LITR 5731: Seminar in
American Multicultural Literature: Minority
Sample Student Final Exam Submission,
Philip Jones
African American and Gay:
The Challenges, Obstacles, and Victories
of Living as a Double Minority
My experience with this course has been a very unique, inspiring, and electrifying one in relation to prior literature courses taken throughout both my undergraduate and graduate career. Several of the texts read this semester mirror my own personal life experiences considering the fact that this seminar was my first encounter with such a diverse reading lists which illuminated the dark, challenging, obstacles such as racial discrimination, hatred, ignorance, and being labeled as the “other” as a result of rebelling against conventional rules, views, and customs of one’s culture. Living as an African American gay man, which interestingly classifies myself as a “double minority”, I have encountered many negative experiences that not only played a major role in my becoming a strong, passionate, energetic, and self-assertive black man, but also a very strong, proud, self-assertive gay man who has accomplished an outstanding level of both academic and personal success, which has resulted in my current level of strong individuality and self-prioritization at all costs.
One powerful text which awakened a very painful memory in my past is the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” read at the opening of the semester. Douglass’s dramatic, yet inspirational experience with negative reinforcement in relation to Mr. Auld’s continuous and relentless attempt to suppress his desire to learn how to read upon Mrs. Auld’s initiation to teach him the ABC’s, only strengthened Douglass’s desire to overcome Mr. Auld’s ignorant, racists, suppressive attitude toward his intellectual advancement. Mrs. Auld’s sweet, nurturing, angelic dedication to Douglass’s literacy resulted in him learning how to spell which is the climax of his journey toward a highly independent, educated, and notable life of respect and individuality which he has longed for his entire life.
In relation to the concept of negative reinforcement, Douglass accomplishes this magnificent stride in his life regardless of Mr. Auld’s hateful words of anger, and his ignorant view concerning the education of slaves:
To use his own words, further, he said; if you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master – to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world. ( Douglass 58)
Regardless of Mr. Auld’s words of ignorance and hatred, literacy continued to be the first step in Douglass joining the world of opportunity and asserting his independence. Ultimately, Douglass realizes that Mr. Auld is responsible for contributing to his advancement in literacy and is able to actually thank him for his generous contribution. As a result of Mr. Auld’s negative reinforcement and ignorance concerning the value of his education, his desire for literacy continued to grow. He realized that his most powerful weapon against Mr. Auld was his progression to equality in the most honorable way possible which was to become independent and educated:
I now understood what had been to a me a most perplexing difficulty – to wit, the white man’s power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. (Douglass 58-59)
The more Mr. Auld disapproves of his quest for self improvement, the greater Douglass’s desire became for it. Douglass began to understand the theory or system behind slavery for someone like Mr. Auld, and therefore, he was able to defeat it. He realized that Mr. Auld would disapprove of anything which elevated the slave to a higher level of human existence. Advancement and transcendence to a higher level of intellectual existence became the ideal for Douglass:
I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master. Though conscious of the difficulty of learning without a teacher, I set out with high hope and a fixed purpose, at whatever cost of trouble, to learn how to read. The very decided manner with which he spoke, and strove to impress his wife with the evil consequences of giving me instruction, served to convince me that he was deeply sensible of the truths he was uttering. It gave me the best assurance that I might rely with the utmost confidence on the results which, he said, would flow from teaching me to read. What he most dreaded, that I most desired. What he most loved, that I most hated. That which to him was a great evil, to be carefully shunned, was to me a great good, to be diligently sought; and the argument which he so warmly urged, against my learning to read, only served to inspire me with a desire and determination to learn. (Douglass 59)
This inspirational, powerful act of Douglass rebelling against Mr. Auld’s ignorance, and his suppression of the intellectual, spiritual, and psychological growth of his mind in this passage, interestingly mirrors my own inspirational acts of rebellion as an 18 year old when several of my friends, and several aunts and uncles repeatedly expressed to me that living my life as a homosexual would result in a very dark, desolate, lonely existence for me in the sense that I would have no friends, I would be rejected from the church, I would not attain a respectable career, or a respectable social life. The moment these very hurtful, hateful, ignorant discriminatory words shot out of their mouths, and penetrated their sharp edges into my heart, there was a passionate determination which ignited within my heart, soul, and spirit to prove my friends, aunts, and uncles wrong. I was determined to prove that as a gay man, I was just as capable of acquiring a respectable, resourceful and highly productive lifestyle on a social, religious, and intellectual level as they have as heterosexuals. Like Douglass, I used the words of hate and ignorance as fuel to positively rebel, and discredit the suppressive, irrational beliefs of these people. The center of my priority lied with making as many friends as possible, becoming involved in many social events both in church and school, and most importantly, asserting my social, emotional, aesthetic, and intellectual equality to people on all levels of humanity.
