Art and Revolution - Essay Example

Art and Revolution Black boy By Richard Wright Hunger as from the English dictionary is a sensation of desiring something. The craving of something not at your disposal at the time of the action or even if it is the absolute power to acquire it is the drive inside that is as a result of the hunger (Wright 29). From the book we can draw an outright conclusion that throughout the book there is a hunger for freedom. Be it freedom from racism-which is a key issue raised in the book, oppression and violence just but to name a few. To expound more on the above is the paragraphs below. Racism is obviously the key theme to the story since in Richard wright’s life, it is the central theme. In the 1900s the black community is disrespected and suffers at the hands of its white counterpart. Richard does not see any difference between whites and blacks when he is young but his view in life and particularly in relation to the subject above changes as he grows up (Wright 38). At the time of the death of his friend’s brother and his uncle Hoskins his eyes are opened to the truth. The white people being the ones behind this tragedy that engulfs him, makes him yearn for freedom from racism. Hand in hand with racism is the violence around. This is extreme in the southern states where violence is the order of the day. In as much as Richard looks for comfort from his own people when the whites are suppressing them the opposite is what he gets. He is often beaten by his relatives and family members. This experience together with encouragement from his mother forces him to fight against those who attack and suppress him thus becoming violent himself. He gets into fights in school with the hope and expectation that this will attain the respect and freedom he wants from his peers. It doesn’t stop there because at some point he threatens his aunt Addie and his uncle with razor blades. This is a show that he is desperate and hungry for freedom from violence and even if it means him turning into a violent guy, he is ready to play that card (Wright 58). He is always fighting against someone to be himself, express himself and even better himself in case there is a greater challenge the next day. Richard fights and claws his way through everything in life all in an attempt to accomplish the goals that everyone deemed pointless. The other point clearly coming out in our emphasis that there was a hunger for freedom is the issue on oppression. Oppression occurs between couples of different groups of people throughout the novel. The main being the oppression of the white community over the black community in terms of availed opportunities, preference and outright hatred just but to the mention a few. As we scrutinize this point we should be careful to not forget that oppression is also evident within the black community itself. Be it in the family setting where it is either the father against the children, a husband against a wife or a brother against a sister. Richard is ridiculed and discriminated against for his intellectualism and desire to write by his neighbors, classmates and even his own family members. The people who should have your back at each and every point pulling you down (Wright 74). One word to describe this, very demoralizing. It is not just the white people that hold black people back but the ones oppressed try and hold back those who want and yearn for a better life. Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte De Lautreamont The career of Ducasse is a posthumous one since it is chronically complicated by the interpretation of Lautreamont and Malodor which is a mystery and an enigma. He is born in the month of April 1846. His father being well-to-do and he even goes on to become a chancellor but little is known about his mother (Lautreamont 19). The book is first printed in 1868 under the title les chants de Malodor but the next year, the complete Malodor is printed and bound in Belgium where the author is identified as Comte de Lautreamont. This is because of the fear of trouble with the imperial censorship. The book is a masterpiece of its own. The human refusal to be bound or limited by an allegiance to God is so outright. Maldoror completely refuses any kind of service to the supernatural being who the people refer to as God. This is just but another level of what we can call rebellion to the point of one being responsible for him. He goes ahead and refuses any service to man as to him; the ordinary person should not get what God himself has been denied with outright confidence. It is like a wild animal which is not subject to any rule but that life is taken as it comes each and every day (Lautreamont 38). He refuses and goes on to pronounce a total destruction of the values associated with humanity. Christianity to him is just but another side show in life and he sees no benefit in it leave alone tolerating those who associate with it. Lautreamont knot of neuroses disentangles itself and liberates the author. The one thing that we can affirm is good is the fact that there is no hate present in the author’s expressions. At one instance, his illness that others refer to as social abnormality joins hand with tuberculosis gets out of hand and knocks him off the rails (Lautreamont 68). It is like an instant that Satanist embraces sweet Jesus on his death bed with the hope and expectation that they will have their way to heaven. Whether this is some form of bribery or mere absurdity it is for the reader to figure out. The humanity inside is not there. This being a contradiction of the wording itself we still stick by