Young Black Women Who Practice Mobility, Essay Example

The American story of the black woman and her role in the civil rights movement has long been a subject of interest to numerous scholars. However, some of the most interesting depictions of the black women in a time of racial oppression and the fight for freedom is evident in Dee Johnson, from Laice Walkers “Everyday Use” and Roberta from Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif”. The two characters depict largely varying views on the role of women in the civil rights movement, but also further shows the aspect of social mobility in young black women during a time of racial oppression and tension. This paper seeks to analyze how Dee Johnson and Roberts depict black women practicing mobility.

Dee Johnson from “Everyday Use”

From the beginning of the book, we are introduced to an abrasive Dee Johnson, brimming with confidence and largely assertive. Her personality is the epitome of the black woman during a time of unrest within the country due to racial varying racial ideologies. Her personality embodies the black woman practicing mobility.

Dee comes to reject her given English name, by virtue of it belonging from the people that “oppressed her”. She changes her name to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo. By doing this, she is openly and publicly denouncing the identity that society had predetermined for her. As most blacks had their names originate from their slave masters, she looks to break the link of oppression by curving out her own place within society, not as an African-American, but as an African.

Dee decides to create her own place in the social strata by embracing her African heritage. Her decision to maintain an afro-hairstyle as opposed to straightening her hair defies the common held perception of beauty that is associated with straight hair. By denouncing her given identity, she defies her African-American culture owing to it oppressive nature, in exchange for a more robust and defiant African identity.

Roberta in ‘‘Recitatif’’

The short story ‘‘Recitatif’’ by Toni Morison is a tale of friendship between a white girl and a black girl. This tale shows how the girls meet at an orphanage at the age of eight and how their friendship grows to a beautiful yet conflicting relationship. The children are later re-acquainted as mothers at a later time, however with conflicting lives. They find themselves of political, racial and economic divides in a revamped town in New York.

The author concentrates on the relationship between the narrator, Twyla and her friend Roberta, girls who meet at an orphanage even though they are not orphans. By virtue of this, being unlike the majority, they are drawn to each other and develop a friendship that defied the cultural and political differences at the time. Soon after they leave the orphanage, they grow to become young women and encounter at a diner where Twyla worked. Roberta walked in with two men and were on their way to see Jimmi Hendrix in a concert. There is strife between them as the racist atmosphere at the time affects their previous relationship. This encounter does not last long.

The author depicts Roberta as a young woman who is struggling to assert her position within community while facing the looming danger that racism holds. When attempts to grow herself despite the largely unfavorable political atmosphere towards individuals of her race. Her drive and motivation allows her to realize social mobility as she climbs up the social ladder, married to a well-off individual.

This is evident when they meet when Twyla is a mother and married at the age of 28 years. She encounters Roberta at a new revamped part of Newburgh at a supermarket inside a new mall. Roberta is at the opposite side of the economic divide as she is married to a wealthy executive and they soon let the tension between them from the last encounter dissipate. They reminisce about Maggie, a mute woman who once fell in the St. Bonny’s (the orphanage) orchard, and wonder what really happened. They part ways and they promise each other that they would stay in touch.

In conclusion, Dee Johnson and Roberta both depict young African women practicing mobility. However, they portray different aspects of young black women engaging in mobility. Roberta attempts to define her position within society by moving up the social ladder (social mobility) by getting married to a well-to-do African-American businessman. The defining moment for her attempt in practicing social mobility is defined by the scene at the school. They encounter again when Twyla is taking her son to school in the busing policy that aimed to encourage integration of the races in the schools. She finds Roberta standing outside the school picketing against the policy and her compatriots soon surround Twyla’s car and start rocking it. Roberta does nothing to aid her and the police soon come to rescue Twyla. Before long, Twyla is at the opposite end of the picketing battle with signs that soon become personal aimed against Roberta. Dee Jones attempts to curve out her own niche within the social strata by embracing her African heritage in favor of her African-American roots.