Currently at the age of 30, like Douglass, I successfully won my fight against the hurtful words of hate, discrimination, and irrationality. I successfully completed an undergraduate degree, and am currently pursuing an M.A. in English Literature. I have developed very special and intimate friends whom I can call on for anything at any time, and who love and respect me regardless of my sexual preference. Contradictory to the horrific struggles which my childhood friends and my aunts and uncles so relentlessly predicted I would regretfully encounter, I have encountered nothing less than unconditional love and respect from the church, friends, and other family members, and have received very high and honorable levels of academic recognition which ultimately equated me to all levels of humanity within both the homosexual, and heterosexual community. Like Douglass, regardless of the negative, hurtful, hateful words of suppression and discrimination which tends to demolish one’s identity on a psychological, emotional, aesthetic, and intellectual level, I was able to transcend to my full social, spiritual, and intellectual potential and identity to immeasurable depths, ultimately enabling myself to currently lead a life flourishing with pride, self-respect, and the highest level of emotional, psychological, and intellectual merit on all levels of human existence.
As a result of my minority literary experience being complete non-existent until enrolling in this seminar, the diverse insights, perspectives, and views presented about the literature read this semester, made a very powerful impact on not only my own personal perspective of the homosexual lifestyle, but also the lifestyles which exist across the various cultures that shape current day America. Considering the primary minority groups in our society are African American, Mexican American, and gays and lesbians, there are many dark, demonic, and hateful entities of suppression and ignorance that relentlessly attempt to shatter all levels of hope, imagination, aspiration, and courage on all levels of human life. A very powerful poem studied this semester which embodies the ideas of faith, courage, and aspiration of the self in which the hateful entities of suppression and ignorance attempt to suppress within minority culture, and also my self as a gay man, is Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise.” Specifically, in reference to the ignorant, irrational words of discrimination which I endured from my own childhood friends and family, this poem seems to thoroughly idealize the attitude of overcoming life obstacles such as questing for identity, battling all levels of racial and sexual discrimination, and the dark, constricting powers of suppression which ultimately demolishes the emotional, psychological, and aesthetic self. The poem interestingly echoes the powerful attitude of inspiration, unlimited determination, and the proud act of rebelling against the negative, authoritative, suppressive figures in life which I possessed at the close of my teenage years:
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust I rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness
But still,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain,
I rise. (Angelou 1-16, 21-24, 31-32)
These powerful passages from Maya Angelou’s poem dramatically capture the horrific, hateful, and painful words and attitudes of gay discrimination which I suffered as a teenager from special people in my life, and also the inspiration, strength, and courage which I passionately exhibited as a teenager, and currently as an adult which enabled me to “rise” above and beyond the hurt, the pain, and the authoritative, constricting suppression of my true homosexual identity which heterosexual society inflicted upon me. As a successful holder of a B.M. (Bachelor of Music) degree, and a soon to be holder of an M.A. (Master of Arts) degree in English literature, I have firmly and proudly proven the power of negative reinforcement as Frederick Douglass did with Mr. Auld. I have proven to childhood friends, family, and the church that homosexuality is not a curse that prevented me from acquiring the highest quality of life and respect equal to any heterosexual individual in society. I have also proven that living life as an African American gay “double minority” is neither the center of my life, nor the defining factors of human existence. I am purely defined by my aesthetic level of ambition, courage, emotional and psychological strength, my intellectual and scholarly abilities as a student and future college professor, and most importantly, my complete, unlimited faith in God who has given me the strength, courage, power to turn the other cheek and “rise” above the dark challenges which one faces being a double minority like myself.
