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The depiction of black identity in art and literature is more often negative than positive.
This happens for many reasons, such as the history of the black life, stereotypes, and a lack of
advocates for positive portrayal. In the following, I will how literature portrays both black men
and black women, why this is the case, and why it is important to accurately and appropriately
illustrate blacks in literature.
When black women are represented in literature, they are most often portrayed as either a
Mulatta, prostitute or mammy. The Mulatta originated in African-American literature
(Purkayastha, 2011). The typical Mulatta combined the physical characteristics of both races
and the white race could take moral satisfaction and cover their guilt by supposing that they were
lightening up the dark African race (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 29). While the Mulatta image may
not seem terrible, the problem is that she is often portrayed as having a physical beauty that
surpassed that of her mistress whom she served as a house slave and whose envy and hatred she
had to encounter and endure every day (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 29). To readers, this image instills
that even if a black woman is a Mulatta, she can only work as a slave and/or a mistress; a
negative connotation. In other literature, black women are portrayed as prostitutes, or weak,
uneducated sexual objects (Wyatt, 1988, p. 49). Additionally, these black women prostitutes are
having a sexual prowess, insatiable sexual hunger, libido and absence of morality
(Purkayastha, 2011, p. 27). When comparing the prostitute role of black women to that of a white
woman, the black woman is known within the confines of her own community a freedom from
sexist categories (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 26). These images of black women make readers
believe that being a prostitute in literature is one of the few roles that black women can hold.
One of the final portrayals of black women in literature, perhaps the most common, is the
image of the working woman (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 28), otherwise known as, the mammy.
The mammy figure can be seen in the well-known Aunt Jemima (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 26)
and is a faithful and dark foil to the white, fragile, dainty womanhood (Purkayastha, 2011, p.
26). The mammy figure is typically illustrated in the same way every time, as black, stout or
obese, nurturing, religious, kind, above all strong and capable- an all-embracing figure, she
herself needed or demanded little. Mammy is physically unattractive but bountiful
(Purkayastha, 2011, p. 26).
When black men are represented in literature, they are an antagonist, threat, or
impoverished. In some literature, none of the black men are portrayed as intellectuals who
pursue higher levels of education (Wyatt, 1988, p. 16). Or the black men are written to view
the lifestyle of the white man as a success (Wyatt, 1988, p. 5) and are often considered
powerless and meaningless in a predominantly white society (Wyatt, 1988). While in other
literature, black men are characterized as abusers, sexual users, alcoholics. Some also have
strong feelings of insecurities toward women (Wyatt, 1988. p. 48). These insecurities come
from the common jealousy black men feel towards black women because of their difficulties in
pursuing a valuable education and getting a dependable, healthy job.
There are many reasons for these negative images of black men and women in literature.
One of the most common is because these images are churned out by a dominant white culture
and imposed upon black men and women as a mark of their inferior social status (Purkayastha,
2011, p. 26), this is also done as an attempt by the white mainstream to define what it didnt
understand, and to keep from elevating the statue of African-American culture (Hayes, 2012).
Another popular thought as to why this negative image exists comes from the historical treatment
of black men and women, specifically, slavery. Black men and women have suffered from the
after-effects of slavery. These effects have caused authors to have stereotypical images of black
men and women (Wyatt, 1988, p. 66), in other words, the images of black men and women
often come from the roles that have traditionally been a part of them. These historical roles are
references when black women are put in the roles of either a prostitutes or mammy and when
black men are put in the roles of being uneducated and angry. The sexualized roles of black
women can also be related to historical roles; historical records indicated that the sexual
degradation of the black woman by both black and white men could be possible because the
conditions of poverty in the black community expose black women to the many dimensions of
sex at an early age which has freed her from repression and enabled her to accept sexual relations
with inhibition (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 30).
Literature that does not accurately identify black men and women leaves readers with a
negative impression of black men and women (Wyatt, 1988, p. 72). One way that authors can
actively work towards making this change is by portraying black fictional and nonfictional
characters in a more positive light or experiencing problems that are common today (Wyatt,
1988). Zora Neale Hurston is an example of an author who actively worked towards positively
identifying and illustrating blacks in literature. Hurston did this by rarely portraying blacks as
victims of the oppression and racist attitudes held by white society and instead represented
blacks as autonomous beings, proud of their folk culture (AALC, 2014). In doing this, Hurston
was refusing to view the black life as being impoverished (AALC, 2014). As an example, in two
of Hurstons most famous pieces, Jonahs Gourd Vine and Their Eyes Were Watching God, the
protagonists depict facets of black culture and the struggle to embrace these cultural values
within the context of white values (AALC, 2014). Hurston is a legendary example for current
authors in teaching them how to identify black men and women as enjoying their and living their
life to the fullest. Hurston also can teach current authors how to write about black men and
women in ways other than focusing on the everyday injustices blacks suffer because of racism
in American culture (AALC, 2014).
In conclusion, black men and women are often identified negatively in literature. This can
be done in many ways. This change can be made in many ways and needs to be made by both
black and white authors. Black authors can make this change by not only illustrating their
struggles but the diversity and richness of their existence from their own perspective
(Purkayastha, 2011, p. 31). Both black and white authors can make this change by using Zora
Neale Hurston as an example as loving celebrations of black life were Hurstons effective
political weapon, and a racial pride was one of her greatest gifts to American literature (AALC,
2014).
How are conflicts between black men and women represented and how are they
reconciled?
