Paper Example - Racism in Today's Society and How the "Big Black Good Man" Portrays It

Introduction

"I can't breathe" is a slogan that has increasingly gained attention in 2020. It is linked to the Black Lives Matter movement that has emerged in the United States. The slogan represents the oppression of black lives in the United States. George Floyd said these words as he was suffocated by a police officer who had put a knee on his neck. The result of this death resulted in unprecedented protests against racial injustices. However, it is essential to understand that protests against racism have been around for a long time. Just like the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, these protests come and go without making significant changes. The current society is filled with racial discrimination. Similarly, the story "Big Black Good Man," by Richard Wright seeks to depict the racism of its time. The description of the book highlights the state of racism in the late 1950s. Wright describes racism that was being experienced in Denmark at the time. It is a deep contrast to the United States since it predates the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. For instance, Jim, a black man, is allowed in a hotel in Denmark, contrasted with heavy racial segregation in the United States. As postulated by Olaf, he has previously admitted guests from diverse backgrounds. The themes presented in the story by Wright resonate around racial discrimination, racial profiling, and perceived violence based on skin color. One of the theories that seek to examine racism is critical race theory (CRT), which postulates that race is socially constructed rather than biological. It is critical to use this theory to try and understand racism in the current society. Racism remains a significant problem in today's society and is depicted in the "Big Black Good Man."

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Racial Prejudice

Racial prejudice is the preconceived, unsubstantiated opinions of an individual according to perceived differences. It is thought to constitute a person's emotional response when interacting or thinking of an individual belonging to a different group (Fish and Syed 6). It is vital to examine prejudice in the story "Big Black Good Man" by Wright, which depicts the racial environment in the 1950s. It depicts Olaf Jenson in the office of a cheap hotel that serves sailors and students. He is sitting thinking of his comfortable unremarkable existence. Then, Jim, a large black man, enters the room asking for a room. Jenson is surprised by the statue of the man and does not answer until Jim repeats his request. He contemplates refusing Jim a room, but he is too afraid to do so. The theme of racial prejudice in the story is apparent in the story by Wright. In the beginning, the story depicts Jenson as a man of relaxation and content with his life apart from the tiredness from work. It also asserts that he is a man of education who is well-traveled. However, the portrayal of Jenson suddenly changes when Jim enters the room. Jenson describes Jim as a big thing that occupies the doorway. He claimed that men were men, but there was something inhuman about this man. Jim is described as "too bid, too black, too direct, and probably too violent to boot," (Wright). Jim apparently made Jenson feel insecure as if trying to insult him due to his small size, weak and white. Jenson, for a moment, considers denying Jim service but is too afraid. The description illustrates a classic case of racial prejudice based on a man's size and color. The Critical Race Theory (CRT), in its interpretive methodology, evaluates racism across majority cultures' modes of expression. According to the CRT, Jenson showcases instances of micro-aggressions towards Jim. These include the unconscious quotidian cases of prejudice that lead to racism (Burt et al. 3). The instances of racism were demonstrated by Jenson's treatment of Jim. The relentless racial prejudice towards Jim by Jenson is echoed in the 21st Century society. It is evidenced by the White People's fear of back people. For instance, white people have been known to fear meeting black men in deserted streets. As explained in today's society, racism is a significant problem that affects people as it did in the 1950s.

Racial Discrimination

While prejudice is an attitude that stimulates abusive actions based on color, racial discrimination entails discriminating actions or groups of actions towards an individual or a group of individuals based on their color (Fish and Syed 5). In the story, "Big Black Good Man," Jenson's reveries are interrupted by Jim, who is considered the most huge, strangest, and blackest man ever witnessed. According to Jenson, Jim is a big black thing with animalistic features. First, Jenson hesitates to rent him a room as per his request (Wright 283). It is surprising that Jenson would consider that since he had never seen the man before in his life. It is imperative to conclude that he considers denying him a room due to his skin color. It is a classic case of racial discrimination because it is possible that Jenson would have reacted in a different manner if Jim had been white. Second, after Jim asks for a woman, Jenson calls Lena but warns her that the client is huge and black (Wright 285). However, she shrugs off his remarks. Jenson's warning was based on Jim's skin color, not other physical features. These two instances demonstrate a case of racial discrimination. The critical race theory postulates societies, especially American society, are founded on property rights, with Whiteness being the supreme property. It postulates that the interaction between race and property helps understand racial inequality (Kolivoski et al. 270). Therefore, Whiteness is leveraged to sustain benefits and privileges among the White population. It is asserted that reputation is a type of personal property. It means that White people possess the right to utilize and enjoy benefits associated with Whiteness. The value of what is considered white is elevated while non-white entities are diminished. It is also established that Whiteness holds the right to exclude resources in society. The application of Whiteness is witnessed in the story "Big Black Good Man." First, Jenson uses the notion of being white to consider denying Jenson services in the Hotel, considering him to be a huge black thing. Second, Jenson warns Lena against working with Jim, describing him as unusually big and black. Racial discrimination at the time is still witnessed in the present American society. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted this fact. The interaction of structural racism and social risk factors has indicated that mortality rates in areas with Black Americans are relatively high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Egede and Walker 2). For instance, a study conducted in Louisiana established that the rate of hospitalization and death among Black patients is high. This is due to increased representation in service jobs and the higher possibility of living in inner cities. Blacks living in inner cities have reduced economic opportunity and reduced educational attainment (Egede and Walker 2). These are a result of racial discrimination against this group due to increased Whiteness. It is evident that racial discrimination present in the story "Big Black Good Man," persists in American society.

