Theme Scrapbook by

Topic: Racial Divide

kkeen4 — 2024-10-02 00:20:59 UTC

Theme

The author wants us to know that being in a minority race can be isolating.

2024-10-08 21:31:47 UTC

I think the author is trying to tell me that minority groups do not have the societal autonomy to stick up for themselves.

Topic: Minority Voices

2024-10-08 21:33:02 UTC

I think the author is trying to say that minority groups don’t feel like they can fight back due to societal standards

Trauma

2024-10-08 21:33:15 UTC

The author wants us to know that racism leads to multi-generational trauma.

Responsibility and power

2024-10-08 21:33:26 UTC

The author wants us to know that people without power have to burden more responsibility than those with power

Passage 2 - Racial Divides

2024-10-08 21:33:33 UTC

Theme: racial prejudice is so oppressive that it sometimes feels feeble to fight back against.

Racism

2024-10-08 21:33:56 UTC

Lewis’ mother is hurt when he throws her words back, because she sees that her words are in fact true, that they have done “it” forever to her, and she is srill taken advantage of by Mrs. D.

The Cycle of Hurt and Violence

2024-10-08 21:34:05 UTC

Telling the truth

2024-10-08 21:34:06 UTC

Will the truth set you free? Or make your situation harder?

Fighting Back

2024-10-08 21:34:25 UTC

The author is telling us that minority groups struggle to fight back against their oppressors.

Economic disparity

2024-10-08 21:34:27 UTC

The author wants to establish how Louis’ economic situation is effecting him by forcing him to “wash his hair in pans” and also his mother, who has no choice but to put up with mistreatment from her boss because she desperately needs money to survive.

Lewis’ mom wants Lewis to stand up against violence, but becomes violent with him herself.

2024-10-08 21:35:24 UTC

2024-10-08 21:35:31 UTC

Physical, emotional, and economic violence can produce visible (and invisible) traumas in people’s lives.

2024-10-08 21:35:43 UTC

The rhetorical question: “Why don’t you fight back?” represents the theme of helplessness in the face of trauma which has arisen because of discrimination faced for being a member of a marginalized identity. Although Lewis’ mother could fight back, she cannot answer this question because the losing result is unanimous. Systemic racism is not a single but a universal problem that will take more than just a single act of defense, regardless of how unfair the circumstances. Lewis asks this question of his mother as a complaint, rather than a request.

Topic- Helplessness

2024-10-08 21:36:16 UTC

I think this quote points to the ongoing idea of helplessness in the story. Just like Lewis , his mom is trapped too. Too afraid to fight back, knowing the consequences could be devastating to the family, they both are stuck in these awful situations

Shame from Marginalization

2024-10-08 21:36:39 UTC

The author wants us to know that racism and marginalization can create tension between those who it is perpetrated against.