that we are all the same, and the illusion of separation (which would be a decent explanation behind the idea of racism) is the catalyst for people thinking that there is indeed separation. If there were no illusion of separation, there wouldnât be a need for the ideas of race and being different simply because people come from different places. When you reverse the statement and say that race is the father of racism, it implies that we are all different and that our differences are reasons to think we are somehow above our fellow man, when in reality, we are not so different.
Education for me is a process of structured learning that is accompanied by an institution who supplies the teacher, a set range of topics taught in a progressive order, and the requirement of either money or having a quality to yourself that makes you appealing to institutions. Taking my answer at face value, it seems kind of weird, but thatâs because most people closely associate the word âlearningâ with âeducationâ that the words almost have no distinction. To me, âlearningâ and âeducationâ are not one and the same. Although education IS a form of learning, education is NOT the only form of learning. Yes, most of the things that you will remember and associate with learning are your lessons in class and the time you spent in school, but what you learn there isnât necessarily everything you need to be set up for life. Some things are just simply meant to be learned outside the classroom, such as learning how to build and maintain a professional or social circle, how to navigate the world of responsibility that being an adult brings, and how to set yourself up for a rewarding life. All of these are what I call âunstructured learningâ, because unlike the rigid learning structure in the classroom, these lessons arenât taught by one teacher, nor does the learning happen in school. Instead, it happens out there in the real world where life can be unpredictable and at times, mean and unforgiving. It happens in random order, and your process of learning these dictates how you deal with life.
Thank you, Dom–this is one of the finest close readings of Naylor’s text that I’ve read. The way you walk us through both the positive and negative valences of the “n-word” as it is used within Naylor’s familyâand then compare this to the relatively limited, primarily negative connotation of the term when used by white peopleâis fabulous. I wonder, though: has the meaning of the term when used by non-blacks changed at all? It seems possible (I’m not sure, but possible…) that the word is sometimes (rarely) used by non-black people (Latinx people, other POC, maybe even a stray white person who has grown up in a black community) in ways that aren’t offensive or mean. What do you think?
Also, to your point (and Naylor’s) that a word’s meaning depends on who says it (or, to go back to the first part of your comment, WRITES it): is this always the case? It seems often to be the case that the listener or the reader plays a role in shaping a word’s meaning as well. Thoughts?
You nailed the prompt on Coates. Do you think, though, that it’s possible to imagine relating to each other without regard for race? Can we somehow not see each other racially? If so, how?
Your distinction between “learning” and “education” is great. However, I do hope that education (which, for you, seems to connote “structured learning”) can also involve a bit of the other–perhaps more valuable–kind of learning. đ
I think that only white peopleâs usage of the n-word has ever had a predominantly negative connotation to it. When people of other cultures or ethnicities say the n-word, itâs almost never with a hard -er, rather it has the -a suffix, and itâs never intended to be racially hurtful/demeaning. (Although, it kind of doesnât matter, since the n-word is, was, and I think always will be the n-word). I have personally used the n-word with the -a suffix back when I first came to the States, under the impression that it was a term of respect or just a slang term that referred to other guys. Even after learning the history of the n-word with a hard -er, I still thought that the distinction changed the meaning of the word, as my group who had a black guy was fine with the others saying it, and he knew that he and the others meant the n-word with the -a suffix as a term synonymous with âguysâ, or a group of people who you were referring to, usually with casualness or a sense of respect. Growing up and learning how to navigate social etiquette and cues, I learned that even though my black friend was fine with itâs usage, the n-word with the -a suffixâs connotations werenât universal, as other black people think of the n-word with a hard -er or -a suffix to be still one and the same. After learning that, I since then decided to stop my usage of the word altogether, and be more of a respectful person who minded social cues like that.
As for a listener or readerâs role in interpreting or shaping a word, I think that the original version of the word will almost always be the intended meaning. Of course, anyone is available to shift it for their own purposes, but sometimes a word will always mean itâs original meaning. Case in point: despite my black friendâs nonchalance about our friend groupâs usage of the n-word with the -a suffix, other black people have made it known that they feel like the -er/-a distinction doesnât exist, and that the n-word is racist in any shape, way or form when used by non-blacks.
