Analysis Of Constructed Stereotypes In Skin English Literature Essay

Analysis Of Constructed Stereotypes In Skin English Literature Essay Having done extensive research on the biography of the author, Naomi Iizuka, one can conclude that the availability of written scholarly documentation about her life and work is sparse. The author is a recent voice in the world of the American playwright; she attained her MFA degree in Playwriting in 1992, at the age of 27.  [1]  Naomi Iizukas family background sheds an interesting light on the politics of a multi cultural society, which is accordingly represented in SKIN. Her mother is an American of Spanish descent and Naomis father a Japanese banker. She studied Classics and Literature at Yale University and she received her MFA degree from the University of California San Diego. Naomi Iizuka is part of the legacy of American writers of the 1990s who are primarily looking to write on experiences of a multi-ethnic, poly-sexual, multi-class and intergenerational society (Krasner 2005, p. 549). According to Berson, Naomi Iizuka is fascinated by the subterranean worlds of renegades like the homeless kids in Polaroid Stories or by outcasts like Jones in SKIN or by vagabond characters in Tattoo Girl (Berson 1998, p.1). Theatre needs to surprises her, such as plays that are not strictly realistic and filled with mythical elements that allow to reappraise the relationship with reality. Naomis writing style in the Berson article is described as one that matches a furious emotional intense with a floating lyricism, vivid grunginess and acerbic humor(Berson 1998, p.1). Iizuka found her inspiration for SKIN in the surrounding of San Diego at the end of the twentieth century. The environment offers a mix of a desert town, a Navy town and a border town (Chambers 2002, p. 55). The play focuses on two protagonist characters, Jones and Mary. Jones is a young man who works in a factory and Mary is Joness disloyal lover and the mother of their child. They desperately attempt to make sense of and try to transcend the suffocating environment in which they live. The constant opposition between the isolation of Mary and Jones and the crowded suburban sprawl, reflect a tragic setting. Being confronted with their limited opportunities and the inhibiting effects urban life and poverty, Jones and Mary find refuge in drugs, alcohol, violence and sex. Through different scenes the hopeless situation is vividly described. The play is very strong in transferring an unspoken, not explicit but overwhelming sense that the inhabitants of the town are surrounded and controlled. They feel oppressed, living in a totalitarian social system which exerts silencing, control and alienation. SKIN is a tragic play and ends with Jones stabbing Mary to death. SKIN focuses to a large extent on the figure of Jones who is suffering as an individual in this totalitarian society. Since Jones is of mixed descent it is possible to analyze the play based on collective racial stereotypes. Borderlands and Stereotypes When reading the play SKIN, the reader is bound by the existing stereotypes related to race, ethnicity and gender. The aim of this paper is to analyze the stereotypes which correlate with white American authority, with people from Chicano ethnical background and with troublesome interracial relations. Although the play makes no clear indications of location, there are several indications that the scene is geographically set near the U.S. Mexican border. Gloria Anzaldà ºa describes in her book Borderlands, La Frontera the notion of a borderland as a vague and undetermined place where los atravesados like, among other denominations, the mongrel, the mulato or the half-breed live (Anzaldà ºa 2007, p. 25). SKIN is a contemporary play which portrays the concept of white superiority using the stereotype, the collective image, of American political and cultural domination in a crowded suburban environment. The white American ruler is presented though the presence of Police enforcers and military Navy men and they comply with the image of the oppressor, specifically oppressing Jones. Anzaldà ºa describes how the Border Patrol hide behind buildings, like a local McDonalds, and act like hunters with powerful night vision devices (Anzaldà ºa 2007 p.33-34). This is reflected in the second scene of the play SKIN, where the Police are described as sly and invisible in their black and white machine (Iizuka 2000, p. 164). Jones is the main protagonist in the narrative, and he is most probably a half-breed. He does not have a Latino name, his full name is Sean Jones and he has a Social Security number which makes him legal U.S. resident (Iizuka 2000, p. 165). Jones most likely has a white American mother; he refers to her death in scene twenty eight when she died [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] she looked like a white, plastic doll. (Iizuka 2000, p. 194) Since Jones is of mixed race he is confronted with an internal strife of multiple personalities, making him insecure an indecisive (Anzaldà ºa 2007, p.99-100). He is not part of the dominant white American culture and he does not fully belong to the Latino society. Jones difficult position can be proved by different scenes. He is, in multiple scenes, harassed by the Police, treated aggressively by the Navy men and he is explicitly subdued in his relation with the Manager. Angel however, does not accept Jones as a full Latino member. In scene 28 Angel is very explicit, he shouts to Jones man, shut up. you dont know me [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] you