In literature, one of the most underrepresented groups of individuals is those of black
men and women. Not only are they underrepresented, but they are misrepresented. Gina Wyatt
writes in her masters thesis, The Portrayal of Black Men and Black Women in Selected Works of
Selected Black Authors (1988), that black men are typically illustrated to be uneducated, pimps,
criminals, and abusers (p. 3). While black women are portrayed as weak, prostitutes,
dependent upon the black male, housewives and pregnant (Wyatt, 1988, p. 3). There are thought
to be many reasons why black men and women are written in such negative lights, one of the
most prominent beings that the representations are believed to have been based upon personal
beliefs and experiences (Wyatt, 1988, p. 2). In the following, I will briefly discuss the portrayal
of black women and men and their interactions in literature.
Black women are represented in literature as a Mulatta, prostitute or mammy. The
Mulatta combined the physical characteristics of both races and the white race could take moral
satisfaction and cover their guilt by supposing that they were lightening up the African race
(Purkayastha, 2011, p. 29). In other literature, black women are portrayed as prostitutes, or
weak, uneducated sexual objects (Wyatt, 1988, p. 49). Additionally, these black women
prostitutes are having a sexual prowess, insatiable sexual hunger, libido and absence of
morality (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 27). When comparing the prostitute role of black women to that
of a white woman, the black woman is known within the confines of her own community a
freedom from sexist categories (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 26).
One of the final portrayals of black women in literature is the image of the working
woman (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 28), otherwise known as, the mammy. The mammy figure is a
faithful and dark foil to the white, fragile, dainty womanhood (Purkayastha, 2011, p. 26). The
mammy figure is typically illustrated in the same way every time, as black, stout or obese,
nurturing, religious, kind, above all strong and capable- an all-embracing figure, she herself
needed or demanded little. Mammy is physically unattractive but bountiful (Purkayastha, 2011,
p. 26). One reason why the mammy role is so popular is because nurturing and motherly
characteristics are thought to be a natural part of her, and not something she has developed as an
individual (Wyatt, 1988, p. 50). The mammy takes on many roles in both the household and the
fields and is rarely praised for her hard work (Wyatt, 1988). An example of the mammy role in
literature can be found in the novel, Native Son, by Richard Wright (1940). In the novel, the
mother of the main character, Bigger Thomas, was considered his provider and support system.
However, the mother was unsuccessful; Biggers actions make the readers feel that his mother has
failed in raising him, and Wright makes the readers feel that without Bigger, his mother would
not have made it. Additionally, Biggers mother barely has enough for herself and her children.
While these common roles, the Mulatta, prostitute, and mammy all seem like relatively
negative portrayals of black women in literature, it is also common that, contrary to black men,
black women have could pursue higher levels of education, resulting in the ability to obtain
better employment (Wyatt, 1988, p. 16). Because of this, it is common that black men are
illustrated as being jealous; Black men display their jealousy by viewing the achievements of a
black woman as interfering with their masculine role as head of the household. Their jealousy
manifests through their degradation of black women and their desire to maintain control (Wyatt,
1988, p. 18). Although black men are often seen as degrading to black women because of this
jealousy, the black female continuously supports the black male (Wyatt, 1988, p. 62).
Typically, black men are not represented in literature. However, when they are
represented, they are illustrated to be an antagonist, threat, impoverished, etc. In some literature,
none of the black men are portrayed as intellectuals who pursue higher levels of education
(Wyatt, 1988, p. 16). In literature that include both black and white men, the black men are
written to view the lifestyle of the white man as a success (Wyatt, 1988, p. 5) and are often
considered powerless and meaningless in a predominantly white society (Wyatt, 1988). While in
other literature, black men are characterized as abusers, sexual users, alcoholics. Some also
have strong feelings of insecurities toward women (Wyatt, 1988. p. 48).
As mentioned, a common conflict in literature between black men and women comes
from the black mens insecurities. These insecurities come from the common jealousy black men
feel towards black women because of their difficulties in pursuing a valuable education and
getting a dependable, healthy job. However, in many forms of literature, the black mens
jealousy tend to resort to physical and mental abuse (Wyatt, 1988, p. 35). Not only are the
individual portrayal of black men and women often negative, but so are the portrayal of their
interactions. Another popular conflict between black men and women that are found in literature
is that of black women consistently needing to sexually satisfy black men. This is degrading to
both black men and black women. However, often the black men do not fault themselves for
gaining sexual pleasure from black women. When black men perform with black women
sexually, they believe they are giving women something they want (Wyatt, 1988, p. 52). This
conflict and many others are either resolved through physical and mental abuse or not resolved at
all (Wyatt, 1988).
Black men and black women are often portrayed negatively in literature. Additionally, the
interactions and conflicts of black men and women are also often worse that conflicts of white
men and women. These conflicts often end in physical or mental abuse or remain unresolved.
Although this is a real issue, some authors have already begun to make changes. Many black
women authors are not attempting to portray not only their complex struggles of black womens
existence but the diversity and richness of their existence from their own perspective. Here we
encounter black women who have come forward to shed light on their situations, to discover
their selfhoods and identities, to register and understand their growth, to examine their
relationship to men, children, society, history, and philosophy as she experienced it (Purkaystha,
2011, p. 31). However, it is not only important for black authors to make a change, it is important
for all authors to make a change. Wyatt (1988) writes, authors can benefit the image of black
society by portraying their characters in a more positive image. Authors could portray fictional
characters in problems that are common in a black society, instead of leaving readers with a
negative impression of black men and women at the end of a novel (p. 72).
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