Ralph Ellison Racism

Racism is just about as old as human society. It has been a reoccurring problem for hundreds of years. It is based on the idea that skin color and ethnicity can make one person better than another. Although this might sound ridiculous, it is believed by many people all around the world. Over time, racism has spread to almost every aspect of human life. Literature is one way that people convey their opinions and beliefs about racism. While they do so in different ways, Ralph Ellison and Langston Hughes both explore the theme of racism. Both of these stories take place at a similar time. It was a time in history when race played a much bigger part in peoples’ lives than it does now. Although they are written in different ways, both authors

One of which, is the plot. In, “Why You Reckon?” after the two colored folks have robbed a white man, he excitedly says, ‘“This was thrilling!”’ (Hughes 258). Near the beginning of, “The Black Ball,” John is approached by a white man who is unusually friendly to him. After the white man recognizes John’s confusion, he says, ‘“Fellow like me offering fellow like you something besides a rope”’ (Ellison 346). The plots to these stories are both very different, but they both have a similar plot twist. In both stories one of the white characters is not like the main characters expected them to be. In both stories, the main character expects the white man to be hostile towards him. When in fact, the white man from both stories turns out to be friendly and understanding. This concept challenges the racism present in both of these stories and introduces the idea that different races can get

There are examples of it all over modern human society, social media, and works of art. Literature is a common way for people to express their opinions and experiences with racism. Although they go about it differently, both Ralph Ellison and Langston Hughes tell a story where racism is a very important theme. Many stories about racism take place in the past, when racism was a lot more common and examples of it were witnessed every day. This does not mean that racism is no longer a relevant problem. Racism is likely to continue until the end of time and will continue to be explored in