Author's Note- This is another short response that I could turn in to an essay. It is a response to the short story "After You, My Dear Alphonse."
Question- Write an analysis of how this story relates to the topics of naivety and reverse racism. How does it compare and contrast our society in Pewaukee? Other areas of the country/world? What lessons do you think Shirley Jackson is trying to teach us?
The story "After You, My Dear Alphonse" has a mother that is unintentionally racist. She tries to convince herself that since her son's friend is black that he has a poor family. She finds out that it is not true and tries to cover it up. She is curious to what kind of lifestyle this negro boy goes through and to make it easier on her part she assumes to much with to little information. She has been grown up in a society where black people are treated like dirt and they think they can be as useful as dirt.
This is somewhat similar to Pewaukee because if someone from outside the MidWest came to Wisconsin they would think there are going to be cows and cheese factories all over the place. Again they assume to much with to little information, just like the mom in the story. If someone from outside the southeastern part of Wisconsin came to Pewaukee they would think that all of us are rich and spoiled. I actually agree with that although it is not 100% true, but for about 70% of our district is true.
I believe that Shirley Jackson is trying to teach us the importance of not being prejudice. The mom in the story has grown up in the society where she heard only people saying hurtful things to different colored people was natural. She thought because he was black that he had no where to go and his dad was use to lifting heavy objects and was built. But since she prejudged she got burned by her own son and his friend. What Mrs. Jackson wants us to take away from this passage is that we should get to know people before we can judge them.
Question- Write an analysis of how this story relates to the topics of naivety and reverse racism. How does it compare and contrast our society in Pewaukee? Other areas of the country/world? What lessons do you think Shirley Jackson is trying to teach us?
The story "After You, My Dear Alphonse" has a mother that is unintentionally racist. She tries to convince herself that since her son's friend is black that he has a poor family. She finds out that it is not true and tries to cover it up. She is curious to what kind of lifestyle this negro boy goes through and to make it easier on her part she assumes to much with to little information. She has been grown up in a society where black people are treated like dirt and they think they can be as useful as dirt.
This is somewhat similar to Pewaukee because if someone from outside the MidWest came to Wisconsin they would think there are going to be cows and cheese factories all over the place. Again they assume to much with to little information, just like the mom in the story. If someone from outside the southeastern part of Wisconsin came to Pewaukee they would think that all of us are rich and spoiled. I actually agree with that although it is not 100% true, but for about 70% of our district is true.
I believe that Shirley Jackson is trying to teach us the importance of not being prejudice. The mom in the story has grown up in the society where she heard only people saying hurtful things to different colored people was natural. She thought because he was black that he had no where to go and his dad was use to lifting heavy objects and was built. But since she prejudged she got burned by her own son and his friend. What Mrs. Jackson wants us to take away from this passage is that we should get to know people before we can judge them.
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