dont see me every day. you dont know how I live my life so shut the fuck up. (Iizuka 2000, p. 194). SKIN introduces stereotypes that can be linked to the theory of the Mexican philosopher Josà © Vasconcelos. His philosophy in opposition to the racial purity policy that white America practices, his theory is about inclusivity, a mixture of races (Anzaldà ºa 2007, p. 99). This is hinted in the person of Marys girl. Whereas in every adult scene there is a fierce metaphorical use of the opposition between black and white, where black is mostly related to silence, closing of the eyes, the vastness and invisibility of the desert at night and very important the colors used to describe the Police car. It is Marys girl who is able to project a multi-color world. A good example is available in scene fourteen when Marys girl speaks: when I close my eyes, I see red and purple an orange and yellow and blue. I see so many colors moving and sparkly like lights at night. (Iizuka 2000, p. 183). Iizuka uses many images to highlight that the individual is controlled, isolated and alienated from the social environment. Although Jones and Mary are legal U.S. residents, they are not portrayed as legitimate inhabitants. They are constantly being controlled by an authority like the Police or the Navy. Whenever the Police are introduced into the scenes they are represented as if they were constantly nearby and waiting. Scene nineteen provides a good illustration: and then the Police slide out of the dark like they have been forever there, invisible, waiting for a sign. (Iizuka 2000, p.187). Skin Color and the Construction of Stereotypes The play contains several stereotypes related to racial discrimination and white supremacy. Jones is being racially fixated by the white authority. It is already in the second scene that, without any obvious reason, the police is requesting to see some form of identification from Jones. The police is very provocative towards Jones. The same approach and the more elaborated construction of the negative characteristics related to Mexican stereotyping can be experienced in scene ten. In this scene, the manager has a general image of Jones and his people which comes down to this: [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] thats the thing with you people, you think you can screw around, make babies [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦], you seem to think taxpayers like myself are going to bail you out and support you and yours forever. (Iizuka 2000, p.179). Referring to Bhabhas concept of ambivalence of the stereotype of the other, otherness is at once an object of derision and at once an object of desire (Bhabha 1994, p. 67). There is only one instance in the play where this important aspect of ambivalence in stereotypical identity can be found. In scene eleven the cholo, which is a denomination for a Mexican person from mixed descent, is crystallizing the element of desire. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and the skin on his back is brown [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] he is a handsome young god, and the crowd moves up close to him [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] hungry for something they do not know [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] (Iizuka 2000, p. 181) this elaboration portrays the beauty of the dark skin and it emphasizes Bhabhas notion of ambivalence. More specifically, it is the dark color of the skin that at once activates fixity and fantasy, mastery and pleasure, and thus plays a contradictory role in the ideological construction of otherness (Bhabha 1994, p. 66-78). The essay written by Bhabha, The Other Question, highlights two other important aspects of racial differentiation by skin color. The first one is related to the economic supremacy of white people and the visibility of skin as reinforcing the crucial recognition of difference (Bhabha 1994, p.79). Richness and whiteness are inversely described by the poverty of Jones. In scene nine Jones describes his inability to make lots of money: its hard, mary. I dont know how people make it. I dont know the secret. here its not much of anything. (Iizuka 2000, p. 179). The image of Joness low hierarchical position is strengthened by the subsequent scene ten where he performs a basic job feeding a machine and the Manager is supervising him. It is salient in this play that the dominant, white American, group is nameless. Iizuka decided not to give names to the people in a hierarchical superior position. They are called Police Man, Navy Man, Manager, Man or Employee. The reader gets the impression that these unnamed people can all be categorized in one dominant group with the same oppressive acts towards Jones. This singularity allows to bridge the racial discussion to the definition of ethnicity minus one as proposed in the essay who is Ethnic? by Werner Sollors. Meaning that ethnicity is universal and ethnicity minus one excludes the dominant group. In the play SKIN, the dominant group is obviously white and wealthy America. Throughout the play all the white actors behave similarly, they are oppressive and aggressive towards Jones and hence affirm their white dominant identity (Sollors 1995, p. 22). Scene thirty two I wanted to peel off my skin, and fold it up, and put it in a box. I wanted to disappear (Iizuka 2000, p.198). The way Jones narrates about skin, he confirms the importance of whiteness of skin in the American society. This emphasizes that the visibility of skin reinforces the recognition of