Race-Oriented Literature from Novel to Film

This book provides evidence that white literary nationalism comes in many forms. Racism will never die, but through works like these, its complexity can be more profoundly understood. Even when the environment is Africa, the cradle of civilization, some English white man comes along and writes a story about a white baby being raised by African gorillas and then becomes "Lord of the jungle." The conventional wisdom, of course, is that Burroughs like many of his contempotaries was a full-on racist. Burroughs fans counter that it's more complicated than that - and cite, for example, passages like this one from Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar, 1916 (Chapter 24): In itself the hunt was a success, and ten days after its inauguration, a well-laden safari took up its return march toward the Waziri plain. Lord and Lady Greystoke with Basuli and Mugambi rode together at the head of the column, laughing and talking together in that easy familiarity which common interests and mutual respect breed between honest and intelligent men of any races. But for every enlightened passage like that one -there are other scenes and passages that support the argument that some degree of racism existed in Burrroughs' works.(Sellers, 2015 - emphasis added). Burroughs was an American, born in Chicago, and nevertheless gave the English tradition and way of life star billing even when it came to Africa. From Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932 to Tarzan and the She-Devil (1953), it is clear that the white nationalism thrust of Burroughs' writing, which includes a definite thrust of imperialism, was alive and well. If this ain't racism, then show me what is. White nationalism is also apparent in another selection, "The Most Dangerous Game," we again have a form of white nationalism combined with imperialism, since this rich white man literally OWNS an island. The main issues of racism are the references by the author, Richard Connell of all that is negative as being "dark" or "black" and his hints of white European intellectual superiority. Thomas Wolfe's "A Child By Tiger" offers a slight twist on white nationalism, daring to show the brutality of white folks who, through mob rule, mutilate and murder a black man. The on-going descriptions of that black man are those of the "ideal" as far as white folks are concerned: quiet, submissive, hard working." You know the type: "What's wrong, boss? WE sick?" And in the end the victim (Prosser) is made out to look like the bad guy, while white discrimination, segregation and attacks on the black man are viewed for the most part as "par for the course." And as evidence I offered a contemporary version of a similar racial relationship through one Omar Thornton, who also lashed out at his oppressors and although he took his own life in the end, the point is that white people claimed nothing was wrong and that he must have just "snapped" Shirley Jackson's, "After You, My Dear Alphonse" introduced us to what I call "liberal racism." It is included to demonstrate that white nationalism need not the veil of a pillow case, sheet or a swastika, and it need not be only the white male. It is a system and a way of thinking and furthermore, it is the power to impose what a white person believes on those who are within striking distance. And finally, as referenced earlier, "A Raisin in the Sun." Though written in 1959, the same one-way integration motif still exists in American race relations. Black people still seek civil rights when, in reality, they are still being denied human rights. Besides that, 'rights" of any kind cannot be given, only exercised. Black people didn't realize that then, we didn't realizes it during the civil rights movement and today in 2017, we still don't get it. This book is a learning tool. After reading it you will better understand the importance of the written word and the power that it has over the human mind.