These short stories are actual events that have taken place, while reading these collection of stories I have felt more connected to them. I think the effects the short stories are more meaningful because Rankine has taken everyday events that I and i'm sure many others have just glazed over. For example, the short story about the therapist really struck me. I found it very interesting that she is a trauma therapist and uses her house for a place to consult with patients. The therapists initial reaction to the new patient on the porch was panicked and concerned. Did she have a right to be? Was it due to race? Were all the questions that came to my mind, while rereading this passage I concluded that the therapists reaction was 100% due to the patient being African America. Although she wasn't aware of what the new patient looked like, did she need to be told? I think this short story did a great job of showing how people assume whiteness.
Rankine shows whiteness throughout all these collections of stories and to me these short stories do a great job of showing many different scenarios with the same message. The fact that every short story involves a different person and a different background is more meaningful, allowing to show the reader the repetition of racism in the modern world, that we deem so progressive.
I liked how you said she uses the short stories for one central theme. At times, it can feel like they're unrelated, but Rankine does a great job of relating tennis to police brutality or coffee shop mishaps to childhood trauma.
ReplyDeleteI like how you talked about the realness of these short stories. They feel so personal when you read them. Almost like you're right there with the speaker. I think this is what Rankine had in mind when she was writing. That this would be more powerful to the readers.
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