Racial Segregation
Societies have always had different classes, or subdivisions of economic and political standing. Ancient Greece was divided into the educated upper class, the middle working class, and slaves. Europe in the Middle Ages had an upper ruling class, and a poor working class. Africa in the past on hundred years had two classes, colonists and native Africans. Each class had a strict place in society and each person in that society was expected to conform to the behavior expected of their class. In these social structures, tension between classes start when a denomination of people believe that their niche in society is unjust. These racial tensions started in Africa between the two current classes; native Africans fought the Europeans colonists for control in every way that they could; literature being a widely used weapon. Two of these writings, Nadine Gordimere's Good Climate, Friendly Inhabitants and Zoe Wicomb's You Can't Get Lost In Cape Town, are written to show how European colonists define an African's place in society. The characters lives and opinions are shaped and defined by racial segregation and the influence of European colonists. South African culture is segregated by race, African tradition and way of life is
Characters are often shaped by societies in how they think and act. Specifically, in the readings You Can't Get Lost In Cape Town and Good Climate, Friendly Inhabitants, they illustrate racial segregation and the influence of European colonists shaping the characters' lives. The story Good Climate, Friendly Inhabitants, is a little different from the previous one in which we try to understand the concept racial segregation and colonization through the eyes of a white person (representing the European colonists), and not the victim (representing the African people). Sally loves him, she says, "For two years I have loved Michael, and wanted to marry him" (799). A relationship that is already viewed unacceptable by society, becoming pregnant puts Sally in a precarious and risky situation where she can only turn to her parents for support. Unfortunately she doesn't tell her parents about her situation and has to deal with the emotional and physical stresses on her own. The obvious reason to the reader why she doesn't tell her parents about Michael is probably the fact that her parents might not approve of her interracial relationship. She shows us otherwise by saying that if her father had known about Michael, he would have been "creaking in a suit [with] the unconcealed pleasure in Michael's successful academic career" (794). Therefore, she must have unwillingly known that their relationship was wrong in societies eyes and by continuing her relationship with Michael, she was in a sense revolting against racial segregation. Exactly the same look I remember on the face of a man, once, who was drowning looked down by English colonists because they consider it uncultured and barbaric. With English control came English law, and with English law came English prejudices. Native Africans are effectively forced to live in an English society where only second rate jobs are available, and where they are always considered inferior. Many native Africans are constantly reminded of this and cannot do anything about it. One day the man announces that he is leaving. When he is gone she is scared that he will come back, and it is only awhile that the woman starts to relax. In both of these short stories, Good Climate, Friendly Inhabitants, and You Can't Get Lost In Cape Town, the main characters' lives are shaped and defined by the racial segregation in South African society. In You Can't Get Lost In Cape Town, the woman tries to deal with racial segregation by being involved in an interracial relationship. In a way she is not fighting racism, where as it is society who is fighting her because she can't help who she loves. The woman's plight presents how unjust life in South Africa could be for a black woman. In Good Climate, Friendly Inhabitants the woman's racism is sharply contrasted by her support from a black man. Her racist views are ludicrous in her position but she never questions them, just as ma
Some common words found in the essay are:
Friendly Inhabitants, South African, Town African, Sally Smite, Cape Town, Middle Ages, South Africa, Jack Jack, Native Africans, Rhodesia Jack, racial segregation, friendly inhabitants, climate friendly inhabitants, climate friendly, lost cape town, cape town, lost cape, can't lost, native africans, south african, can't lost cape, european colonists, south african society, sally smite, doesn't tell parents,
Approximate Word count = 1979
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
