Racism in Song of Solomon, Push and Life of Olaudah Equiano Essay

Expressing Racism in Song of Solomon, wedge and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano African-Americans much are discriminated against, fetch from a barrage of racial remarks, and even endure racially based acts of violence. Unfortunately, this discourtesy against hu human raceity goes both ways. Those being oppressed may retaliate as a matter of self-defense, sometimes becoming that which they despise most. In more cases the ignominious man is forced into developing racist mores against the White man due to past history and to the fact that Whites discriminate against them. The victim of heaviness can become the oppressor and, in fact, this reverse racism may easily develop into a feeling of superiority for Black people. Although both parties, Black and White racists, suffer from the belief that their own race is the superior one, it could be said that the Black community is oftentimes more justified in their beliefs. Black writer, sapphire is quoted a s saying One of the myths weve been taught, is that oppression creates moral superiority. Im here to enunciate you that the more oppressed a person is, the more oppressive they pass on be (Walker, Fall 2001). I believe it not only creates a more oppressive group of people, but a group that believes they are morally superior. This moral superiority is evident in the writings and the individual(prenominal) lives of Olaudah Equiano, Toni Morrison, Sapphire and Maya Angelou. These writers display a common point of view held among some African-Americans in their views of Africa versus America, morality among Whites versus morality among Blacks, and racial inferiority versus racial superiority. African-Americans often form comparisons between Africa, the country they were forcibl... ...and the Middle Passage. Ed. Maria Diedrich, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Carl Pedersen. virgin York Oxford UP, 1999 47-56. Davis, Jane. The White Image in the Black Mind A hold of African American L iterature. Westport, CT Greenwood Press, 2000. Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. The classic Slave Narratives. Ed. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. New York Putnam, 1987 1-182. Mandville, Sir John. The Travels of Sir John Mandeville. Harmondsworth, England Penguin, 1983, p.64. Morrison, Toni_Guest. Personal Interview. kB 31 August 1998. www.findarticles.com (10 Sept. 2001). Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York Penguin Group, 1977. Sapphire_Guest. Personal Interview by Carletta Joy Walker. www.foodcoop.com (13 Sept. 2001). Sapphire. Push. New York Random House, 1997.