https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub en-us 2018-10-27 01:39:58 UTC 2024-10-14 08:48:03 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Shakinghands.png sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297669766 The novel follows the story of an un-named narrator from his early childhood through the development of his own family life. Early on, he finds out he is not entirely white, nor is he entirely black, but sits on the cusp of either race with the ability to play both sides. However, the era in which he was raised was not one of racial tolerance and throughout the novel we experience the trials and tribulations which ultimately lead to his "passing" as a white male in in early 1900's US society. This project will cover some background to what life in the deep South was like, as well as analyzing key features of what holds true for the author's identity, and ultimately end with the effects on the psyche which passing seems to have both from articles, and scientific research. ]]> 2018-10-27 17:24:47 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297669766 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670286 From the moment the narrator realizes he isn't white his view of family, and the other colored children he attends school with, becomes one of which he does not know where to place himself. It is the beginning of his placement problem, where there is not one race in which he feels entirely comfortable by. The isolation created by this new situation is one encapsulated well in this article which tells the stories of others who have successfully "passed".  ]]> 2018-10-27 17:30:14 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670286 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670290 The narrator finds some solace from his dilemma within his gift of music. Later on in his life when he travels with the millionaire, he has the option to leave a life of racial segregation behind yet he does not choose it. Instead, he chooses to return to the segregated South in order to draw some cultural inspiration in order to make the type of music he really desires to create. This excerpt beginning on page 13 divulges into the histories of ragtime music. Page 14 discusses how the conscious decision to Europeanize ragtime music, i.e. writing it down, left no room for improvisation ragtime music thus confining it to preconceived rules  which inherently limited its potential. This is analogous to the limits the narrator places on himself as chooses to pass as white.]]> 2018-10-27 17:30:18 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670290 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670294 One aspect of passing which is not particularly discussed, is the help from communities and trusted individuals which the passer receives. Our narrator for example is a perfect example. He is aided by countless people throughout his life, most notably his mother and the millionaire. Beginning on page 67, this article explains the guilt associated with choosing to leave one's blackness behind which weakens the collective struggle for justice.]]> 2018-10-27 17:30:22 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670294 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670299 The most notable aspect of the Segregation Era which lasted until 1939, were the Jim Crow laws which remained implemented until the 1960's. Especially in the deep South where our narrator was raised. The Jim Crow restrictions shown in this link demonstrate the extent of the dehumanization of people of color went, with an example of a sign outside of a storefront displaying "No Dogs, No Negroes, No Mexicans".]]> 2018-10-27 17:30:26 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670299 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670306 The lynching scene in the novel is the deciding point where the author chooses to live his life as a white male. The scene described reflects a deeply disturbing, and traumatizing event which leaves him utterly shaken to the core. The complete dehumanization and disempowerment witnessed of a fellow black man forces him to make a decision out of pure fear. We do not learn anything about the man being lynched, his complete anonymity adds to the violence of the crowd. Section V of this paper gives a thorough analysis of the lynching in all its perplexity, and the impact on the narrator. ]]> 2018-10-27 17:30:29 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670306 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670368 Having no real social identity to find solace in quickly takes its toll on the character of a person. More specifically, in the novel the narrator finds a wife whom he does not immediately tell and she leaves his life for a time before coming back. The type of psychological damage this most likely had on him is indescribable, and whose whole extent will never be understood by the audience. However, we can get a good understanding through this article, which divulges into the life of Alvera Fredric who passed her whole life deceiving her white, racist husband.]]> 2018-10-27 17:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670368 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670379 A memory in the narrator's early age is discovering the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. It "gave me my first perspective of the life I was entering" (p.28, Johnson). It isn't mentioned again in the book, yet it solidifies in the narrator and reader's minds the workings of society at the time as well as his expectation of what life would be like choosing to live as a Negro boy. Uncle Tom's Cabin left it's mark on history as a way of portraying and calling to action the humanization of people of color, as well as lighting the kindling for the coming Civil War. ]]> 2018-10-27 17:31:03 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670379 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670383 While the narrator spends some time identifying himself as a black man, a majority of it is spent defining himself as a white man. However, throughout the novel we do see examples of racism and segregation. Relating to a more modern view, the stressors linked to racism has found to induce PTSD in some individuals. The subtle racist micro-agressions of today's society still heavily impact the psyche of black individuals, and so the deeply disturbing treatment described in the novel brings about the question of how deeply traumatized were the individuals living during that time period?]]> 2018-10-27 17:31:07 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670383 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670393 In today's society, racial passing is not so much a concern, as widespread acceptance and tolerance has increased immensely globally. However, a different kind of passing has come to light. The passing of immigrants as legal citizens is touched upon within this article. This really brings attention to the same factors of passing which one does not think applies to 21st century groups. ]]> 2018-10-27 17:31:10 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670393 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670400 Race relations between groups is an ever changing dynamic. This article brings a real world contrast to the society of the early 1900's. Especially considering today's political sphere, it's not surprising statistics have changed since original polls in 2008, with 46% of Americans now saying race relations are "somewhat bad" or "very bad". ]]> 2018-10-27 17:31:13 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670400 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670409 The goal of each of these sources was to create a more "scientific" analysis of An Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man. It was particularly hard to do with this novel, as it is hard to scientifically judge and analyze a book and accounts of others with no quantitative data to corroborate it. However, with this being the 21st century science has advanced an astronomical amount within the last century, and along with impeccable records kept it is possible to draw psychological conclusions based on the evidence offered. The beginning of the project mainly focused in on the setting and background of the novel. This is important as it was a key time for the beginnings of civil rights movements, and the tendencies for social changes to be documented is encapsulated in novels of the time like Uncle Tom's Cabin. While still a foreign idea, the humanization of black individuals is a social movement we see really take off during this era. A perspective I feel was not touched upon in class was the idea of psychological damage being linked to racial segregation and racism. Specifically, the lynching scene was the first indication of real trauma to me within the narrator and his psyche. The complete and utter dehumanization of an individual whom he shared characteristics with forces him to completely abandon about half a novel's worth of self-acceptance of his black identity. The articles I chose to support this section stem from both recounts of individuals whose trauma has been internalized for the entirety of their lives, and scientific articles which discuss the aspects of community and it's role. Bringing it back to a modern day perspective, passing no longer exists to the extent it did in racial terms, but similar groups attempt to pass in terms of citizenship. In a larger context this matters to all people, as this type of segregation is one somewhat parallel to the kind felt by people of color. However, one can not deny that our race relations has only gotten exponentially worse these past few years, as the final source gives the definitive numbers for this worsening problem. So while racial passing might seem like a primitive problem of society's past, the bleak trajectory calls for social change.]]> 2018-10-27 17:31:18 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297670409 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297874767 2018-10-29 04:51:02 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297874767 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297874953 2018-10-29 04:52:36 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297874953 sstanek https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297875194 2018-10-29 04:54:27 UTC https://padlet.com/sstanek/dquvjqh6ewub/wish/297875194