difference and hence acts as a signifier of discrimination (Bhabha 1994, p.79). Furthermore Bhabhas essay explains that the stereotypes attributed with skin color remain a sign of cultural and political inferiority (Bhabha 1994, p.80). This reasoning is omnipresent in the play. In SKIN, Naomi Iizuka is able to reflect the longevity or fixity aspect of stereotypes. Since government has institutionalized its Civilizing Mission during the colonial period, the racial stereotypical discourse has become prejudicial and discriminatory (Bhabha 1994, p. 83). By implementing strategies of hierarchization and marginalization, colonial societies could be managed. What Bhabha is putting forward in the essay, is that knowledge on the ethnic group and the stereotypical generalization make the consideration of discriminatory and authoritarian forms of political control appropriate. The same concept can be found in SKIN. It are the Police and the Navy Men that are always present to provide surveillance and discipline through violent and oppressive harassment, and thus wield political control over the non-white and marginal community. Additional imagery to emphasize American, and white, superiority is portrayed in scene twenty six when Jones is looking to buy a weapon in the Gun Mart store. The Employee describes the gun as follow: [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] u.s. made. superior craftsmanship. feel. see. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] or the description of the knife [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] made in germany. superior craftsmanship. cuts through anything. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] (Iizuka 2000, p.192). Conclusion SKIN, proves to be a complex and layered play in terms of prevalent stereotypes. A superficial reading at first would make the reader conclude that Jones is a Latino living in a bordertown. However, when analyzing the different hints in the play, the reader comes to the notion that Jones is a mulato. Based on Gloria Anzaldà ºas analysis and representation of the mulato living near the U.S. Mexican international border, Joness is isolated between two colliding cultures which confuse his identity. SKIN emphasizes the harsh and hopeless life in the borderland. Naomi Iizuka exposes the reader to the oppressive and dominant approach of white America towards Jones. Through a polarized version of racial stereotyping, the play allows to apply the analytical concepts of ambivalence and fixity from Bhabhas essay The Other Question. Naomi Iizuka confirms through the character of Jones, who is isolated and living in a controlled environment, that racial prejudices and determination by the end of the nineties remained unchangeable. Nevertheless by introducing Marys daughter, who is able to see a colored world instead of a purely black and white one, Naomi projects her hope that future generations can disengage from the dominant, white and racial pure American culture and create an inclusive multi-cultural society.

Hurricane Katrina Essay -- Natural Disaster, FEMA

Introduction The initial response or lack thereof, to the widespread disaster in the Gulf Coast, caused by Hurricane Katrina, demonstrated high levels of incompetence and disorganization by government officials. Images of desperate individuals awaiting rescue on their rooftops, and masses of people packed together in deplorable conditions in the Super Dome, circulated the globe. There was no hiding from the painful reality and the obvious inaction or inability of those responsible to care for these individual in the wake of this catastrophe. (12, 791) Although a considerable amount of the blame has been placed at the feet of FEMA, it should be understood that multiple factors contributed to the situation in New Orleans. Some sections of the levees had been poorly constructed, and were not properly maintained. Local agencies failed to adequately plan and prepare of such an event. Local officials waited too long to order an evacuation, and did not consider how to assist those citizens who lacked the financial resources evacuate on their own. (1,24) FEMA HISTORY Federal intervention in the aftermath of natural disasters began after the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. This 8.3 magnitude earthquake killed 478, and left over 250,000 homeless. While the disaster itself was obviously unavoidable, the subsequent fires that burned throughout the city were a result of poor planning. (1, 17) In an effort to consolidate existing programs, and to improve the nation’s level of preparedness, President Carter created FEMA in 1979. Initially, FEMA was praised for improving communication between various levels of government, and multiple agencies during a crisis. (1,19) As part of the reorganization of the federal government in response to t... ...ed individuals to pay for services, perhaps as an extension of the Medicare program. Those survivors, who have suffered a high level of mental or physical trauma, and those who suffer from preexisting conditions, should be identified and considered for expedited care. (2, 425) Mobile health care unity could be utilized in semi-permanent housing developments, such as the trailer parks created in the wake of the Katrina disaster. (2, 425) Legislative barriers to obtaining mental health services need to be removed. Addressing the mental health needs of the survivors is increasingly being recognized as an integral part of emergency management worldwide. Failing to properly address these needs may compromise the recovery of the affected populations, and these individuals are likely to become dependent on state and federal aid. (2, 246)