Another very powerful text read this semester that not only illuminated my unique “double minority” experience in the course, but also relates exclusively to another key emotional battle which I faced as a teenager is Andrew Tobias’s The Best Little Boy in the World. This book highlights many of the emotional, psychological and social challenges of being gay such as dating, reactions and attitudes of friends, parents, and the public, and the overall obstacles of living a life in the “closet” which ultimately dehumanizes the self resulting in a Janus Figure presenting one face to the public, and another in private.
At the opening of chapter 3, Tobias expresses a conventional, yet unique desire to possess the traditional character traits of a masculine, “straight” boy which directly mirrors the desire which I possessed at the age of 13. The desire to be rough, tough, and the complete embodiment of masculinity is the ultimate goal of Tobias in this opening scene:
But, oh, what I would have given to be Tommy’s real best friend. God, how I wanted to be like him, to do the same mischievous, self-assured things he did, to have muscles and blonde hair and a smile like his. Nothing in our relationship would be disgusting, nothing unmentionable. Just to be like the Hardy Boys, two blood brothers, two cowboys . . . that’s it: two cowboys. (Tobias 35)
This passage clearly indicates how Tobias considers his homosexuality as something ugly, dirty, and highly abnormal, and how he longs for the conventional normality of a masculine, confident, friendship with Tommy which would be acceptable to society. This desire interestingly mirrors my own experience as an adolescent as I consistently tried to develop normal, masculine friendships with other guys without the relentless sexual attraction engulfing every second, every thought, and every meeting of the eyes when I encountered them. Tobias’s intriguing reference to the “Hardy Boys” and “Cowboys” as role models, interestingly exhibits his desire to inherit the universal image of masculinity, courage, and strength of the highest type but ultimately, his innermost homosexual desire remains his true, yet forbidden identity as my own was during adolescence.
The scene in chapter 4 of the text in which Tobias is forced to mechanically learn to act “straight” among friends or suffer enormous ridicule and humiliation , is another powerful passage which mirrors a very awkward time during my own adolescent years. During middle school, I can remember clearly how mechanical, robotic, and out of place I felt during gym class, school dances, and other social gatherings with my friends where the sexual physical features of girls was the primary subject of conversation. As my friends were intensely energized with adrenaline rushing so fast through their bodies you could see it pumping through their veins, my responses to their sexual comments were very casual, cold, dry, and highly unconvincing because I simply failed to share their aesthetic, passionate sense of awe in regard to the female form. Like Tobias, I too endured the difficult task of learning to adapt to a heterosexual environment which was ultimately similar to getting teeth pulled at the dentist:
Noticing attractive girls was not as easy to learn as it sounds. There was no department in my subconscious responsible for spotting pretty girls out of the corners of my eyes, as there was in the subconscious of my friends. I had to remind myself consciously to look or else suffer the embarrassment of being reminded by a friend’s poke to catch those legs – oooo WEEEEE! But I ran a significant risk in leering and nudging: As I was attracted by boys, not girls, I had to use the most mechanical techniques in deciding which girls were “attractive”. . . While others would have a simple groin reaction, I would nervously rush through a little checklist. (Tobias 49)
In this passage, Tobias is a reflection of me on an emotional and psychological level. The act of having to teach yourself step-by-step the actions, attitudes, and responses of an aspect of life which should come naturally to a man or teenage boy not only caused me to experience feelings of intense abnormality in relation to other guys my age, for a small interval of my life, I began to see myself as “the other;” an individual who would be regarded as the shame of my family and the community. As Tobias powerfully expresses in this passage, I too possessed an empty vocabulary for the commentary on the sexual attractiveness of girls. I too was forced to externally pretend to observe girl’s physical characteristics such as curvy hips, smooth, shinny legs, and luscious lips when on an innermost level, these female features were of no concern to me. Moreover, like Tobias, my attraction to guys was so strong that I literally had to intensely think of various characteristics which made girls physically and sexually attractive prior to commenting about their appearance in an effort to avoid blowing my “straight” cover.