Perceived Violence Based on Skin Color

Perceived violence based on skin color is prominent in the story "Big Black Good Man," and American society. It can be associated with racial profiling, which entails the use of race, nationality, or ethnicity as the foundation for criminal suspicion (Schuck 491). It targets groups with established offending rates. In the story by Richard Wright, there is a prominent case of profiling based on race. Wright describes a story of how being a particular way portrays a preconceived message. Jenson, who is the protagonist, is fearful and repulsed by the sight of the black giant. He has negative thoughts and views concerning Jim and is assigned animalistic features, dehumanizing him. When receiving money from Jim, he tries his best not to come into contact with him. The description of Jim Jenson is that he is a nightmare (Wright 213). Jenson considers Jim as a man of cruelty. At some point, Jenson soils his pants, thinking Jim would hurt him. Jenson considers Jim to be a violent man due to his color. Jim grabs his throat and grins. He had thought that Jim was demonstrating how easily he could kill him. At some point, Jenson regrets having not reached for his gun and thinks for many months of cannibalistic revenge (Wright 105). The interaction between these two characters indicates that there are preconceived perceptions based on a person's color. Jenson, despite knowing Jim already considers him to be cruel and violent. It is only attributed to Jim due to his sheer size and color. One could think a man of the same size, but white would have been considered differently by Jenson. It is imperative to say that profiling someone based on their skin color has some consequences. Current America shows cases where people are profiled or thought to be violent based on their color. First, we consider cases in law enforcement in which people have been searched by the police just because they are black. The unprecedented raids on black people or minority groups illustrate a lift between the whites and the minorities. It underpins the concept of Whiteness as described by the Critical race theory. The development of American society on the foundation of property rights has alienated other groups. Whiteness helps give privilege to whites in the social, economic, and cultural contexts. It explains why police would stop and search blacks and not do the same if they were white. It brings memories of a case where an employee of a food joint calls the police on two black men waiting to be served. It indicates that the current American society assigns violence to specific groups of people, especially men of black descent. The current American society has perceptions of violence and criminal behaviors based on someone's skin color, as was evidenced in the story "Big Black Good Man," by Wright.

Counter Argument

There has been increased debate on racial profiling. The negative implications of race profiling on individuals and society are immense, including adverse psychological effects. Those who support the concept of racial profiling base their arguments on utilitarian philosophy, which posits that criminal behavior is disproportionately high in specific racial groups (Bahdi et al. 15). Therefore, it underpins the targeting and suspicion of specific members of society. It has been postulated that profiling helps deter and disrupt criminal activities. In the story "Big Black Good Man," by Wright, it can be postulated that Jenson's critical view of Jim is overly magnified. One can assert that there are some of Jim's behavior that could warrant him being racially profiled or thought of as violent. First, in the office, Jim stared at Jenson for approximately two minutes (Wright 103). In the least, this can be considered rude behavior. Jim can also be considered violent when he orders Jenson to stand up. He then encircles Jenson's throat with his fingers until he pisses his pants. Jenson could not be faulted for thinking Jim was showing him how he could kill him. There would be no other explanation for this kind of behavior. At some point, Jenson regrets not reaching for his gun and also thinks of reporting to the police. These two responses can be considered inappropriate in the circumstances. Jim's behavior can only seem to strengthen the stereotype that black men are violent and cruel. In this case, the idea of black people being violent is valid. In the story, Wright overly criticizes Jenson's behavior based on a known stereotype.