Britian And France Over Educational Practices Essay

The existence of mass education is a common feature of industrial societies. It is agreed by sociologists that the education system accepts some responsibility in preparing young people for the world of work. It is viewed as an institution where socialisation takes place, involving acquisition of knowledge and skills. It with or without intent also helps to shape beliefs and moral values. Education is an issue that plays an essential role in all aspects of society and sparks debates in issues of national economic competitiveness, national identity, and social justice. It is viewed as protecting the status quo and is a crucial element of personal growth and social transformation. The education system has existed since the early 19th century and appears o expand as society progresses. Education in general appears to be shaped by four educational traditions. The first view is known as Encyclopaedism, it is very strongly inherent with the ideas from the â€Å"ËÅ"enlightenment’ period. It has been a very influential frame, especially for European countries such as France. This view promotes the idea that valid knowledge should be categorised, codified, and learnt. It promotes the concept that education provides the ability to think rationally, to reason, which leads to a better society with â€Å"ËÅ"enlightened’ people who, from education have the ability to use knowledge and reasoning with situations they encounter throughout their lives. The second traditional view is based from a philosophical root known as humanism. It highlights the concept that education creates a â€Å"ËÅ"virtuous individual’ who posses high qualities of moral values, and high levels of intelligence. The humanism belief is strongly developed from English public schools and universities. This approach strongly emphasises the role of the academic tutor who in some ways acts as a â€Å"ËÅ"role model’ and though their guidance and example results in the pupil becoming a well rounded individual. The third view is Vocationalism, which is orientated around the national economy. Its objective is to meet the needs of the national economy for skilled labourers who possess the suitable attitude towards work. The fourth tradition is a recent philosophy in education known as Naturalism. This has developed from a combination of psychology, sociology, and philosophy. It highlights the significance of an individual child, its needs, ability knowledge, and its social world. It is based on the ideology of learning, influences, and interaction from the environment. It is a skill based approach, focusing on â€Å"ËÅ"learning how to learn’* and how the child interacts with its environment, education and other institutions, from which the child develops into a whole person. Although the education systems may have been adapted as time progresses and vary slightly from country to country, the root of education originates from these four views. Therefore similarities can be seen in the education system in Britian and France. (* Extracted from Spyby; line 10 pg 222) In both countries France and Britain, majority of children attend preschool. Their compulsory schooling begins around the age of 4/5.The pre-school stage is a period where children in Britain are encouraged to mostly play and develop rather than being taught any academic subjects, where as in France, children at pre school stage encounter formal teaching of subjects such as mathematics and reading and writing. In general there is a higher level of participation in preschool in France than Britain. It appears that the France system bases its pre school system on the Naturalism approach, where by the child’s personality, creativity, intellect and socialisation is developed external to the family. From around the age of 5 children in both countries enter primary education. At this stage it is apparent that the naturalism ideology concludes and other traditional views become evident. In primary education there is similarity in the subjects studied throughout Europe, such as Maths, science, their language, P.E, arts. The History of the France and Britain were similar in the changes they experienced in the 19th century. The primary education in England and Wales was originally based on the humanist tradition in the early 19th century. From the late 18th century,  large amounts of children had access to free elementary education from which basic values were conveyed. The Hadow reports 1931 and 1933 changed the structure of schools to form primary and secondary sectors. Primary school was based around developmental psychology, which then advances the child onto highly differentiated secondary school. The Hadow report was also the basis of the education act in 1944. There had also been a change in the ideology of teachers after war where childcentered learning became an issue with primary school teachers in Britain. In the 70’s education in Britain became strongly associated with economic issues thus having a large impact in aspects of education. In turn an Education reform act had been produces in 1988, which imposed the National Curriculum. The national curriculum was strongly based on an encyclopaedism view. It arose problems for teachers as it restricted teachers from having the capacity to apply their professional judgement, and resulted teachers as being messengers of the curriculum to submissive learners. The French system also went through changes