Cultural appropriation is a very complicated and difficult topic to discuss. The discussion of cultural appropriating is a difficult topic because of the alternate argument of if it is actually cultural appreciation or inspiration. Certain appropriated acts of black style has become trends within popular culture. This is incredibly problematic because it is important to maintain black identity in the United States. Appropriative acts have been around since the beginning of slavery. Cultural appropriation goes further than just offending people. Appropriation continues patterns of disempowering people who have already been ostracized. Cultural appropriation is a common problem in African-American history. A lot of the time, the use of color-blind ideology is used in order to participate and to justify their participation in black culture. By doing this, cultural appropriation becomes incredibly destructive. The appropriation and fetishizing of black culture and turning them into “trends” is detrimental to the black community. This process robs elements of black culture, and undoes a sense of black identity. This essay will explore the significance of race and how it will impact the future of literature.
W.E.B. Du Bois’ statements that “the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line”. “Race” is not a permanent social category. Construct of race is a historical outcome of slavery and human exploitation. For individuals that are oppressed, culture and identity are related in the make-up of power and privilege within society. Although racism has affected the lives of many people from various countries. America seems to be the country that has dealt with it the worst. In the past, there has been a lot of racial tension between non-whites and white people. Non-white people are treated like possessions rather than people. Non-whites were never given any respect or consideration. Racism is a serious problem in society that not only can be seen by the naked eye, but it is also is a soul disease that subsequently affects at individuals at a psychological level. Since racism exists, a lot of people have dealt with identity issues and suffer from the “Negro problem”. People tend to create their own identity based on the situations that have been presented to them. Some individuals are secure with their own identity while others are still trying to “find” themselves. A reoccurring theme in most of the works that we have read thus far in class has dealt with issues of race and identity. Since the issue of race has played such a huge role in American culture, I think that the future of American literature will continue to focus on racial discrimination and how it plays a significant role in our society.
The first book that we were required to read in class was Souls of Black Folk. In Souls of Black Folk, the inequality of blacks is displayed all through the book. There are a ton of race relations involved. DuBois refers to the “veil”, which many blacks spend their lives. The “veil” is not literally a veil, but it is a figure of speech that suggests that some blacks live under a veil which provides optimism for those who choose not to see their oppression. The veil is essentially hurting them by encouraging them to ignore their circumstances that they live in. The veil makes their issues and life invisible to the world. Blacks will continue to live by the perceptions and idealisms that people from different races have placed on them. The “veil” will continue to play a role in American literature because it is still occurring today. Even though slavery has occurred years ago, the “veil” is still relevant today. “From the double life every American Negro must live, as a Negro and as American, as swept on by the current of the nineteenth while yet struggling in the eddies of the fifteenth century” (chapter 10). A lot of people are still blinded by certain things that are going on around them. There are still plenty of people that still are not able to live the lives that they truly want to due to their skin color, because of this, writers are still given the ability to incorporate the “veil” in their work.
Multiculturalism discards the idea of cultural assimilation. Assimilation always presumed that the price for entrance to America’s cultural democracy was the surrender of those things which truly made America unique. In The White Boy Shuffle, the main character, Gunnar Kaufman, deals with issues of identity. Gunnar is a mullato which makes it extremely difficult for Gunnar to relate to either side of his race background. He wants to relate to both however, it is very difficult for him to do so. Thus, creating more identity issues within himself. There are plenty of readers that can relate to Gunnar’s issues dealing with race. “Like the good Reverend King I too 'have a dream' but when I wake up, I forget it and remember I'm running late for work” (Beatty). The book has comedic aspects to it which gives a light hearted approach to a very serious topic. The “veil” is being used once again. With all of this being said, the topic of race will always and forever be relevant. Thus, authors will always have the topic of race as a theme. Race discrimination is a topic that many people can identify with. The future of American Literature will always involve topics of race and identity. America is one of the most diverse country on this planet. There is so much history behind racial issues in this country. There is still a lot of racial tension that we are currently dealing with in society. Movements like the “Black Lives Matter” are a great step towards decreasing racial tensions. However, America still has a long way to go.
In the future, black authors must go beyond the development of new courses, to engage in a general discussion about the use of racial diversity. In the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois and other black writers, there should continue to be more literature that focuses on black culture. Without black writers and their contribution to the literary world, there would continue to be less diversity in literary characters. In the future I hope to see those movements incorporated in some literature. It was very refreshing to read works that incorporated black protagonists, however, every one of those characters dealt with some sort of racism or identity issues. Race will always play a significant role in American history, so it is only right that it is incorporated in our literature.