RACISM AND ITS EFFECTS ON LITE
RACISM AND ITS EFFECTS ON LITERATURERacial segregation and discrimination is prevalent throughout literature and it is no accident. Racism in literature stems logically from the experiences of the authors and the treatment of minority's. Throughout Braided Lives, there were many short stories that dealt with pain and suffering because of racism. Each author has personal experiences in racism, and expressed how racism made them feel through their writings. Not being allowed in a restaurant, drink from an ordinary water fountain, or even judged before speaking is what several minorities went through in the short stories of Braided Lives. With their voices not heard minorities turned to literature. Braided Lives is not only a book of short stories but actual situations and events that occurred to real people. As Dian Glancy stated in her introductory essay "The Fire Dragon and Sweat", these are "stories of resilience, defiance, power, vision, toughness, pain, loss, anger, sarcasm, a humiliation built on welfare, a humor built on irony" (14).Culture and tradition for most minorities has been the stronghold, which they have held on to. With repeated attempts of abolishment Native Americans still try to keep their heritage str
Ethnic isolation and bigotry is prevalent throughout literature and it is no mistake. Through short stories, poems, essays, and novels African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian American and Native Americans found innovative ways to speak out against injustice, causing the outstanding literature presented today. In David Mura's essay "Living In A Global Village" he brought out that "few people know that another motivation for removing Japanese Americans from the West Coast was economic- people wanted the land owned by Japanese' (233). Racism is not only brutal but in some cases can be used in very devious ways. Feelings of hurt and anger are prevalent throughout the authors' writings. Where our money was taken, it was taken with reluctance" (186). In some cases literature is the only way these authors' voice can be heard. In Langston Hughes "Theme For English B" Langston expressed how he felt to his professor. Diane Glancy in "The Fire Dragon And Sweat" stated: "I like to see Indians at pow-wows in lawn chairs eating snow cones. In some cases Native Americans dealt with their anger of prejudices by writing poetry. Native Americans don't want to change their culture or heritage in order to be accepted, but include it throughout their daily lives. "All of our story books were about people who were very different from us.
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