I think it IS possible for people to relate to each other regardless of race. Coming out of high school, almost all of my male friends and acquaintances were of varying ethnicities and nationalities, but we never cared about those simply because that never played a role as to who our friends could and couldnât be. As long as we could joke around in class or sometimes detention, do dumb stuff in the hallways and cut class (from time to time) together, race didnât matter in a friendship; rather it was the good times and âfuckeryâ that happened in it. (As for my female friends, I never had more than a handful, Iâm not too good with navigating friendships with girls. Maybe thatâs something Iâll be working on throughout college⊠weâll see).
What do you mean when you say that you hope that âeducationâ can involve other, and âperhaps more valuableâ kinds of learning? Iâm kind of confused as to what the âmore valuableâ kinds of learning are or could be.
Gloria Naylor uses language as a subject for being the reason why racial slurs are so justified in our society. When Naylor first heard the word “nigger” it was used on her out of hate and jealous. She also emphasizes the reactions that the people around her had when she told them what a little kid said to her. This experience that Naylor had is an example of how society has been shaped to normalize or use racial slurs as a form of hate when they are jealous. When racial slurs were used back in the day as a form of hate towards people of color. But now the “er” in nigger has been changed to an “a” and the word “nigga is now used as an everyday word between people of color. Race and gender has also played a huge role in the use of these racial slurs, Naylor states that women were not called “niggers” and that only black males could be called that . Therefore form a very early time in history people have normalized racial slurs into American language.
Tanehisi Coates’ definition of race is that race is made up of racism and that if there was no racism then race wouldn’t mean as much as it does today. Also if there wasn’t any race today then the world would be completely different because right now different races have different stereotypes that put people into random groups even if they don’t belong in any group. For example, in general, people of color are mainly views as low income, violent, untrustworthy. But on the other hand white people are usually viewed in the category of wealth and glamour. When in reality people of color are equal as them, but just have different circumstances and opportunities.
Francisco, thank you for your response. Here’s some comments and questions to help you take it further!
–good point about the shift from “er” to “a” in the evolution of the “n-word.” I’m confused by what you’re saying about Naylor’s purpose here, though. Can you clarify how you see Naylor as trying to explain how “racial slurs are so justified in our society”? Is this related to how she understands the meanings of the “n-word” as different within the black community than when it’s used by whites? WIth that in mind, what would you say the significance of her not including the race of the little boy who calls her the “n-word” is? Why does she not want to tell us whether he is white, black, or another race?
–Good explanation of Coates’ work on race. In Part II of your comment, can you also include your own definition of a term like “race” or “education” or something else?
In the text “Between The World And Me” by Ta Neishi-Coates, he gives various definitions of the word race. He explains how the word race have been changed over time as history has changed. I believe one of Ta Neishis’s ideas of race is that race is just like your body, it doesn’t necessarily mean the color of your skin but instead race is like a body. It could be stripped or abused by many things such as racism, politics, society etc. Race is like innocence and can be disrupted by your surroundings, and different people. I believe Ta Neishis’s theory can be somewhat true, but the color of your skin, and your culture could also be the definition of race. In Ta Neishis’s text he mentions deaths that was caused by police brutality which can also be a sense of racism. He mentions the death of Eric Graner, who was choked to death, and many more black individuals that were put to rest too soon. In today’s society we still go through the same issue of black death such as George Floyd, a 46 year old black man killed in Minneapolis while being detained. The police officers Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyds neck while pinned to the ground resulting in his death. George floyds death is not even the only black who was taken too early by racist police.
When it comes to the definition of race they’re many theories and interpretations. On the internet the term race is defined as a term used to categorize individuals by their skin color, characteristics, and society. To me race is just a term to divide individuals. Because of the word race there will always be people who would have different opinions on a certain type of race due to stereotypes and miscommunication of their culture, most of these opinions are negative. For example some white people believe every black individual is up to no good just because of the way we dress, but in reality it is just the style in the black community.
