The Difference in Race and Ethnicity

COMPARITIVE ANALYSIS OF:
COUNTRY LOVERS BY NADINE GORDIMER (1976) AND
WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A BLACK GIRL (FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T) BY PATRICIA SMITH (1991)
SHARON DEVINE-POOLE
ENG 125: INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
INSTRUCTOR: MARY LOUISE PHILLIPS BECKER
NOVEMBER 27TH, 2011

THESIS
Although the similarities aren’t quite the same they still have the same concept. I will compare and analyze these two writings in which one is a short story, and the other is expressive poetry. I chose these two particular readings because of the racial divide and the fact that Nadine Gordimer (1976) is a white woman telling the story of a black girl and trying to identify with her. The theme was set in South Africa during the time of Apartheid when mix races weren’t accepted. Patricia Smith (1991) is a black woman explaining the struggles in the form poetry that go along with being a black woman. From reading her poetry I would say she was thinking about experiencing growing up and how she was identifying with womanhood. I will explain the difference in form, style and content along with personalization between the short story and the poem.

I chose Country Lovers by Nadine Gordimer and What It’s Like To Be A Black Girl by Patricia Smith ( 1991 ) because of the Symbolism they both portray . In the reading ‘Country Lover ’, you have a narrator’s point of view and ‘What It’s Like To Be A Black Girl’, you have the actual author of the poem giving her point of view from experiencing how things seem to be with her . Although there is a cultural difference it still involves race and how it affects a one individual’s way of feeling and the outlook from someone else’s point of view.

Country Lover’s is a short story written by Nadine Gordimer ( 1976 ), that portrays childhood friends growing up together in two different types of lifestyles. They develop a more intimate relationship as they grow older and it ends up being an act of betrayal. Paulaus Eysendyck was a white young man and Thebedi was a black young woman in this short story written in a time of Apartheid in South Africa. Thebedi’s parents and she lived on his parent’s farm as workers and they developed a forbidden friendship.

What It’s Like To Be A Black Girl (For Those who aren’t) a poem written by
Patricia Smith (1991) is a poem that portrays to me a woman who had self-doubt about who she is in the skin of an African American woman. The portrayal of what it’s like in her words in this short poem that some black women may be able to identify with. Looking back when she was just a child and experiencing growing pangs as most young girls do. I plan to explore more into the reading as far as it pertaining to the literary aspect of it.

Since both of these stories have to deal with race issues, I chose to write about them and use literary terms at the best of my ability to decipher the major similarities and the minor similarities of the two. Since one is a story there will be more detail than the other being a poem, although she is straight and to the point, I will pick out some significant words to help define it in literary terms.

I chose these two particular readings because of the racial divide and the fact that Nadine Gordimer (1976) is a white woman telling the story of a black girl and trying to identify with her. The theme was set in South Africa during the time of Apartheid when mix races weren’t accepted. Patricia Smith (1991) is a black woman explaining the struggles in the form poetry that go along with being a black woman. From reading her poetry I would say the theme surrounded around a playground area that was the neighborhood hang out. I will explain the difference in form, style and content along with personalization between the short story and the poem.
When this research is finished I want to be able to answer the questions of;
In the short story of Country Lover’s;
1). What became of Paulaus and Thebedi in Country Lover’s,
2).Where did conflict lead to in their relationship?
3). To what lengths did go through to keep it a secret?
4) What was the end result?
In the poem ‘What it’s like to be A Black Girl ’;
1). I will try to point out some of her theories on how she feels about being a black girl?
2).Why does she feel inferior to someone of another race?

When reading stories such as these it makes a person wonder what is on that writer’s mind. What was the situation? Was it fact or fiction? Sometimes it helps the reader identify better knowing if it’s one or the other. People identify with a character that is what makes the reading more intriguing. One can feel like their apart of the story. Short stories are just enough information about the reading that a person won’t get bored or can find time to read. Poetry can be a pass time reading; it’s short and basically to the point. They both give the reader just enough to satisfy their natural curiosity.

REFERENCES:

Nadine Gordimer (1976) short story; ‘Country Lover’s references’: http://leecustodio.hubpages.com/hub/Country-Lovers-an-Analysis Clugston, 2010(pg. 44-50) bths.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2010/
Introduction into Literature: Clugston, R.W. (2010) http://content ashford.edu/books
Gordimer, Nadine (1923 - ) Encyclopedia of Post –Colonial Literatures in English (Credo Reference) Ashford Library http://credoreference.com/entry.do?id=7916400 Patricia Smith (1991) “What it’s like to be A Black Girl?” http://reec110.blogspot.com/2006/02/patricia-smith-what-its.liketo-be-a-black-girl
http://essymania.com/91335/-what-it-is-like-to-be-a-black-girl-by-patricia-smith

References: Nadine Gordimer (1976) short story; ‘Country Lover’s references’: http://leecustodio.hubpages.com/hub/Country-Lovers-an-Analysis Clugston, 2010(pg. 44-50) bths.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2010/ Introduction into Literature: Clugston, R.W. (2010) http://content ashford.edu/books Gordimer, Nadine (1923 - ) Encyclopedia of Post –Colonial Literatures in English (Credo Reference) Ashford Library http://credoreference.com/entry.do?id=7916400 Patricia Smith (1991) “What it’s like to be A Black Girl?” http://reec110.blogspot.com/2006/02/patricia-smith-what-its.liketo-be-a-black-girl http://essymania.com/91335/-what-it-is-like-to-be-a-black-girl-by-patricia-smith