Amiri Baraka s 1964 Play, Dutchman - 1892 Words

Amiri Baraka’s 1964 play, Dutchman, is a prime example of a work that has an allegorical meaning of the race relationships between African Americans and Caucasians during its time period. A major theme of this course is studying stories as narratives, in terms of understanding cultural diversity. Although Dutchman is a play, and not a novel or short story, the interaction between Lula and Clay assists the audience in conceptualizing black oppression after World War II through the system of language. This revolutionary work, a â€Å"product of the 1960s Black Power movement,† represents how the system affects Clay, whom symbolizes the African American population (Lecture 9/3/15). The interaction between Clay and Lula represents the system of language, in which its linguistic rivalry, through stereotyping, represents the race relationships of America during the 1960s. Throughout the play, Lula constantly linguistically challenges Clay. For instance, near the beginning of the play, she states, â€Å"You look like you’ve been reading Chinese poetry and drinking lukewarm sugarless tea† (Lauter, Yarborough, et al., eds. 2934). After Clay’s response she says that she lies often because â€Å"It helps me [Lula] control the world† (Lauter, Yarborough, et al., eds. 2935). This represents Lula’s belief that she has power over Clay. Her view further intensify once she discovers that Clay is from New Jersey and attempting to grow a beard (Lauter, Yarborough, et al., eds. 2935). Lula receives moreShow MoreRelatedRace Film : The Great And Only Essay10250 Words   |  41 Pagesthough some who knew him insist it was ‘Mi-shaw.’ The correct pronunciation of his name is only the beginning of the ambiguities and mysteries associated with Oscar Micheaux† Patrick Mulligan—Oscar Micheaux: The Great and Only: The Life of America s First Black Filmmaker From the very beginning of the early stages in American cinema, African Americans had a presence on the silver screen. The twentieth century created a new era of cinema that consisted of films produced for and targeted to an all-Black