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Importance Of Race, Racism, And Cultural Identity In Young Adult Literature

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Race, racism, and cultural identity is not a topic that is listed within the common curriculum, yet it is an essential conversation to have with students in order to give them a well-rounded education. Yes, the conversation may be uncomfortable, and many may not know how to start the conversation, but young adult literature is the perfect tool in order to conduct the conversation about race, racism, and cultural identity. Young adult literature is compiled of coming-of-age stories and narratives that explore different cultural and personal identities. This genre is the most effective avenue to teach about racial identity within English classrooms, having students read these stories is going to give them the tools to create a healthy identity …show more content…

Her novel outlines the aspects of racism such as intersectionality, police brutality, microaggressions, and how people with privilege can use their privilege in order to benefit society. The main argument within her novel is not about changing the minds of people, but it is about creating a space where racist norms are no longer accepted. In order to do this a conversation about race and racism needs to be had, and in order to create change this conversation needs to be present within the education world and within classrooms. Bringing young adult literature that explores race and different cultural identities is essential within the classroom, because not only is this going to create a diversified education, it going to open the door for a more in-depth conversation about racism in modern-day …show more content…

This book is essential to both groups within the classroom, not only will this start the conversation about race and racism, but it will also teach all of the literary devices that the classics are used to teach. Many have argued that this book does not belong in the classroom because of its vulgar language, the depiction of gun violence, and the riots that take place within the novel, and that is one of the problems that is currently infiltrating the education system, and it is a problem that is hindering the conversation of race and racism within the

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It portrays how times have changed for white and African Americans in the American justice system. Suzanne Lebsock did a very thorough job of explain through a story of how different the courts acted depending on a person’s race. It shows the discrimination people showed to other people who were not like them. The way that Lebsock wrote the book is a little confusing at times, because she goes back and forth between ways of explaining a subject. Also, she repeats the same trial base line throughout the entire book, in thus repeating a majority of the book multiple times.

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The book was very informative of life when racism was more apparent. I think that books like this show that standing up to racism is an option. It shows that even children of a younger age were involved in the situation.

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From complaints such as; this book is racist, and it is discrimination against “Black” people, the novel was removed from the Concord, Massachusetts, Public Library. (Apstein) In another case, the novel was marked as number five on the American Library Association’s “100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-1999.” (“Fight”) It isn’t shocking that the novel ended up on the list with all the misunderstandings that happened.

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These shows, such as 2 Broke Girls, Cops, Friends etc. each portrays racism, and classism, we just don’t notice it. The shows Cops have focused its show in lower class areas, never upper class, Friends and other sitcoms always throw in those ‘stereotypical’ jokes that everyone seems to find so funny. These shows prove that we (society) still do not treat everyone equally, and that our justice system continues to use racial profiling and classism as a way of social control. Not only does the book focus on the colonization of blacks, but also of Hispanics and how they are affected.

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All of this made this woman write a book. Anne’s storytelling is, if I’m being honest, remarkable. This young freshman gave us this unfiltered inside perspective on how horrible racism shredded her life, and make no mistake, it was not pretty. But for all the terrible things it exposes her to, it also gives her the courage to do what is right and to fight for the justice and equity she always knew she deserved, and her story serves as a living memory of what a struggle it was in the already mentioned outrageous, never mind the movement which unfolded in the Deep Southern states in the 1950s and

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From the book I have learned the history of the KKK, other knight groups, their way of living, and their way of thinking. I have also learned how somebody can be a regular old citizen in our community, but is a part of a hate group and believes that Blacks, Latinos, Asians, people from the LGBT community, and Jews are the enemy. Not only are these groups are more than relevant all over the country, but there are young children who will keep these groups alive. The children will be corrupted into thinking that racial hate is normal way to think and will follow the footsteps into their parents. This book very much shows how the Neo-Nazis, racist skinheads, white nationalist, and other groups want a white dominated nation.

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The main central theme or message of the book is to never stay silent while witnessing discrimination. Society could be influenced in the sense that we do not always speak up when witnessing injustice or oppression, and are sometimes oblivious to it. Also by recognizing that many people are racist, whether they mean it or not. Sometimes when we are close to someone we overlook their flaws, so if we start to recognize that it can help us become better people.

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It has very complex and touchy subjects in the story for example the book talks about rape and racism. It's not always easy for teachers to talk about it in schools because of the language used in the text. For some students the words used and actions said in the book are hard to hear and can make them uncomfortable. The book also does not explain the n-word is a derogatory word. How black characters are shown in the book is hurtful to black students' image of themselves and they can feel if it's pointed towards them.

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The use of the n-word in the novel has caused some to oppose the teaching of the book in classes. Usually the students and the parents who think

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536 Words | 3 Pages

Reading novels that use the derogatory term for an African- American express how they were mistreated and how far they have come today. The novels show a part of history in a way that can intrigue students to want to read and learn more. Novels with racial terms should be taught in classes because it is a learning experience about the past that every student can learn from. Reading the novels teaches the reader about history, to accept everyone, and everyone is a person no matter

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1006 Words | 5 Pages

All throughout Tatum’s article she puts the emotional hardships for the kids in every argument she makes. Tatum uses a personal encounter from a young girl who said she always found it odd that she was the only black girl in her honors classes. (p13) This story particularly plays on the emotions because the girl adds that her school was 35 percent black. To the reader hearing that a girl is a standout in her classes is extremely sad because we all have memory of ourselves being alone and this story triggers those emotions. Knowing the girl is the only one of her racial identity in her class could be intimidating, and make her feel alone or as if she doesn’t belong, and that is what triggers the reader’s emotions.

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Freedom of being who you are and acceptance is something that people with blessing overlook, and people without it strive to attain. Throughout American literature and history, problems of injustice have always been present. Sadly, many just accept the fact they are detested by society and very few know how to fight against it. The community has a way of creating a variety of oppression groups, American Literature being no exception, such as race and gender. Only with the help of these daring, brave authors can society revolutionize, each in their own unique way.

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442 Words | 2 Pages

But after taking this class as representing race, I know the main concepts and themes behind the book and how they faced all things which are not appropriate for any kind of race or color. The videos we saw in class are full of violence and full of discriminative words that I can’t even imagine. I found that the purpose of the book isn't to give itemized techniques to "illuminate" this emergency, yet the narrator

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920 Words | 4 Pages

Through interviews and reactions from Adam Yamaguchi, from the CBSN Originals, this documentary shares interviews from a varying number of teachers, students, and parents and ask their different points of view and how do they interpret the critical race theory. Activists and parents oppose the critical race theory and point out. Their claims on how schools teach their children “too young and too far” when teachers are teaching students the history of the United States and the effects of ethnicity and race in a minority’s daily lives (The Critical Race Theory, 5:21). Then, John adds on how the “critical race theory is wrong by implying that black people are in a permanently down condition or that it could change by some revolution in the way people think that deep we know is never going to happen” (The Critical Race Theory, 8:34). Although this may be true on the other hand, in an online critic meeting held by Moms for Liberty, an organization against the critical race theory, they are opposing the school district’s efforts to combat the critical race theory.

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895 Words | 4 Pages

For example, she showed how during Tom Robinson's case the judge believed that he was innocent but still sided with the white man. The reader being able to see all of the unequal treatment helps raise awareness and educate readers about the realities of racism and helps them have a deeper understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by these communities. Overcoming racial inequality has become a “one step forward and one step back” pattern

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