Thank you for your response, Kamille. Some thoughts for revision, should you choose to do so:
–Good work with Coates. This line, in particular, is beautiful: “Race is like innocence and can be disrupted by your surroundings, and different people.” Can you unpack this more, though? How else is “race like innocence”?
–I appreciate your thought that “race is just a term used to divide people.” This is definitely true; however, someone might say that race is also an idea that people use to connect and identify with each other. How would you respond? Also, can you imagine a worldâor a way of seeing other peopleâwithout race being involved? If so, how?
–Please respond to Naylor’s text as well. Thanks.
In Naylorâs text she explains how she believes that written language is inferior to spoken language because written language can be interpreted in many ways. A simple passage can have a different meaning for each reader who is reading the same exact article, while spoken language can only be interpreted by the tone that the sentence or story is being told, or the conversation that had taken place beforehand. In the text, Naylor explained how the first time she came in physical contact with the word âNiggerâ it was used in way of disrespect based on the tone and action the little boy during the altercation. For example, when Naylor handed the paper back to the boy he snatched it, which indicated the anger the boy had when he did say the word, and further knew the word was not used in a good way based on her teacher’s reaction to hearing that she was called that word by another classmate. Based on Naylorâs tone in the story I believe the author believes that most of her readers are black or african american and both white people based of the way she explains her family and the people around her, also how she explains the different way the word âNiggerâ is used around that time in the black community. I believe her inetentions were to help readers understand the different point of views of a black indiviual being called a âniggerâ. I believe the author assumes that us as the readers think that the word âNiggerâ is always used in a bad way and is the reason why she begins to further explains the meaning of the word, and it is used in different cases. In the text the author explains how in the world she lived in at the time the word was used to be a sign of disrespect in the whit community, but in the black community the word is used in a variety of different ways.
A WordJs Meaning Can Often
Depend on Who Says It
As a reader I feel that Naylor shows her point of view profoundly in her essay. She to originate awareness on how the meaning of words can take different shapes looking on how or by whom and when those words are used. An example of how one word can tackle a replacement meaning. The actual fact that an individual never notices a word they have heard countless times before but until itâs used out of context and causes undue harm is given by Naylor. She states, âthere must are dozens of times that the word âniggerâ was spoken prior me before I reached the third grade, but I didnât âhearâ it until it had been said by alittle pair of lips that had already learned it’s going to be how to humiliate meâ (Naylor, 111). Naylor creates a conversational atmosphere where she puts her ideas together nicely. Naylorâs personal experience is her evidence. My reason behind my observation is, due to the actual fact, that Naylor draws her readers into her writing by making it easily understandable. Through Naylorâs written experience what it’d be to âhearâ a word for the first time, to ultimately realize they have heard the word repeatedly before utilized during a unique way or from different circumstances. Naylor wants the readers to understand how deeply she was affected by a young Caucasian boy spitting on her and calling her a âniggerâ, but more so how she never thought about the meanings of the word âniggerâ until the very moment it was used in a hurtful manner directed towards her. After that she shows us that as a young girl experiencing a new meaning of a word, in which she already knew but never completely understood it in a racial context. Naylorâs tone is not one of superiority or that of subordinate. It is as if she is having an open conversation with her friends and family. That is a powerful statement for Naylor because she achieves the intended effect she was striving for in a subtle manner.
Between the World and Me, Samori must be responsible for his body because Coates tells him that heâs a black boy and he is named after Samori Toure who was an African resistance fighter who led armies against french colonizers which represented the struggle black bodies still endured. Coates reminded him that the dream and the country that supported it were built on the backs of slaves. As a black teenager, Samori has been forced to understand early on that America is a hostile environment for black people. Although he did not personally witness the killings. Coates mentions, the evidence of racism in these cases is unavoidable, such that black children cannot be kept in a state of âinnocentâ obliviousness in the same way as white children. Coatesâ focus on the body conveys the idea of embodied knowledge, meaning a way of understanding the world through oneâs physical experiences and senses. He knows his son has grown up differently than he did and their experiences of being black are different, but the stark reality remains that inhabiting a black body in America is fraught with peril. It pains him that he cannot help his son. It is profoundly frustrating to always be the âbelowâ of oneâs country, to always have to try harder.
