Rules of Engagement: 1 - You must ADD ON to discussion. Do not repeat either what was said in class OR what someone else already posted about the poem you are discussing. 2 - Please indicate WHICH QUESTION you are answering in your response. 3 - Answer only ONE question. 4 - Make sure you answer ALL parts of that question--i.e. If it asks you to identify a poetic device like alliteration and connect to meaning, make sure you connect to meaning. :)
"Let the Healing Begin" (p.21)
1. What does this poem say about RACE in America? Support your answer with specific textual evidence.
'Let the Healing Begin - On being Told I Don't Speak Like A Black Person' brilliantly written by Allison Joseph in the close, but yet so far year of 1967. Joseph's narration of the situation of Race in 1967 by smacking the reader in the face in the very beginning of the poem with "Emphasis the "h", you hignorant ass, was what my mother was told when colonial-minded teachers slapped her open palm with a ruler". This is later explained to be about the mother's Jamaican accent. The entire poem revolves around accents and how they were viewed in 1960s America, and how people commented on her accent. "Why don't you sound like her?" and "Does everyone in your family sound alike? - don't take this the wrong way, nothing personal". Joseph believes that accents are extremely personal and they make up who we are. People should not be ashamed of their accents and Joseph tells the reader to "Let us speak - with the sounds of our mothers"
Question 2: The title "Let the Healing Begin" is significant in the way that the poem portrays its view of racism in America. The poem itself talks about how people believe you must act a certain way based on your skin, but in reality it shouldn't matter what people look like and everyone should be able to speak however they want. This ties back to the title because the title hopes that after people read this poem they will realize the error of their ways and begin to "heal" in their own beliefs.
Question #2 In thin the poem Let the Healing Begin, the title represents America being in need of healing. There are expectations that people have of others if they are of a certain race or speak in a certain way. The author is trying to show how America is starting over by making people equal, regardless of their race. The author is telling us to be more respectful of others regardless of the tone of their voice or their inflections.
Question #2 In thin the poem Let the Healing Begin, the title represents America being in need of healing. There are expectations that people have of others if they are of a certain race or speak in a certain way. The author is trying to show how America is starting over by making people equal, regardless of their race. The author is telling us to be more respectful of others regardless of the tone of their voice or their inflections.
2) The poem "Let the Healing Begin" by Allison Joseph is saying People are free to talk however they want. They do not have justify for how they speak, act, or look. Everyone is different, in life there will be people who stand out whether it's how they eat or how they talk, but there is no need to ask a person why they do things a certain. People need to live with others around them because they can't runaway from people who are different from them because they are all around them. Allison Joseph says at the very last stanza of the poem, " I don't have to defend how I speak, how any person, black, white, chooses to speak." Allison Joseph is trying very hard to portray that people don't need to judge her or ask her questions about how she speaks. Also, she does not need to explain why she is who she is.
In this poem,"On Being Told I Don't Speak Like a Black Person" by Allison Joseph, the overall message being conveyed seems to be not to judge another persons abilities based on skin color. Joseph voices this theme by giving her experience to the audience. "I asked what they meant, and they stuttered, blushed, said you know, Black English, applying what they'd learned from that semester's text. Does family speak alike?, I'd question and they'd say don't take this the wrong way, nothing personal." " Now I realize there's nothing more personal than speech, that I don't have to defend how I speak, how any person; black black, white, chooses to speak." Allison Joseph also shines light on the issue of having to changes yourself to be appreciated more in the black community. In the beginning of the text, the author talks about her past at school in Jamaica and how people were taught to speak in a certain way in order to fit into societal norms. But then the author tells the audience about her mother and how he kept her accent nonetheless. This shows resilience against what the world sees as the best way to be and shows acceptance of self.
'Let the Healing Begin - On being Told I Don't Speak Like A Black Person' brilliantly written by Allison Joseph in the close, but yet so far year of 1967. Joseph's narration of the situation of Race in 1967 by smacking the reader in the face in the very beginning of the poem with "Emphasis the "h", you hignorant ass, was what my mother was told when colonial-minded teachers slapped her open palm with a ruler". This is later explained to be about the mother's Jamaican accent. The entire poem revolves around accents and how they were viewed in 1960s America, and how people commented on her accent. "Why don't you sound like her?" and "Does everyone in your family sound alike? - don't take this the wrong way, nothing personal". Joseph believes that accents are extremely personal and they make up who we are. People should not be ashamed of their accents and Joseph tells the reader to "Let us speak - with the sounds of our mothers"
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1
DeleteQuestion 2:
ReplyDeleteThe title "Let the Healing Begin" is significant in the way that the poem portrays its view of racism in America. The poem itself talks about how people believe you must act a certain way based on your skin, but in reality it shouldn't matter what people look like and everyone should be able to speak however they want. This ties back to the title because the title hopes that after people read this poem they will realize the error of their ways and begin to "heal" in their own beliefs.
Question #2
ReplyDeleteIn thin the poem Let the Healing Begin, the title represents America being in need of healing. There are expectations that people have of others if they are of a certain race or speak in a certain way. The author is trying to show how America is starting over by making people equal, regardless of their race. The author is telling us to be more respectful of others regardless of the tone of their voice or their inflections.
Question #2
ReplyDeleteIn thin the poem Let the Healing Begin, the title represents America being in need of healing. There are expectations that people have of others if they are of a certain race or speak in a certain way. The author is trying to show how America is starting over by making people equal, regardless of their race. The author is telling us to be more respectful of others regardless of the tone of their voice or their inflections.
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Delete2) The poem "Let the Healing Begin" by Allison Joseph is saying People are free to talk however they want. They do not have justify for how they speak, act, or look. Everyone is different, in life there will be people who stand out whether it's how they eat or how they talk, but there is no need to ask a person why they do things a certain. People need to live with others around them because they can't runaway from people who are different from them because they are all around them. Allison Joseph says at the very last stanza of the poem, " I don't have to defend how I speak, how any person, black, white, chooses to speak." Allison Joseph is trying very hard to portray that people don't need to judge her or ask her questions about how she speaks. Also, she does not need to explain why she is who she is.
ReplyDeleteIn this poem,"On Being Told I Don't Speak Like a Black Person" by Allison Joseph, the overall message being conveyed seems to be not to judge another persons abilities based on skin color. Joseph voices this theme by giving her experience to the audience. "I asked what they meant, and they stuttered, blushed, said you know, Black English, applying what they'd learned from that semester's text. Does family speak alike?, I'd question and they'd say don't take this the wrong way, nothing personal." " Now I realize there's nothing more personal than speech, that I don't have to defend how I speak, how any person; black black, white, chooses to speak." Allison Joseph also shines light on the issue of having to changes yourself to be appreciated more in the black community. In the beginning of the text, the author talks about her past at school in Jamaica and how people were taught to speak in a certain way in order to fit into societal norms. But then the author tells the audience about her mother and how he kept her accent nonetheless. This shows resilience against what the world sees as the best way to be and shows acceptance of self.
ReplyDelete