Ultimately, my unique battle of living as a “double minority” at such a youthful, tender age was only part of my struggle as an adolescent. My most dramatic realization in life was acknowledging that I was living my life as a Janus Figure as Tobias also presents himself in this passage. We were both deceiving others on an external level by displaying a “straight” identity to the public in an effort to please the authoritative, conservative entities of society while emotionally and psychologically idealizing and longing for the freedom to express our true “gay” identity on an internal level. In the words of the Romantics, Tobias and I were both once the embodiment of the “Romantic Fall.” We suppressed our innermost homosexual desires, actions, and attitudes in an effort to satisfy conventional, conservative, and authoritative society such as family, the church, and other moralistic entities who categorize homosexuality as the ultimate sin and taboo of civilization. This suppression of the inner spirit ultimately transformed us into passionless puppets of society possessing a shattered emotional, and psychological soul, and a dark, desolate, painful void within the inner spirit.
A dramatic turn in my life occurred on the day when the reality of living life as a “double minority” began to work for rather than against me. At the age of 22, I came out of the “closet” to the general public and began to live the self-confident, self-assertive, and successful life as a proud gay man regardless of the social consequences that may result from my revelation. I announced to all of my friends, the church, and many other associates that I was gay. I received no criticism, hateful remarks, or discrimination. I was accepted with open arms on all levels. A very powerful scene in the text of The Best Little Boy in the World, in which Tobias also breaks his silence to his close friend Brook, interestingly mirrors my own extraordinary moment of self-revelation and realization:
I visited Brook again in August. We met for drinks at one of those plush downstairs Washington bars. This time I told him. I told him because after seven years of silence, I could stand loneliness no longer, I could stand pretending no longer, and I wanted to tell someone that I loved him. I told him because I felt the best years of my life were slipping away, working late at IBM . . . I made the startling, astonishing revelation – that I liked boys instead of girls . . . Brook did not stand up in surprise and disgust and shout “A homosexual?,” attracting the stares of everyone in the bar. Lightening did not strike. The floor did not even move. (Tobias 97-98)
Like me, Tobias experienced a unique enlightenment as the dark cloud of living a deceptive lifestyle was finally lifted from his heart, soul, mind, and spirit. This passage illustrates how he utilized his innermost courage, strength and pride to ultimately claim the homosexual identity which makes him whole. Like me, Tobias experienced no ridicule or rejection upon his revelation. His friend Brook embraced and sympathized with him as a result of the internal / external emotional and psychological struggle he endured as a result of him living a major portion of his life wearing a “straight” mask. Ultimately, Tobias and I are one of a kind in the sense that we both encountered the struggles, obstacles, and societal suppression of our true homosexual selves, yet we overcame these dark, emotional, and psychological struggles by finally acquiring the courage and power to verbally produce one very small, yet powerfully life altering statement: I’m gay! Our inner courage also allowed us to assert our individuality as strong, proud, self-assertive citizens of society who are equal to all regardless of sexual orientation. After years of hiding behind the heterosexual mask, we were finally able to claim the identity which defines our true mortal existence.
Overall, the very diverse views, insights, and perspectives presented in this seminar not only in relation to the literature read, but also the diverse ethnic, cultural, and social practices which exists among the African and Mexican American, and gay and lesbian minority groups, has provided a very valuable foundation for me as a future professor of American literature. After reading the highly insightful, creative, and analytical midterms, poetry presentations, and research projects of both past and current students of the seminar, I have been exposed to multiple levels and interpretations of the political, ethnic, social, and cultural struggles and victories which have shaped both past and present day America. I will forever be able to utilize the powerful, energetic, and energetic discussions which materialized from the texts in this seminar as a valuable pedagogical reference point when teaching minority centered courses during my professional career as a literature professor. Coming from a literary undergraduate background which included only traditional American and British literature courses and no minority centered literature courses, this seminar was ultimately the fuel which has ignited my intellectual curiosity to pursue other multi-cultural based seminars at the Ph.D. level, ultimately broadening my literary horizons on an ethnic, social, cultural and aesthetic level.
Final Exam Essay Prompt # 4
From Additional Options for Essays
Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima,
John G. Neihardt’s Black Elk Speaks
and Frank O’Hara’s “My Heart”:
Literary Representations of American Culture
American minority literature is about much more than analyzing themes, symbolism, imagery, character analysis, and other traditional aspects of literary study. One cannot merely academically read a powerful piece of minority literature such as Bless Me, Ultima, Black Elk Speaks, and “My Heart” without ultimately being captivated by the strong sense of struggle, voice, identity, custom, and passion which defines the minority culture to depths so unique and dramatic, one must allow themselves to escape into the text in an effort to gain the true, unique essence of the minority experience. One significant idea presented across these three texts is the powerful scenes and images of ethnic culture, history, and challenge among the, Mexican American, Indian, and gay minority groups. There are several key images of unity, love, struggle, and hope in these texts which clearly illuminate how the study of American minority literature is highly centered within the realms of culture, rather than conventional literary aspects.