Nahid, great thoughts on Naylor’s “tone” throughout you comment on her text. As I read your response, I also find myself wondering why you think it is that she doesn’t remember hearing the more “positive” uses of the “n-word”; why might it be that this word only registers with her when she senses it being used “negatively”?
–In your work on Coates, I’d like you to focus a bit more on his clever definition of “race” as “the child rather than the parent of racism”; please respond to this aspect of the text. I’d also like for you to introduce your own definition of a term, be it “race”, “education,” or something else.
Thanks.
Gloria Naylor, in the text “A Word’s Meaning Often Depends On Who Says It”, speaks about words and how words essentially have no meaning yet are used in different types of scenarios in different connotations and yet race is nothing but another word that was given a different meaning due to a country’s history. Race is, in simple terms, nothing less than human categorization chosen by society based on physical or social qualities. However, as Ta-Nehsi Coates explains in “Between a World and Me”, the race we are familiar with today was most likely done shaped by American History. The beginning of the racial discrimination began with the slave trade. The European empire was expanding and in order to ensure there conquest on their newly found colonies was built on the backs and dead bodies of slaves and the natives of the land. This began white entitlement for as Ta-Nehsi said on page 8 of the text “the elevation of the belief in being white, was not achieved through wine tasting and ice cream socials, but rather through pillaging of life, liberty, labor, and land”. As most slaves were bought and brought from Africa, the dark skin from those slaves were immediately associated with a lesser value in life. Even after the emancipation proclamation, slaves still had nothing if they were to leave the plantations. Those two classes remained split but as time grew on the distance between the two began to shrink. In today’s society, the races of white and black as well as a good number of minorities are still separated due to the disadvantages minorities were left leaving them in worse living conditions than most. Its not uncommon, in New York, to see loads of people from different groups of minorities roaming around in place know to be “bad neighborhoods” or bad areas in general like project buildings or the “dark side” of the city. Te-Nehsi witnessed and experienced being a part of those areas. Te-Heshi explained on page 22 that “The crew, young men who’d transmuted their fear into anger, were the greatest danger”. He explained how this crew would go about the city essentially causing trouble simply to protect their own body.
Noelia, thank you for this powerfully synthetic response to Naylor’s and Coates’ textsâand the reflections on history and neighborhoods that you share here. Can I get you to say a little bit more about Naylor, though? In particular, I feel like you might unpack this thought in its own paragraph:
“Naylor speaks about words and how words essentially have no meaning yet are used in different types of scenarios in different connotations”
Can you develop this thought in connection with the details from Naylor’s own life that she introduces? While Coates’ text questions race in relation to history, Naylor’s text gives us a closer glimpse of the transformation of an historically “racist” term once the black community took hold of its use.
Also, I’d love for you to include your own definition of a term, be it “education,” “race,” or something else.
Aldo Pena
Itâs better to understand the written language because people may take stuff wrong depending on the tone and expression when speaking verbally. There are many ways to express a message, but many people donât know how to. The reason is because we have so much information available on the internet and in our pockets that it makes it easier for us to communicate with others. We can write letters, emails and even phone calls without having to speak at all. The problem is that we don’t realize how much of an impact words can have.
When naylor was called the term âNiggerâ, she was surprised by what she heard. Her first thought was, âWhy would someone say that?â. She didn’t know the exact meaning of it; she just knew it wasn’t right because of his tone. Naylor wants people of color to understand her novel. She wants them to see the strugglers she endured growing up as a black woman. She knows that not everyone will understand but these at leasts wants them to know.
Aldo, thank you for this.
