Yea for America... Nay for America? This is America.
This year, I am thinking about our country more than ever.
It started with Childish Gambino's (or Donald Glover's) hit music video "This is America" that came out last May. Everyone was talking about it, and me being curious, I watched the video. Because of all the hidden meanings, people jokingly claimed the need for "a seventh sense" to understand it. But it was clear how Glover was addressing the issue of racism and violence against blacks in America. In the video, Gambino shoots an innocent black man playing a guitar, assuming a pose similar to Jim Crow, a racist character that portrayed African Americans as "lazy, stupid, and less human." Similar to Song of Solomon, it represents the true side of racism in our society.
Song of Solomon takes place in Michigan-or in other words, the North. Because Michigan and other northern states are free, it is believed that they have “freedom.” Morrison demonstrates the opposite through Mr. Smith’s flight to home/suicide, Ruth’s pregnancy, and Guitar’s encounter with a white nurse. With the red rose petals of blood, the white of snow, and blue of wings, lies the obvious racism in America.
Glover and Morrison both, in some way, alert and shock the audience by exposing a not-so-pretty side to our advances in equality of all citizens.
In some ways, though, this brings me back to our first piece in this class, “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” And it’s really ironic, because Glover says, “"I just wanted to make a good song. Like something that people could play on Fourth of Julys."
*Warning: Contains graphic content. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY
The connections that you made from the Song of Solomon to music and other literary pieces was interesting. Even now, slavery being abolished for years, people are still racist to others and view themselves as the highest or most noble skin color. Song of Solomon is set in a older setting, yet has themes and motifs that still apply today.
ReplyDeleteHey Sujin, I really liked your post! I also watched that music video for "This is America" and it really spoke to me. It's cool how you connected modern day pop culture to literature from class.
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