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Internalized Racism In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon

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Internalized Racism In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon
A thought-provoking issue and one most significant based story line in Song of Solomon written by Toni Morrison is the rooted system of racism among black people. There is an undercurrent of racism that happens to all of the characters. All characters shown up in the book have issues with racism. In general, racism happens between the human races such as between white and black. However, upon their different social classes, every different internalized racism is a part in their everyday lives. This could have affected their relationship with other people. Hence, internalized racism can be defined as the absorption of negative external influences from other groups. Once influenced, this internalized racism is meant to be reflected by the characters …show more content…
He makes no effort to create a social connection to the people sitting at the table. In this case, I would say Milkman is being racist towards them. He now puts these hunters on himself. His racism towards their backwoods turns to respects. Slowly, Milkman sees the racism that his ancestors had to overcome these problems. To add his ancestors have tried to shape the way for him to enjoy his own position. After all, he was African-American on the inside, but his true identity of himself made as being a white man. Once all that was gone, he is vulnerable to racism. Also, it gives him to find it hard to make respects and connections to his …show more content…
Hagar refers to the maid servant of Sarai, wife of Abraham. According to the bible, since they were both getting old and having no children, Sarai let Abraham have relations with her maid so that something could happen to make a baby between them. Once Hagar in the bible became pregnant, she was left out and abandoned, in the result of changing her personality to be cocky towards Sarai. She, after a while, returned to Abraham and gave birth to his first son, Ishmael. Sarai also got pregnant and gave birth to Isaac. While teenagers, Sarai caught Ishmael making fun of Isaac and threw both Hagar and Isaac out. Fortunately, God provided protected from their death. The racial parallel in Morrison’s book happens with this. Her, Hagar, status is low. Abraham’s, which could be referred to Milkman, status is high. Thus, it seems to be right for the higher status to stop “using” the lower status when it is not useful anymore. This is sort of situation is in part in a society where racism commonly happens. Both “Hagars” are victims of this social trend. One slightly different point between them is that Hagar’s situation in Toni Morrison’s book, Song of Solomon, is harsher. After seeing Milkman with his arms around another woman, Hagar goes into a depression. This goes to the quotation, “Look at how I look. I look awful. No wonder he didn’t want me. I look terrible.”

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