Citizen is a difficult book, not because of the language but because of the cumulative effect of purposeful and absent-minded and unaware racist incidents. Whereas, in my opinion, the power if the poetry arises from the uses of language and its compression, and its reformulation of reality. This work develops on accumulated incident.
An example is based on Serena Williams, a great tennis player, and her experiences on the tennis court with an untruthful referee and an opponent willing to receive the victory based on incorrect calls. Other examples seem to arise from the author's own experiences as a poet/teacher and shopper, etc. Other incidents are laden with emotional response: the response to the hurricane in Louisiana, the death of many unarmed African-Americans. Illustration complement and comment on the text and vice-versa.
Race is an issue that America still struggles with. Rankine's book tells us how we misinterpret other peoples motives, actions, and language. She writes in the second person, "You". The way she uses that word is a way to connect with the reader. It makes the reading think about their own experiences and how "we" as readers have issues with racism as well. Rankine puts emphasis on the fact that racism is constantly happening in everyones lives.
An example is based on Serena Williams, a great tennis player, and her experiences on the tennis court with an untruthful referee and an opponent willing to receive the victory based on incorrect calls. Other examples seem to arise from the author's own experiences as a poet/teacher and shopper, etc. Other incidents are laden with emotional response: the response to the hurricane in Louisiana, the death of many unarmed African-Americans. Illustration complement and comment on the text and vice-versa.
Race is an issue that America still struggles with. Rankine's book tells us how we misinterpret other peoples motives, actions, and language. She writes in the second person, "You". The way she uses that word is a way to connect with the reader. It makes the reading think about their own experiences and how "we" as readers have issues with racism as well. Rankine puts emphasis on the fact that racism is constantly happening in everyones lives.
Rankine, Claudia. Citizen: An American Lyric. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2014. Print.
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ReplyDeleteDear Scott,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your first Citizen post. I agree with many of your points, such as: how the reading and art work presented complement each other, how the use of “you” when referencing us as readers is effective, and finally, how race is an issue that America is still facing. I will now expand on your ideas and then challenge them to see what else we can get from Claudia Rankine’s poetry.
First, in regards to the written poetry and the art that is presented, we become aware and feel the hurt and frustration the author is writing about on behalf of African Americans across America. In her writing we read exactly what she wants us to know about various situations and in the pictures, after reading the text, we can feel the emotion behind it. The pictures allow us to read between the lines, in a way. As for the use of the word, “you” when identifying us as readers, I agree that we gain ownership and responsibility for the actions taken and not taken when driven by race. Lastly, I would like to expand on your idea that race is still an issue. I could not agree more with you that the examples of Serena Williams, deaths of unarmed African Americans, and all other tragedies mentioned are also driven by racial prejudice and misunderstandings.
Now, I would like to challenge your ideas with some questions that can help us learn and open our minds to the ideas and concepts Rankine offers. To address the pictures, do you think the written poetry came first, then the art work or the other way around? Do you feel that altering certain images was effective or would the original photographs have done a better job at evoking an emotional response? For the use of “you,” do you believe “you” can be taken as “you, the victim” instead of “you, the offender” as a reader? Now that Rankine has identified the reader as “you,” what do you think she wishes you will do now that you have been exposed to the experiences from her writing? As for race being an issue, why do you think race is still an issue today; is it because of fear or misinterpretation of one another? Finally, if minorities were to become the dominant population, do you think race would still be an issue?