A powerful passage presented in Bless Me, Ultima illustrates not only the innocence and passion for knowledge and individuality with in the Mexican culture, it illuminates the unique aspects of one’s journey of empowerment; the growth and development of a young man; an inspirational coming of age which ultimately results in the birth of an expanded intellect:
But innocence is forever, I cried. You are innocent when you do not know, my mother cried, but already you know too much about the flesh and blood of the Marez men. You are innocent until you understand, the priest of the church said, and you will understand good and evil when the communion is placed in your mouth and God fills your body. Oh, where is the innocence I must never lose, I cried into the bleak landscape in which I found myself. And in the swirling smoke a flash of lightening struck and out of the thunder a dark figure stepped forth. It was Ultima, and she pointed west, west to Las Pasturas, the land of my birth. (Anaya 71)
In this passage, we are challenged to observe much more than the symbolism and imagery presented, we must acknowledge the loss of innocence and the inspiring attainment of emotional, psychological growth and development of knowledge which Antonio Marez has achieved as a Mexican American in the process of this loss of innocence.
This passage illuminates the warm, nurturing, and guiding nature of the mother toward her son in teaching him the spiritual path to loosing his innocence rather than the secular path. Conventionally, one associates the loss of innocence with the encounter of secular entities within the world of experience such as sexual activity, the consumption of alcohol which is considered the “wine of Satan” in many religious institutions, or various types of emotional or psychological corruption. Anaya exhibits the loss of innocence as being associated with the Mexican American culture of highly prioritizing the sacred institution of the church. Antonio Marez will not have lost his innocence until he has become spiritually intimate with the sacred holiness of the priest, or until he has attained full comprehension of the worldly entities of “good and evil” as he experiences God’s communion of bread and blood, which ultimately fills the heart, soul, and spirit with the powerful love and spirit of God. The mysterious presence of Ultima is the sacred, guiding image which will transport his spirit to his birth land in which he will endure his spiritual, emotional, psychological, and aesthetic transformation in the world of Godly experience. Here, we are asked to acknowledge the Mexican American way of religion and ultimately, the strong religious faith and standards possessed by parental figures of this minority group which is a major cornerstone of the culture.
The illumination of ethnic culture rather than conventional literary themes and ideas is also presented in John G. Neihardt’s novel Black Elk Speaks. This novel tends to exhibit the raw, pure, natural essence of the American Indian. When one thinks of the Indian culture, thoughts of peace, unity, and the courageous, insightful, aesthetic turn to nature as the sole means of survival begin to surface in the imagination. Neihardt presents us with a very inspiring, loving image of the Indian culture which thoroughly allows us insight into their bold reliance upon the entities of Mother Nature to shield them from harm:
We must have broken camp at the mouth of the Peno soon after the battle, for I can remember my father lying on a pony drag with bison robes all around him, like a baby, and my mother riding the pony. The snow was deep and it was very cold, and I remember sitting in another pony drag beside my father and mother, all wrapped up in fur. We were going away from where the soldiers were, and I do not know where we went, but it was west . . . Then at last we were camping in the woods beside a creek somewhere, and hunters came back with meat. I think it was this same winter when a medicine man, by the name of Creeping, went around among the people curing snow blinds. He would put snow up their eyes, and after he had sung a certain sacred song that he had heard in a dream, he would blow on the backs of their heads and they would see again, so I have heard. It was about the dragonfly that he sang, for that was where he got his power, they say.
(Neihardt 11)
This passage captures the Romantic-like turn to nature in the sense of how Black Elk describes the very earthy, simplistic, natural acts of survival that his parents utilized while at camp. The warmth and comfort of the tone presented here in this text as he recollects upon how the “pony drags” provided a safe, warm, comforting shield against the cold winter elements as he sat in safety among his mother and father. Interestingly, the bare necessities are illuminated here as the natural tools of survival. The pony, the pony drag, and the emotional, protective instincts of Black Elk’s parents tend to create a unique warmth and comfort established by the conventional fireplace and bed which is stationed within the confines of the traditional household of conventional society. Black Elk experiences the comfort and warmth of Mother Nature and the natural material of the pony drag which clearly echoes the idea of the Romantic’s turn to nature. There only need while camping is each other, the ponies, and their accompanying drag which is the barest form of earthly survival within the elements of nature.
