LITR 5731: Seminar in American Multicultural Literature
Sample Student Midterm, Spring 2006

Crystal Reppert

March 02, 2004

 Gender Flux in Black Minority Literature

            Typically, gender domination is thought of as a stable concept of male control over female. The female gender role is seen as submissive and easily dominated. As a role, female gender can be applied to both men and women. As shown in the following examples from black literature, gender identification, for members of both the dominant and subordinate cultures, is in flux. As a group or individual attempts to forcibly suppress another, gender identification often becomes skewed as members of both groups struggle to adjust to imposed expectations.

            Education is entwined with gender identification. Knowledge is empowerment and provides individuals with the tools to question authority.  White males, the authority figures of American society, strove to prevent slaves from attaining even the basics of an education. Frederick Douglas, an escaped slave as well as the author of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, acquired his education in spite of the efforts of his master, Mr. Auld.

            Douglas’ first teacher, ironically, was the wife of his master, Mrs. Auld (364).  His lessons with her did not move beyond simple words as Mr. Auld forbade the lessons, “telling her among other things, that it was unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a nigger to read” (364). Mr. Auld’s speech to his wife on the harm of educating a slave “stirred up sentiments within [Douglas] that lay slumbering” (364).  Douglas recognized that the prohibition of an education was a control factor. 

            A justification for the existence of slavery was based on the patriarchal concept that those weaker and less able to care for themselves, regardless of sex, were in need of a father figure protector--the plantation owner.  Keeping slaves illiterate allowed the owners--white males--to perpetuate the falsehood that people of color--men and women--were in need of protection due to their lack of intelligence. A person of color was relegated to the female gender role of incompetence due to lack of mental acuity.

            The imposition of this gender role of incompetence strengthened Douglas’ determination to over-come it, but had the opposite effect on Mrs. Auld. Her “lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness’ (367). Her natural inclination toward humanity--kindness to others and the sharing of knowledge--was suppressed not only by her husband, but also by the gendered institution of slavery. Her subordinate role to that of her husband forced her to seek others to dominate. Mrs. Auld’s ability to dominate, her move into the male gender role, was facilitated in her efforts to prevent Douglas from continuing his education (367-368).

            Upon reaching a semi-level of freedom in the North, Douglas is again confronted with the patriarchal and gendered nature of the dominant culture.  Douglas’ literacy and prior job training are of little value to him: “. . .  I went in pursuit of a job of caulking; but such was the strength of prejudice against color, among the white caulkers, that they refused to work with me…” (428).  As Jane Ftacnik wrote in her essay, “Precious, Corinthians, and Douglass: Literacy as relief from oppression?”,“. . . the white people were in power and refused to let Douglas do that job” (2). The absence of slavery in the North did little to dispel the concept of white superiority. The control exercised by the white, male, dominant culture actively restricted the fulfillment of the potential of educated black persons. The possession of an education by a black man, or a white woman, was considered irrelevant to their position in the social stratification. By maintaining the gendered concept of the black man as being capable of only labor type employment rather than those positions that required specialized training or education, all black men were relegated to the same level as white women. The dominant white male culture relegated black men to a feminist position within the society.

            In Song Of Solomon, Tony Morrison portrays a group of black individuals as almost entirely isolated from interaction with the white populace.  The interaction is subtly presented - a shadow continuously influencing the lives of the characters. The interchange that does occur defines the black/white relationship and displays the long-range effects of forced gender identification. 

            The book opens with a very clear interaction between a white woman and two black people. A black man is attempting to fly off the top of a white hospital. A nurse from the hospital, the white woman, wants to bring order to the crowd that has gathered to watch the man. She randomly calls to a black woman in the crowd. “‘You,’ she said, moving toward the stout woman.  ‘Are these your children?’” (7).  Morrison cleverly describes the ingrained deference of the black community to white authority in her description of the facial expressions of the black woman. “. . . her eyebrows lifted at the carelessness of the address.  Then, seeing where the voice came from, she lowered her brows and veiled her eyes” (7). Although the interaction occurred between two women, the white of the nurse’s skin automatically placed her in the male gendered role of authority. 

            Morrison continues to explicate black/white gender divisions in her description of the manner in which the nurse addresses a black boy. The black woman has told her his name, but the knowledge does not decrease her rudeness. Instead, she shifts to a tone of voice as though speaking to a simpleton: “. . . [she] spoke her next words very slowly to him” (7). The nurse wanted the boy to get a guard from the back of the hospital. She incorrectly spells out the word over the door of the guard‘s location, assuming the boy will be illiterate and unable to read without direction. 

            Not only is the boy literate, he excuses the rudeness of the nurse and points out her error.  “‘You left out a s, ma’am,’ the boy said” (7). A white man had entered the picture and directed the woman to go inside. The role of the white nurse shifts to one of deference for the white male authority figure and the black people cease to exist for her. Her role of authority had defined their role as subordinates and gave them some purpose in her consciousness. The nurse leaves the black people behind, completely ignorant of the boy’s correction.

            As the white person, the nurse automatically assumed the male gender attitude of control, authority, and exclusion. In her essay, Me and My Shadow, Jane Tompkins quotes from a lecture by Ursula LeGuin: “The father tongue is spoken from above. It goes one way. No answer is expected or heard” (2134)^[1].  The “father tongue”, the language of the white, male, dominant culture, directs others without reference to their position as fellow intelligent beings.  The “father tongue” adopts the attitude of direction with the assumption that others will follow without question.

