Octavia Butler’s Kindred and Ralph Ellison’s “The Birthmark” reveal the violence which controlled Black individuals in racist eras. Each of these stories take place when there were different laws in place, however the violence against Black citizens was inevitable and unavoidable. While they take place in dark times during America’s history, they also contain elements of hope. Dana in Kindred and Clara in “The Birthmark” are strong female characters who refuse to remain silent in harsh conditions. Characters such as Dana and Clara represent hope and strength in the face of adversity, and embody the types of people who were able to make changes in history by maintaining their beliefs and refusing to comply with their unfortunate situations.
One of the most troubling experiences for Dana in Kindred is watching her white husband accept what is happening around them. The way Dana feels about Kevin’s reactions reveals the strength she maintains despite all of the trying and painful realities she is subjected to. “You might be able to go through this whole experience as an observer…I can understand that because most of the time, I’m still an observer. It’s protection. It’s nineteen seventy-six shielding and cushioning eighteen nineteen for me. But now and then, like with the kids’ game, I can’t maintain the distance. I’m drawn all the way into eighteen nineteen, and I don’t know what to do. I ought to be doing something though. I know that” (Butler, 101). Even while recognizing her limitations as a slave, Dana maintains her ideologies that something must be done. It is by not giving in to her surroundings, even as a black female in a society dominated by white men, that Dana represents the hope that contributed to the eventual emancipation of slaves in America.
Clara knows her limitations in her society, much like Dana, but she also speaks out against what she knows is wrong in an attempt to take a stand. Clara puts her own safety and her brother’s safety at risk by yelling at a patrolman in an effort to make it known that she will not accept the white men’s lies. “They asked us last month to sign a piece of paper saying we wanted things like this to stop and you was afraid. Now look at my brother, he’s laying there looking like something ain’t even human. And these white folks talking ‘bout a car hit him. He was lynched, Lynched! I’m gonna tell everybody, HE WAS LYNCHED!” (Ellison, 2). Knowing that she was in the presence of white men, men who were probably responsible for her brother’s lynching wasn’t enough to keep Clara quiet. Clara confronts the truth about her brother’s fate. She knows it was no ordinary auto accident that killed her brother, but a mob of angry whites. Clara shows true bravery by telling a white man she won’t accept their lies. Clara is an example of those who used their voice to expose the harsh truth about violence against blacks, regardless of their fear of the consequences.
The strong black, female characters such as Dana and Clara reveal the importance of not remaining silent. These women represent the attitudes that changed history and contributed to the civil rights movements as we know them. Dana and Clara speak with honesty and represent the hope that maintained for change, despite the norms and laws of society that hindered their freedom.
you have a great argument here, but I feel that you can expand on this argument much more. You have a strong first paragraph, but your body paragraphs don't follow through on that strength. Use more examples from the text to support your argument and make sure that the strength of your argument follows through.
ReplyDeleteWhile i really like your paper (it is well written, cohesive and enjoyable to read), i don't think it is a close read of either text. I think you have an interesting idea--that both Clara and Dana embody hope--but I think you spend the majority of your paper going into plot summary. I think an interesting point for you to explore might be the section where Dana slits her wrists in order to get back to 1976. In what ways does her willingness to die (seen by some as a sign of weakeness) become another example of her strength (i.e., she would rather die-on her own terms-than be beaten/whipped)? I haven't read the Ellison story yet, so I can't really offer you any advice on that one. I hope this helps you in some way!
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with Jessica, I felt that the evidence you provided didn't justify an argument or comparison. In the introduction you also set a scene of "racist eras" which threw me off. I think you can describe the times the women live in a better fashion. I think you need to truly compare the women's experiences outside of just being female protagonists.
ReplyDeleteMadeline,
ReplyDeleteGreat start with your close reading. I agree with the previous comments that while the focus of the piece is very easy to follow, I'm not quite sure what you are wanting to argue. You mention that they both embody women who refuse to be silent and represent the hope of change for their time, but they both aren't actually from the 1800's. I think it might be interesting to consider if it matters that they both refuse to be silent in the same way but really aren't from the same era? How does Dana's existence in "present" time complicate this comparison to Clara? Just some thoughts, but overall good job!
This is a good start. I like how you are trying to compare the two women. I agree with the people above me to an extent. I see what you are trying to argue, that these women represent hope, but if you go a little deeper under the surface of the texts, it could strengthen your close reading.