around this time. Like Britain the education system primarily prepared labouring class children for the world of work. In the early 90’s issues were highlighted where teachers were regarded more as â€Å"ËÅ"cultural emitters’ rather than a â€Å"ËÅ"teacher’ especially secondary school teahers . Primary school teachers focused on the development of children rather than academic development. The educateion system in both France and Britiain share a common factor of taking interst in the childs devlopment and both have a nationaal curriculum to follow. The French system however differs compared to Britian in their child centered approach.The French very strongly follow the tradtion of equality, where everyove achieves at the same rate and every individual is treated the same. Therefore a dtrucutres learning programme has been implemented where pupils learn at the same rate and achieve at the samt rate. Teachers on France play a crucial role in assisting every individual pupil to a similar stage as each other and unlike the British teachers do not view their professional role as involving curriculum development. There is generally a diffrenc ein the way children are taught in France and Britain. As evident from a study conducted by Sharpe (92) the French primary schools tend to adopt a less child centred approach compared to Britain, they have a formal setting with blackboards and chalk, with desks faced towards the black board where as in Brtian there is more diversity in the way the National curriculum is taught, through working in groups, existence of play corners and there is a much more bright colourful displays of childrens work. Another difference in the French and British system is the concept of equality which is promoted on scholls. In the British system there os a emphasis in schools to reseocet multicultural values and other tradtions and cultures each being unique and individual. Whereas in the French system the ideology of a single nation culture is strongly promoted. The next stage from primary school is secondary school (in france refered to as lycÃÆ' ¨es professionelles), which the typical age for in both countries is between 10-12. [more recently there has been debates amongst the british overment about the way children are taught in primary schools and the very â€Å"ËÅ"child centered â€Å"ËÅ" approach has been critised. There has been speculation that the educational practices in Britiain may somewhat resmble the France system in the instructive and the extensive use and structure of the whole class. However these practices can only be implemented in the eduacational system through doverment intervention as unlike Britain, such practices in France are more â€Å"ËÅ"teachers professional culture (Mclean 199

Character Analysis Fresh Off The Boat By Eddie Huang

In Fresh off the Boat, Eddie Huang throughout his life struggled with his own identity due to his family dynamics which play a huge part in his choices. The author touches on these tough subjects of race and domestic violence which in a sense altered his view of his identity. Identity can be developed in many ways and there are a lot of factors that shape one’s views. Factors such as family heritage and racial stereotypes can alter one’s perception of the world. The choice of whether to assimilate is up to the individual themselves. Eddie Huang is an abused and bullied child who struggles to find his own identity while combatting cultural stereotypes. The abuse Eddie suffered was due to a cultural divide between his Asian immigrant parents†¦show more content†¦The violence in his family was normal to him. Eddie felt the pressures and unspoken code of conformity. There was a lot of pressure to fit in, after all to be singled out in the Chinese culture can cause students and their parents to feel shame or to be humiliated in front of their peers but Eddie refused to conform which led to lots of beatings and castigation by his parents and rebuke by his peers. From the people at Christian Fellowship to First Academy to my parents to Confucius to thousands of years of ass-backwards Chinese thinking, I knew how it felt. Everything my parents did to me and their parents did to them was justified under the banner of Tradition, Family, and Culture. (Huang 123-124) A Chinese family expects the child to support the family by doing well in school and obeying his parents. The Chinese value education as a stepping stone to success. Children are under a lot of pressure to succeed in school. Eddie speaks about how Confucius had a profound impact on his parent’s views and values. After all Confucius has been credited with stressing the importance of virtue and natural order in a civil society. Unlike others who let it eat them up and took it to their graves, I refused to be that Chinese kid walking everywhere with his head down. I wanted my dignity, my identity, and my pride back. (Huang 81) Eddie did not hold the same values as his parents and needed to stand out on his own merits which he wouldShow MoreRelatedGender Stereotypes And Gender Roles1959 Words   |  8 Pagesfaces of white actors and actresses have always been prevalent in the media. For generations, many teenagers have been exposed to countless movies with white people in major roles. Moreover, the few roles that are cast to minorities feature the characters in their stereotypical personas (Bonilla-Silva 179). Even in advertising, Asians are placed in business settings, upholding the hard-working Asian stereotype (Taylor and Stern 50). As Taylor and Stern mention in their paper, the â€Å"model minority†