            Although Song of Solomon is set in the North, the gender roles between whites and blacks are just as firmly established as they are in the South. In the South the boy may not have been able to address the white woman at all without repercussion.  In the North the gender influence is subtler. He is allowed to express himself, but his expression falls on deaf ears as black people are only valid in their feminized role and lose even that validity when the gender role of the white person shifts.

            With the character of First Corinthians, Morrison shows the effects of outside gender domination on the closed society in which First Corinthians lived.  As Ftacnik writes, “Morrison plays with the idea of literacy representing power . . .” (2). Corinthians’ goal of marrying well became obsolete as eligible bachelors turned away from her as “she lacked drive” (188). Corinthian’s education added to her personal sense of self-worth, but segregated her from her social group. 

            The professional men of Corinthians’ community were accustomed to deferring themselves to white authority.  Their education allowed them to rise above the common ranks within the microcosm society of blacks, but they were excluded from the macrocosm society that included whites.  The level of Corinthians’ education may not necessarily be superior to that of a prospective husband’s, but it paralleled the education of a white woman.  In the social stratification, black men existed at a lower level than that of white women.   

“They wanted wives who would sacrifice themselves and appreciate the hard work and sacrifice of their husbands” (188).  Corinthians’ educational accomplishment provided her with a power base that they were unable to dominate or take credit for.  With her education already intact, she would owe no appreciation to a man’s sacrifice. Unknowingly, Corinthians had aligned herself in the traditional male gender role of a person who is educated, authoritative, and in debt to no one for her accomplishments.    

            By the time Corinthians gave up the dream of marriage, the education that had made her unsuitable wife material also made her unsuitable for anything else. Corinthians becomes a highly educated lady’s maid. “Corinthians was naïve, but she was not a complete fool” (190). She realized that just as her education had been a hindrance in her goal of marriage, it would also be a hindrance in her hopes of employment. This recognition enabled her to appear outwardly to have accepted the female gender role of submission to the white authority of her mistress. 

            In reality, the male/female role became balanced for Corinthians.  She maintained the personal authority of her own actions while acquiring the humility necessary to be an independent person. “The humiliation of wearing a uniform, even if it was blue, and deceiving people was tempered by the genuine lift which came of having her own money rather than receiving an allowance like a child” (190).  Corinthians found peace in dominating her own life as opposed to dominating others.

            Push is a confusion of gender roles. Initially, Precious appears in the role of the dominated female, a victim of incest. By the third page, however, she has shifted to the aggressive role of male gender. Her aggression, however, is not for the purpose of domination but for self-protection. School is a haven for her from the chaos of her home life, but the education system has failed her. Precious is illiterate and aggression is her means for staying in school, to have a temporary sanctuary, without having demands placed on her by teachers.

            Sapphire makes Precious’ illiteracy apparent within those first three pages. It is not a stated fact, but implied through Precious’ mannerisms and her speech. Her math teacher attempts to dominate her based solely on his position as the teacher. When he demands that she leave class, Precious responds: “‘I ain’ going nowhere mutherfucker till the bell ring.  I came here to learn maff and you gon’ teach me’” (5). The teacher backs down, but Precious feels that it is an empty victory. 

            Innately, Precious realizes that her domination of the situation will not solve the bigger problem.  Her goal was not to embarrass Mr. Wicher, but simply to hide the embarrassment of her ignorance. “¾all the pages look alike to me.  ’N I really do want to learn” (5). When Precious leaves the school, she leaves behind all ability to control any situation.

            At home, Precious is physically dominated.  Precious cooks and cleans for her mother who continuously abuses her--verbally, mentally, physically, and sexually. Precious is abused by her father (when he shows up)--verbally, mentally, physically, and sexually. But, something inside of Precious refuses mental domination. Just as Fredrick Douglas’ master was unable to break his spirit, unable to separate him from his dream of freedom through education, Precious has this same strength and determination.

Precious’ opportunity to achieve her goal comes from an unlikely source.  Precious attacks a school counselor, “I reached over the desk. I was gonna yank her fat ass out that chair” (8), but, that same counselor refuses to give up on Precious.  She forces Precious to take information about an alternative school and it is this information that turns Precious’ life around.

The alternative classroom is confusing for Precious. The teacher, Miss Rain, involves the students in setting the class agenda, “‘. . . git to know each other and figure out what we gonna do here together’” (41-42).  The apparent absence of authority is an unknown for Precious who has never been included in making any decisions in her life. “God I hope this don’t be another . . . another . . . I don’t know¾ another like before, yeah another like the years before” (42).  Precious is completely at a loss for how to describe the new situation.  Her entire life has been a reaction to the male gendered attitude of domination and exclusion.  Her expected reaction has been that of the female gender role--acceptance without question--and now that expectation is being turned around.  Now she is being invited into a new concept of the female gendered role, a role that asks for and expects her opinion, her reaction, and her input.  The gender role expectations of others are not making her non-existent.  Instead this newly defined gender role expectation is making her visible and vital.

            Every character in black literature is affected in some way by gender role expectations. A successful character in black literature, the one who achieves some level of contentment with his or her life, is the one who recognizes that factor of domination, overcomes it, and turns it to their advantage. Each character reviewed in this paper recognized the gender effect at some level and was able to confront it.