ReplyDeleteMadeline, I think you tackle an interesting argument here, but I'd like to see you explore the opposite side of your argument as well -- yes, Dana and Clara have moments of strength, but they also have moments of weakness. How do these moments of weakness function in the text and alter/impact your argument of strong, female characters?
ReplyDeleteI like this a lot. I think that what you should do is make a claim about each character. Although they both stand up and embody hope, what are their differences? Clara has never revisited the past, but stands up when violence is her present. How does this make her different from Dana? I'm just thinking as I'm going here. Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteI think you need to look at a couple things. The first being your intro paragraph. In particular, what are the racist eras of the United States? Presently, we still live in a highly racist time. Do you mean a Jim Crowe type of racism or another form? Also, explain the finer points of why they embody hope. As stacy pointed out, elaborate more on the significance of Clara's performance since she has doesn't have the capability of going back in time.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job on this close read, and bring up good points of evidence to support your argument. Perhaps arguing that both Dana and Clara refuse to BE silent about atrocities as opposed to "remain silent" is a better phrasing? I just read Logan's piece, and he wrote about how it would have been a lost cause (and dangerous) for Clara to try and get legal justice for the lynching, so this is where my thought process is! What is it about these two women-supported by two men who ARE silent at the time- that makes them worth being symbols of hope? If it's because they refuse to be silent, then maybe explore ways in which their speaking out was dangerous (so they were committing an incredibly brave act). I think you do have an opportunity to work the men in this argument as well--why is it that the women are speaking up, yet the men remain complacent in these situations? Is it the gendered stereotype that women are emotional and men are logical (as someone argued in class on Tuesday), or does it go beyond that?
ReplyDeleteI like this close read and the argument you're going for, but I'd like to see the argument for Dana's strength be expanded on. Clara's example shows her specifically acting out against her surroundings. However, the example with Dana only shows her talking about doing something rather than actually doing it. Maybe try to dive deeper into a specific example of Dana's strength.
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea you started with and the direction you're going - it's somewhat refreshing to see such a positive reading of such oppressive texts. I'm not quite convinced, though. I think your section on Clara was convincing, but the section about Dana needs some work. Dana is a complex character - think about the moments when she seems almost comfortable playing the role of slave (which seems contrary to the "won't be silenced" model here). I think you could still pull off this argument with Dana, but you need to really scour the text for those specific moments which are key to your argument.
ReplyDeleteNice job! I liked that you talked about both Dana and Clara as strong outspoken women. However I feel like in order for you to prove your argument you need to explain more in depth how these characters changed history. I also feel like you can expand upon the ideas that you touch on in your conclusion. For instance, how did they contribute to the civil rights movement?
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think you are making a good point and it is clear, are Dana and Alice truly able to change history? I think it is giving out some false hope that people who are outspoken have the ability to change the past when in reality, the only reason Dana was able to impact the past was because of her magic disappearances.
ReplyDeleteI think that you're on to something good, but I'm still left with questions after reading your post. First, it's a bold claim to say that it was characters like these that led to the changes in history- I don't think it's wrong, but I do think if you're going to use it you need to provide evidence, and that can be tricky. I also think there's a lot more complexity to the characters than what you've laid out. To echo Dane, Dana quite often DOES accept her role as slave to an extent, and you should use to complicate your argument. On the flip side, at the end of Birthmark, we're not sure whether or not Clara will continue to speak out. I read it as the police officer successfully silencing them with their threats: if this is the case, while she was strong in that moment, does her strength end there? I think there are questions that will make your argument more convincing if you address them. Good start though!
ReplyDeleteGreat topic! Your paper is very well written but I think you could improve by using more evidence. For example, in the first paragraph you talk about Dana's reaction to Kevin, but I think an instance in the novel where Dana refuses to be silenced in front of a white man (maybe a time she stands up to Rufus) would be a better example. Also since this is supposed to be a close reading you may want to cut out one of the stories so you can do a better job digging into the text. I would suggest focusing on The Birthmark because you probably won't have enough room to do this paper on Kindred.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of displaying Clara and Dana as strong women in their time period, but I think your paper could use some work. Like others have said, more examples and connections between to two women would definitely develop your paper. I think you should also consider the men in these stories. Right now, it seems to be mostly plot summary. With more examples, details, and consideration of other characters, it could be a good piece.
