August Wilson was an African American writer that wrote
playwrights. His legacy is giving an insight of African American struggles
through his playwrights, and his own personal struggles. His legacy that he
left behind got him the August Wilson Center named after him in his honor for
African American culture (from the article “Ideas Abound at Public Meeting Held
to Save August Wilson Center”), and his plays are still well known. In the
United States, there are many stereotypes. For example, people expect lower
class communities to be filled with Hispanics and/or African Americans. Race is
major factor in the United States. We are one of the most diverse countries. With
each different race, there factors in a different language or accent. Language
is considerably significant when it comes to your class or “power”. “Talking
white” or talking proper is what can get you a higher paying job and will make people
look at you more respectably. Speaking English in the United States makes it
easier to communicate and get a job. Race, power and language all intersect in
the United States because it almost all like a chain reaction. If you are
white, in the middle or upper class, and speak proper, then you are more likely
to be considered to succeed in life. If you are African American, lower class
or middle class, and speak a little more ghetto, then it most likely will be
harder for you to be considered to succeed. The struggles that August Wilson
wrote about in his playwrights are still alive in today’s society in the United States.
I agree with your statement that there are many stereotypes in the United States. From an article by Benjamin Bailey, "stereotypical language-based judgments of social class status often overlap with stereotypical language-based judgments of race and ethnicity, and ways of speaking are popularly understood as 'African American' or 'Latino' are generally associated with lower socioeconomic status." This quote goes along with your example that lower class communities are filled with Hispanics and/or African-Americans.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thinking that race and language effects everyone in everyday life and how others view you. It is a sad reality that even though America as a whole is becoming more accepting, white people in the "middle or upper class, and speak proper" are more likely to succeed. I think that your comments on "talking white" and speaking proper are on the right track, but "what should matter is the context in which the word is spoken--the speaker's aims, effects, alternatives" (Kennedy) are more important than being proper. Anyone should be able to use their language effectively if they use the words with the right intent and effect. How people say things should be more important than the concept of "talking white"
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ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job when you were describing his legacy. A lot of the points you touched on, I also did in my response to the prompt. "His legacy is giving an insight of African American struggles through his playwrights, and his own personal struggles. His legacy that he left behind got him the August Wilson Center named after him in his honor for African American culture (from the article “Ideas Abound at Public Meeting Held to Save August Wilson Center”), and his plays are still well known." For example: I mentioned as well what will be remembered. I agree with when you said that there are may stereotypes. I took that route in answering the prompt. Reading your blog we have a lot of similarities and it makes it seem more credible. I am not quite sure I agree with you when you said, "If you are white, in the middle or upper class, and speak proper, then you are more likely to be considered to succeed in life. If you are African American, lower class or middle class, and speak a little more ghetto, then it most likely will be harder for you to be considered to succeed" It is a good statement, but at the same time it seems like a stereotype within. But overall, we had almost exactly the same blog post. :)
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