The very natural manner in which Creeping utilizes the snow as a healing tool to restore sight is also a Romantic example in which Neihardt illuminates the Indian culture’s turn to nature as a means of survival. Rather than seeking conventional medications and modern medical facilities such as hospitals or clinics, Creeping relies upon the mysterious, pure, natural healing power of Mother Nature’s snow, and the artistic powers of music and the dragonfly which originated within the imaginative realms of his dream, to cure one of human natures most horrific tragedies. This passage not only exhibits the Indian culture’s imaginative, inspirational, and very loving turn to the natural entities of nature, and the creative, mysterious talent of the human subconscious to produce healing techniques, it also challenges us to regard the ideas, and customs of the Indian culture as a kind of big picture representing the highest level of raw, original, and imaginative survival techniques which illuminates a major characteristic of the Indian way of life.
On an artistic and aesthetic note to how American Minority literature is about culture rather than literature, Frank O’Hara’s poem “My Heart” gives us a very inspiring insight into gay culture and personality. A short, inspirational passage within the poem paints a clear picture of the strong, self-assertive, individual, and rebellious nature of O’Hara as not only a gay man, but also a minority in the homosexual sense that prioritizes self expression through his poetry:
. . . I want to be
At least as alive as the vulgar. And if
Some aficionado of my mess says “that’s
Not like Frank!” all to the good! I
Don’t wear brown and grey suits all the time,
Do I? No. I wear workshirts to the opera,
Often. I want my feet to be bare,
I want my face to be shaven, and my heart—
You can’t plan on the heart, but
The better part of it, my poetry, is open. (O’Hara 6-15)
This passage exhibits much more than the traditional, academic aspects of poetry analysis such as line lengths, rhythm type, word emphasis etc. which are the conventional aspects one would approach from an academic, literary perspective.
O’Hara, a gay poet, is aesthetically idealizing the poetic art in this poem and is illuminating how poetry is not only the dominant feature of his soul and his sole means of self expression, he is suggesting how the art of poetry writing is an artistic outlet for someone who is struggling with a very complex personal issue such as repressed or suppressed homosexuality within the gay, lesbian, or bisexual culture, to ultimately express their hidden, forbidden, psychological, or emotional issues that one cannot express verbally within the realms of conventional, authoritative, and conservative society. He seems to idealize unconventionality and the glorification of behavior which rebels against conventional society interestingly as homosexuality does. As he expresses “I /don’t wear brown and grey suits all the time, / Do I? No. I wear workshirts to the opera, / often,” he is boldly illustrating how he proudly rebels against the traditional ideas and actions of normalcy. He is very Romantic in the sense that he prioritizes difference, individuality, and creative self-assertion on all levels. He is expressing not only a statement of individuality, pride, and identity for himself, but also the gay culture as a whole. O’Hara characterizes his poetry as an extension of himself and ultimately, poetry is his aesthetic method of immortalizing and creating a tangible cathedral of his pride and homosexual identity. Ultimately poetry is not only an artistic extension of his heart, soul and spirit, it is his voice which enables him to creatively express his innermost emotions, fears, and worldly perspectives which dominates the depths of his soul, and the subconscious. O’Hara challenges us to realize how the artistic, imaginative realm of poetic writing is the key to expressing ones innermost desires which are suppressed within authoritative, conventional society where all types of rebelling against the norm are characterized as dark, unacceptable actions of “the other.”
Overall, we have created a very equal and electrifying balance between the study of literature and culture in this seminar. We did not discuss any piece of literature without also illuminating the unique cultural aspects of the piece and the characters within the piece of literature. For example, while we discussed the major thematic ideas of the “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” we also discussed the various struggles, hardships, and victories which occur within the African American culture such as race, social, class, and ideological issues. I observed that we followed this same balance of acknowledging the literature and culture of the ethnic group as separate entities with the Mexican American, Indian, and gay texts read throughout the semester which provided interesting, insightful, and imaginative perspectives on all levels of the minority experience.
