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LITR 4232 American
Renaissance 2010 Student Midterm Samples 2. Short essay (4-6 paragraphs) on 1 of 2 options (or combinations as inspired) :
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Jeanette Williams
Impacting Passages
There are many terms that were brought to my attention from the reading
assignments in this course. However I have chosen to answer option 2a in this
portion of the exam. The term or terms “sentimental stereotype” aroused my
curiosity and really caused me to question how a stereotype can be considered
sentimental. Stereotyping is often
associated with being a negative term or a term that is associative with
negativity. This immediately prompted the changing of my mind from using a
gothic passage for this portion of the exam to the sentimental stereotype
passages.
The two passages listed below from The
Legend of Sleepy Hollow were highlighted from the course reading assignment,
which otherwise I may not have been able to identify on my own.
Not being familiar with terms certainly makes it difficult to identify
their meaning or presence in a paragraph when they are seen.
I found it interesting to learn that sentimental literature in the past
was considered to be a cheap form of literature as was mentioned by Dr. White in
one of his lectures. In the 21st
century it appears that sentiment sells and appeals to many people who enjoy it.
This aspect was discussed in class by calling attention to the familiar
television show Little House on the
Prairie.
Sentimental stereotyping seems to be a bit different from sentimental literature
in general. Sentimental literature
appears to be literature that deals with the idea of the “good ole days” and how
things used to be. On the other
hand, sentimental stereotyping appears to center around how a particular person
or culture was or is perceived during “the good ole days.” In this first passage
I see the stereotyping to mean that the Negro is described as would be expected
during this time period. His
description is that of one who is poor so his attire exhibits that and the
description of the colt that he is riding is certainly not one that any other
person other than a Negro would be riding.
Icoabod Crane, as odd of a character as he described, even has a better
horse.
Not only are the attire and the colt an issue of stereotyping but language is
also. The passage below reveals
that a Negro has the tendency to feel important and tries really hard to speak
properly when delivering a message to “the big house” or delivering a message to
someone who is deemed important.
This seemingly suggests that Negroes are or were expected to show off or this
type of action is typical when they are chosen to deliver messages.
“suddenly interrupted by the
appearance of a negro in tow-cloth jacket and trowsers. a round-crowned fragment
of a hat, like the cap of Mercury, and mounted on the back of a ragged, wild,
half-broken colt, which he managed with a rope by way of halter. He came
clattering up to the school-door with an invitation to Ichabod to attend a
merry-making or "quilting-frolic," to be held that evening at Mynheer [mein herr
or m'lord] Van Tassel's; and having delivered his message with that air of
importance and effort at fine language which a negro is apt to display on petty
embassies of the kind, he dashed over the brook,and was seen scampering, away up
the Hollow, full of the importance and hurry of
his mission.
[sentimental stereotype of African American servants--slavery continued in NY
State till 1820s
I
chose this second passage because of the sentimental stereotyping that is
highlighted from the course reading. The passage below seems to differ in the
kind of stereotyping than in the previously mentioned passage.
The stereotyping here is more of the entire group being proud of one who
makes the group as a whole look good or gives everyone something to be proud of
which is typical of a Negro and his culture. There
is also the description of “white eyeballs” and “rows of ivory” which is a
typical of describing Negros as being so dark that one can only see the whites
of their eyeballs or their ivory (white) teeth.
Last but not least there is the insinuation that is also a typical
stereotype of how Negros really enjoys having a good time which is also depicted
a little in this passage.
He was the admiration of all
the negroes; who, having gathered, of all ages and sizes, from the farm and the
neighborhood, stood forming a pyramid of shining black faces at every door and
window; gazing with delight at the scene; rolling their white eye-balls, and
showing grinning rows of ivory from ear to ear.
[another "sentimental stereotype"]
Both of these passages
made an impact on me because I am a Negro, which is no longer the term used to
describe my race. It is amazing
that these stereotypes still exist today and somehow I believe that because this
is how we have been depicted in literature and history that the Negro/African
American/Black person has taken on these characteristics because it is what is
expected. As a culture we
(Negro/African American/Black) do not read these types of books so therefore we
are not aware of these types of passages unless we are required to do so.
This is my first time reading either of these texts as well as many of
the others assigned and had I not taken this course I would have never known
theses passages or others like them exist.
I would even go so far as to ask why is there a need for a Negro to be
present in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
