I selected the poem Jazzonia which is in the new Negro book into correlation with The Warmth of Other Suns. The Poem basically tells us something about life in a Harlem cabaret (a nightclub) where blacks entertain themselves. The new Negro has a unique musical attribute. His music has rhythm and romance that touches his soul as he sings to a jazz dancing girl. He is seen is a new light which changes the perception of himself. He is able to perceive and appreciate the beauty of a black girl-“Eve’s eyes and gorgeous Cleopatra in a gown of gold. It adds something different to that characterization of what the New Negro is and this means a change in the sound of modern poetry.
As far as the Warmth of Other Suns it emphasizes people who are looking for a better lifestyle as well as the adjustments that are forced on them. George for the most part is heartbreaking; a man who potentially could have done more things with his life, but it was evident that he wasn’t allowed opportunities unfortunately. He wanted to organize labor to request for better wages. Therefore, he went to New York an became a baggage handler, but was never able to use his brain and some college education to get a better job. With everything to consider, this following question can be asked and answered which is “Why do Black Americans control so little of the country's wealth today?" It is obvious and noted that black people are suffering based on the prejudices all over the country. It is also evident that various misperceptions regarding migration are cleared up. There was cotton picking that moved people from the South which known as a caste system which there was no escape at all.
I like how you correlate the poem with the things that we talked about in class the last couple of weeks, such as Black poems have a unique characterization then traditional poems throughout history. The book, The New Negro, talks about how Black literature and poems are distinctively different from other poems because it is based on personal experience that Blacks were going through during the early 20th Century. Furthermore, I like how you give the audience a brief description of the character, George and how you try to tie in current events with the book.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting about this poem and George's story is a type of expectation that he had upon moving to New York to attain a better life, and some disappointment he had to have felt not being able to really do what he loved. Jazzonia speaks to Harlem truly being this Mecca full of life and vigor and culture. That no matter what happens upon arriving there from the South, you would be able to live out dreams you weren't able to before. Jazzonia has an extremely carefree, exciting environment where Black people are finally able to indulge in themselves and the culture around them in a way they were not able to do so before. So we know that the social life was rich, but what of people that came to New York for a better life and still were not able to achieve their dreams? A dream of teaching, practicing medicine, law? George became a baggage handler, I cannot help but think that he did not anticipate having a job such as this rather than really being able to utilize his education. But just as he had had to survive the racism of the South, so he also had to do survive the economics of the North, and that may have meant getting a job that will pay bills. It's a bit ironic, and almost bittersweet, but I can't help but think that those who participated in the Great Migration were not the ones who really benefited from the migration, but rather the generations which followed. Which who knows, could have very well been the aim all along. Not only to secure a better life for themselves, but for their children as well.
ReplyDeleteI think it is really interesting how you tackle the idea of "escape" or the illusions of escape that Blacks are often willing to quickly accept. I agree with Rhiann on the points she makes about later generation being the benefactors of the great migration. I also on the other hand understand the question you are posing Emecka, about the Black position in the social-economic aspect of society. Is it that the progress in the Black community today from that time is just so slow or is this the change that is here already? If it is the latter, then we have a huge problem.
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