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09, 2005
Uncle Remus
I did not read the comment that Professor Jerz left on my blog until I came home tonight. I had commented on how sad it was that the actor who portrayed Uncle Remus could not attend the premiere due to race. I was asked if I found anything puzzling or illuminating in any of the passages. I found that the story Why the Negro is Black a fascinating tale. More so after the class discussion. We talked about why he would tell this story to a white boy. Why did all the black people want to be white. I said that I believed that he was telling the boy this story to prove that we are all the same. "De Injun en de Chinee got ter be 'counted'long er de merlatter. I ain't seed no Chinee dat I know un, but they tells me dey er sorter'twix' a brown en a brindle. dey er all merlatters." Uncle Remus replies that is because they stuck their hair in the pond and straightened it. Again I maintain he is saying that inside, we are all the same. To throw another Disney movie in the mix, how about Tarzen. He realizes that he is different. When his mother, who is an ape, looks at him, she shows him how they are the same when he places his hand in hers. The question was asked on why everyone that jumped into the pond wanted to be white. I think we have to consider the audience he was telling it to. A white boy. If the boy was Chinese, would the story be a little different. Those types of stories were told and retold to suit the story teller and the audience. It could have been changed somewhat to make the boy understand.
Posted by DeePruett at 9, 2005 10:08