âAlthough itâs not quite what Naylor is saying, Iâm very interested in your view that verbal language is superior to written languageâparticularly your point about tone. Certainly real, live “tone” is necessarily absent from language written on the page. But are there not ways that a writer can make up for the fact that theyâre usually not in the same room (or Zoom meeting) as their reader? In particular, I think Naylor does this; she manages to get us to imagine the tone and gesture of the little boy who calls her a âniggerâ; tell us more about HOW she does this; how does she have us imagine the little boy’s tone?
–Can you include your own definition of a term (“race,” “education,” etc.) and also comment on Coates text, focusing on the quote I provided? Thanks.
When someone is speaking we understand what is his tone or the way of speaking better than writing and reading. The words can mean anything depending on the way we used. Nylor believed written languages is inferior to spoken language. She saw the word âniggerâ before but she never heard that but when she heard by a boy she felt it rude and disrespectful because of his tone. Nylor wanted to know if the meaning of word is right so she confirmed it with her mom. So, nylor wanted to make the reader understand her personal experience as a black women because people discriminate each other because of their different skin color that even doesnât matter. of one word has. It can be positive or negative but mainly it depend how you say it and what are your intensions behind saying this. Nylor wanted to make people understand the problems black people face by giving example of her personal experience.
People have different views on race. Ta Nehisi tried to say that The idea of being racist is come from our society who are against each-others race. They think their race is better than other. They discriminate each other just because of different race. As we have recent example of George Floyd who killed by cop and people protested to get justice that black lives matter. So this shows our world divided in different races and people faced hardships because of this.
I believe having the different race doesnât mean we should discriminate each other or hate. Because it doesnât matter. Everyone is unique in their way. And at the end we all are the same because we all are humans.
Please ignore line 6″ of one word has………..behind saying this. It was a mistake and I apologize for it.
Thanks, Jasleen. Some thoughts for revision follow below:
âAlthough itâs not quite what Naylor is saying, Iâm very interested in your view that verbal language is superior to written languageâparticularly your point about tone. Certainly real, live âtoneâ is necessarily absent from language written on the page. But are there not ways that a writer can make up for the fact that theyâre usually not in the same room (or Zoom meeting) as their reader? In particular, I think Naylor does this; she manages to get us to imagine the tone and gesture of the little boy who calls her a âniggerâ; tell us more about HOW she does this; how does she have us imagine the little boyâs tone?
–In your discussion of Coates’ ideas on race, can you include the quote I mentioned in the prompt? I think that will help make your discussion of this topic a bit clearer.
–Can you also include your own definition of a term like “race”, “education,” etc.? Thanks.
Naylor thinks the written language is inferior to spoken language because when someone speaks, the audience or whoever is listening gets to hear the speaker’s tone and expressions unlike when they read a text. The reader canât really understand the author’s tone of voice or expression they used to say those words. The reader has to interpret the words themselves with their own judgment, unlike when they listen to someone speak. When someone speaks they show their emotions and most likely use hand gestures.
Naylor explains why the word could never be applied to a woman by stating âIn their mouths it became the pure essence of manhood-a disembodied force that channeled their past history of struggle and present survival against the odds into a victorious statement of beingâŠ. A women could never be a âniggerâ in the singular, with its connotation of confirming worth.â Sheâs basically saying that word could never be applied to a woman because the word was associated with manhood, struggle and survival against the odds and thatâs associated with men at that time.
âBetween the World and Meâ
Te Nehisi-Coates believes that there is no such thing as race and that it was created to separate groups of people and make certain groups feel more superior and better than other groups. It states ârace is the child of racism, not the fatherâ and the was I interpreted it was that race isnât the reason thereâs racism, thereâs racism because people feel as if certain races are below them and arenât equal to them so they become racist and make themselves feel better by degrading a certain group of people.
If I had to define education, it would be something everyone can acquire regardless of what race and gender you are. Education might not seem like much but itâs a very powerful tool that can benefit people in so many ways. In my opinion, I believe education is the key to success. Itâs never a bad thing to have too much knowledge on something.