For this annotation, you will submit, with proper MLA format, the main ideas of one of the literary critics. Your annotation should include the major points as well as an inclusion of quotes from the critical essay itself. 250 words.
30 Comments
Georgie P
12/9/2013 03:02:45 am
Armistead’s Critical Essay, ‘The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in An Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man’ begins with an introduction to the theory of Henry Louis Gates Jr, who believes that race is actually a socially-constructed concept created by society in order to categorize and ‘degrade certain peoples’; Armistead argues that although the idea of a society without race categorization would be ideal, it is incredibly unrealistic seeing as it would be near impossible for ‘society’s members to overcome [their] long-held values and beliefs’. Armistead however, in contrast to Gates’ views, argues that obtaining and accepting your racial identity is a positive thing which will lead to a secure identity and an overall feeling of belonging. Armistead argues that the Ex-Colored Man looks at situations in a ‘numb, analytical fashion’ and only ‘displays a deep love for his mother and, later, his wife’. Armistead goes on to explain that the reason why the Ex-Colored Man has issues forming and keeping lasting relationships with individuals is because ‘he vies to improve his own situation rather than value the bond at its purest level’. This isn’t, however, simply due to selfishness. Armistead argues that ‘it grows from a longing for social functionality in the racial sense’ because The Ex-Colored Man cannot relate to ‘white people’, or to ‘colored people’. Instead, he appears to pick and choose his racial identity in accordance to what would suit him at the time, instead of forming a solid identity for himself. This leaves the Ex-Colored Man lost, unable to truly accept himself in a society which holds so much prejudice.
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Cj W
12/10/2013 02:22:25 am
"Race" is not itself a natural entity, rather a synthetic construct used to degrade certain peoples. Undeniably, humanity sees through a shaded lens, and, though the race schism may be of artificial rather than biological origins, it very much has and still shapes the world we live in." This main argument that Henry Louis Gates Jr. theorized about is further expressed in Greg Armistead's critical essay entitled: "The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in An Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man’. However, even though Armistead's utilizes Gate's idea, his doesn't necessarily believe in all his viewpoints. Armistead believes that by Johnson making his character confused about his racial identify, it takes away massively from the story and even leads to situations that would become difficult in the future, writing "Indeed, the absence of a racial identity bars the man from the existence he longed to appreciate." He also adds to his argument stating "It becomes impossible to develop a strong black self because he himself devalues their existence, going so far as to brand them "creatures". The solution that Armistead formulates for Johnson is that he should have established a racial identity within the character from the start, so that he wouldn't have to deal with the constant conflicts that occurred because of his unknown "racial stance". Only when Johnson's character finds his true identity or where he fits safely among society, can he be truly satisfied with his life.
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Cj W.
12/12/2013 03:16:12 am
^ Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 10, 2013.
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Beau
12/10/2013 02:47:48 am
Armistead, Greg. The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in. www.Gradesaver.com 2006
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Hope
12/10/2013 05:22:51 am
Greg Armistead’s essay, “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line”, analyzes the reasons for and results of the narrator in James Weldon Johnson’ “Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man’s refusal to truly identify with a certain race. Armistead discusses how the narrator this novel does not assimilate with either group, or any other person. The majority of his relationships were not free from an agenda. Armistead notes that “even as a child, the Ex-Colored Man seeks to develop a symbiotic relationship” that would eventually lead to a benefit of some sort.. The Ex-Colored Man recognized this in himself when he asked himself, "was it more a desire to help those I considered my people, or more a desire to distinguish myself...” and then determined that “this is a question I have never definitely answered" (474). The only relationships that were truly without any type of motive were those with his mother and wife. These two women he loved unconditionally. Despite how self-absorbed the narrator may seem for his other relationships, Armistead believes that he was not acting on pure selfishness. His actions were a result of being stuck in between two races. He could pass as caucasian as well as negro and it was up to him to decide which to choose. The narrator seemed to change his mind on the matter depending on the situation. This battle with himself is what Armistead claims to have caused much of the emotional discontent in the Ex-Colored Man’s life.
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Trey C.
12/10/2013 09:10:31 pm
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 11, 2013
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Angelique K.
