Lulia Baraka Language Analysis

953 Words4 Pages

The symbols used by Baraka in this first scene suggest to the audience that the education and literacy of white America, in contrast to the uneducated majority of African-Americans, was delaying African-Americans in speaking out against the white man and delaying their awareness of the injustice and imbalance of power between whites and blacks. As Rice suggested, Baraka could be attempting to send a message to the African-American people, urging them to take action against the inequalities and the control held by white America. This portrays the white man as being controlling and manipulative of African-Americans, as well as attempting to seduce them into submission. Lula’s mockery of Clay and her use of language in their interaction is also an attempt by Baraka to portray white America to the reader or audience. Lula ‘bewitches Clay not only with her seductive beauty, but also with her language’ (Klotman, 1973, 100). Lula chooses to talk in riddles, helping Baraka to portray his idea of the relationship between black and white America to the reader or audience (Rice, 1971). Lula stereotypes African-Americans, and African-American experience throughout the play. She is convinced she knows what sort of person …show more content…

Lula calmly stabs Clay in front of the other passengers on the train. Their inaction and complicity highlights further Baraka’s message that white America’s control and dominance of African-Americans will continue unless they take a stand. This final act of murder portrays the white man as wanting to continue to hold their position of power and control over African-Americans. At the end of the play, Kumar highlights how this act of murder emphasises how Lula 's authority ‘is supreme and unchallenged’ and how ‘Clay 's act of assertion is an offense, a sin for which the only retribution is