it. In one of the instances “the wish to be a pig is a desperation arising from the inability to be human”. How low does one see himself to the point of having such a though. Is it that the society is looking down on him; does the comparison give him some consolation in life (Lautreamont 95). This are questions that one asks himself as we expound on this masterpiece of art: les chants de Maldoror. Each obscure chant amplifies and illuminates the last while darkening and bringing gloom to the next. It's not affectation it is a heart's triumphant cry. Unplugging Philco by Jim Knipfel In the years following a very bad event that takes place in Mississippi, the world changes and becomes a very different place with Wally Philco and his wife living at this moment of indifference. The days and years to come sees all the blame on the Horribleness that happened that day. It is used as an excuse for bank robberies, higher taxes, murder just but to name a few. It ends up dawning on the people that they alone are their best guardians (Knipfel 34). They have to make themselves the caretakers of their properties and report anything deemed a risk or threat to society. A good example is the neighbor of Wally who takes it upon himself to make a difference is the society. He reports and snitches upon the criminals and law breakers in the neighborhood. This kind of influences Wally to join the movement that fights for peace in the society. He becomes a member of the unpluggers. In relation to the post 9/11, we have a society whose safety and wellbeing depends on the citizens themselves. The unfortunate thing about all these is the fact that there is no privacy since there is monitoring and surveillance from the government (Knipfel 59). Meaning a scenario where there are street cameras everywhere, tapping of phones and even arrests in case one is suspected of being a suspect. Evidently through this story, there are several messages communicated in relation to family and social values. Such messages relate to the themes used in the book for instance, the trouble of growing up in a society where war is taking place. Comparison and Conclusion From a literal point of view, it is understandable that stories become interesting to readers through the use of symbols, themes, and facts. It is through the facts used in the story that makes one to think about the things that happened during a certain period, and what people went through. From the above novels we have looked at, there are certain things that come out clearly. That is, racism. In order to understand this better, this section compares Black boy By Richard Wright and Maldoror and the Complete Works of the Comte De Lautreamont. With reference to these accounts, it is evident that racism is a negative force that exists in many societies across the globe thereby impacting the communities and societies negatively. Social psychology has continuously failed to present a rounded integrated approach in the overview of human race thus perpetuating all forms of racism. This can be understood through looking at the black people and the white people. In as much as they are a sour to the community we have no choice but to accept the fact that truly they are there. When we compare our current scenario with the one I the setting of this books, we cannot fail to concur that indeed some of these things still exist. First, in the books we can see the community is divided into groups. It is not healthy whether we like it or not because this leads to suspicion among the people. The white guys suspect that the black community is after their success and so as to ensure they remain untouchable they use suppression and violence to intimidate their black counterparts. This seem to work but only for the time because if people like Richard get their way up there is no saying what can unfold. He keeps his hope alive with the desire to make it one day. In as much as blacks are being suppressed, they too are their own enemy. Instead of having the desire and urge to support one of their own to the top, they do the exact opposite. They don’t seem to believe in their people and as a result a discouragement comes from a person one lest expects. Take for instance ridicule from a family member who should be the one to encourage and even if possible help in any way through which you can achieve your goal. This can be a success not just for one but for the whole community leave alone the family setting. The beating from others is sickening. Be it one from a relative or a different race. Beating someone is like you are demeaning them to the point of doing that act. It means one sees the other as someone who can’t do anything if the Cain is not used. Even among the well learned, subjecting someone to beatings only worsen the recipient. He /she grow to resent you with arrogance and disregard being the order of the day. Even if we take the example of a donkey. If it is beaten repeatedly it reaches a point and stalls. This now is a person with a reasoning capacity so if beating is in the equation, he can’t decide to frustrate your effort or even refuse completely to co-operate. With the above comparison we are rest assured that for a productive society, respect and equality is vital. Respect each other and wonders shall the outcome be. Works Cited Knipfel, Jim. Unplugging Philco: A Novel. Simon and Schuster. 2009. Print. Lautreamont, Comte de. Maldoror and the complete works of the Comte de Lautremont, Exact Change. 2004. Print. Wright, Richard. Black Boy. Harper and Brothers. 1945. Print. – Read More

 

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