ReplyDeleteMadeline,
ReplyDeleteI think your paper could use a little more analysis. Clara clearly speaks out against the police and their lies, but how exactly does Clara "make changes in history?" Also, the connections between Clara and Dana could be stronger.
I like this angle you've chosen, but I think you could find something unique in it. i agree, more examples/analysis connections. i think your 2nd paragraph could get to the hope bit faster, and discuss it more thoroughly. since you mention kevin, maybe talk about how dana betters him, or makes him see things or change positively? i like amy's suggestion about the balance of their strengths and weaknesses as well.
ReplyDeleteI feel like your paper just hits the surface of what you are trying to argue. You made a connection between Clara and Dana but I don't think the connection is strong enough for the claim you're making. Adding more analysis to your paper will definitely help that. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm mostly seeing the "So What" in this piece, but not really much analysis or detail. Both women are unsettled by injustice, which is extremely admirable, but it's also rather obvious in the texts. I'd go deeper into your readings of them -- How does Dana speak out? What does she ultimately do? What does Clara accomplish by her outrage? Is she right to risk her brother's safety, knowing that he will take the physical punishment for what she's saying? I love where you're starting; just keep running with it!
ReplyDeleteI think you need more analysis. Unpack some of the quotes. Why are they significant? How do they contribute to the argument? I think also, I would hesitate to think that Dana is that strong of a character. She certainty come to accept ideology of the time she is in. How can you prove to me that despite this, she is still strong? I am not sure she always refuses.
ReplyDeleteCool topic, though I wish you had added a few more supporting quotes and explained/expanded on the ones you included. That being said, I think that you should explore the duality between weakness and strength and how it effects the perception of women each way. How is this different for Clara vs. Dana? Nice job, keep going!
ReplyDeleteI really like your close reading; you have a clear argument, strong supportive evidence and you answer the "so what?" question. Great job! To further strengthen your argument, I would suggest using more evidence, or drawing more comparisons and realy delving into the implications by explicitly stating why it is so important that there be women like Dana and Clara, etc.
ReplyDeleteI really like where you're headed here. I think you have a great start but will really need to work on your interpretation of Dana as a woman with a voice. It's important to note that she survives by keeping quiet in many moments and by doing simply what she is told to do. I think some more close reading for the quotes would be really helpful in confirming Dana as a strong character.
ReplyDeleteYou’ve developed a great first draft of your close reading, but I’d encourage you to go further with your analysis of each scene you’ve used from both texts to support your argument, and to also include other examples from each text. For example, I’d consider using the passage from “The Birthmark” where Clara says, “I ain’t gonna be the same after this, Matt, and I want to see it all so’s I’ll never forget why..” (Ellison, 16). I think this scene could contribute to your argument because in it Clara states that her fate will forever be changed by what she’ll see when looking at Willie’s ravaged body. Yet, she knows it’s necessary for her to see it so that she’ll never forget the crime that was committed against her brother, a Black man, and what she needs to do possibly call attention to the horrid crime of lynching and why it should be stopped. A scene you might also consider using from Kindred is when Dana ultimately makes the decision to kill Rufus.
ReplyDeleteI think you do a good job of laying out all of the information in your piece. To help strengthen it, I think it would be important to explain or explore how these moments of not being silent change or alter the situation. The action of speaking needs to create a ripple effect if it is truly going to change anything. Therefore, do Clara's words challenge the authority the patrolman feels he has? Do Dana's words encourage her to make a change?
ReplyDeleteYou have a great idea here. But I think it would be more effective for you to only focus on one character. You could spend pages and pages on two characters, so in order to tighten your close read it might be helpful for you to just pick one. I would pick Clara just because Dana is a complex character and sometimes her actions support your argument but then sometimes they don't. Clara is vocal about her feelings on the lynching throughout the piece and doesn't seem to care about the possible danger of speaking up. If you wanted to do a compare and contrast, try contrasting Clara being outspoken with her softer brother.
ReplyDeleteI think that by trying to focus on two characters your argument feels slightly general or summarizing at times. I would be interested in a more gendered reading - why is it that in both of these texts that the "strong" characters are represented by females? What does that say about gender relations, etc.?
ReplyDeleteI think you're just hitting the tip of the iceberg on this one. I think you really need to dive deeper into what you're trying to say. In your second paragraph, the majority of it is just one quote. I would break that out and paraphrase, and then allow yourself to really dig into what that is saying. You make general statements, and the paper has a good argument, I just think you need to flesh it out to make it more meaty.
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