12/11/2013 12:44:41 am
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 11, 2013
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Anonymous
12/17/2013 02:21:33 am
Very good. way to show the relationship between the piece you analyzed and the book itself, this is very effective for annotations I suggest you continue this for future annotations. Stupendous work
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Ryan M
12/11/2013 03:48:09 am
Greg Armistead starts out by saying Gates' theory that, "'race' is not itself a natural entity, rather a synthetic construct used to degrade certain peoples", he then goes on to criticize it. He argues that a society with no race or ‘one race’ would be the perfect the idea. Racism, and segregation has been a part of society and if it weren't there, the social structure would go unbalanced. With this ability though, he never is fully exposed to either of the races whether it is acting as a racist or being acted upon by a racist. His actions were a result of being stuck in between two races.
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Julia B.
12/11/2013 04:20:52 am
Armistead’s Critical Essay, ‘The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in An Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man’ begins with a theory by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. stating that "'race' is not itself a natural entity, rather a synthetic construct used to degrade certain peoples. He implores society to move forward free from the shackles of categorization, liberating itself from a false reality." meaning that race is basically made up by society so that the better half can look down upon people who are not like them. Armistead adds that the Narrator in Ex-Colored man is able to rise above the color barrier by not claiming to be white or black; protecting himself from the white 'faction' and the cruelty that the whites gave to the black at that time. He goes on to say that the narrator in the novel uses his racial identity as a tool to make his life as easy as possible. "...I should have greater chances of attracting attention as a coloured composer than as a white one" (474). This indicates the readers that the narrator was willing to call himself black in order to get better recognition for his music. Armistead also adds in his critical essay that the narrator only 'displays a deep love for his mother and, later, his wife’ because the Ex-Colored Man didn't have a father-figure in his life, which would make it easier to associate with . Since the Ex-Colored Man chooses if he is black or white if the situation favors him, leaves him without a proper 'race' in a society that values race in a critical, life or death, way.
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Yahaira S.
12/11/2013 06:04:42 am
In Greg Armistead's essay, The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in An Autobiography of An Ex-Colored Man, firstly, he uses an argument made by Henry Louis Gates Jr. which argues that race is basically constructed to disparage people. Additionally Armistead goes on to contradict the statement Gates made when he said “He implores society to move forward free from the shackles of categorization, liberating itself from a false reality.” The reason Armistead doesn't find this view realistic is because by only viewing the utopian intentions, Gates failed to take into account “The great inability of society's members to overcome its long-held values and beliefs.” It is and has always been within human nature to have to feel superior towards someone and that is not something that will ever change.
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Stephen
12/11/2013 07:37:01 am
Bruce Barnhart’s article, “Chronopolitics and Race, Rag-time and Symphonic Time in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man”, focuses on the relationship between the millionaire and the narrator. Barnhart at first compares this relationship to one between a master and a slave, but goes further than this, suggesting that through his lengthy “servitude”, the narrator himself has developed a light form of Stockholm syndrome, as the narrator has come to accept the millionaires views as true. This can explain his guilt but eventual decision to give up on his life-defining dream of advancing the black race, instead choosing to live his life in comfort as a white man.
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Daniel C.
12/11/2013 01:43:24 pm
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 11, 2013
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Anonymous
12/17/2013 02:18:45 am
Impressive, your constant implementation of quotes made your piece more easy to follow. Since you created a quote conversation it created a sense of amplification on the thought at which you were analyzing. Excellent work and very intellectually involved
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Bethany Balentine
12/12/2013 01:39:55 am
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 11, 2013
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Anonymous
12/17/2013 02:17:24 am
You show understanding of the piece which you read. You analyzed the thoughts well, with this all said I would suggest more quotes to create a conversation between them. When quotes show conversation and you as the author show the analysis in between them it creates a more effective annotation. overall good understanding. Also I would suggest to leave a last name initial just for internet privacy and security reasons. Anyone can access this site at anytime it is good to show internet safety
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Raegan C.
12/13/2013 04:49:45 am
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 13, 2013.
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Gabrielle Le
12/14/2013 05:18:49 am
Sheehy, John. “The Mirror and the Veil: The Passing Novel and the Quest for American Racial Identity.” African American Review. Fall, 1999. BNET. 10 December 2009.
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Tasha Snider
12/14/2013 04:09:42 pm
In the critical essay “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in Ex-Colored Man” the author looks at how “race” affects the narrator throughout the story. “The subject of the story is the benefactor of a societal anomaly: he is able to oscillate and transcend the color barrier, somewhat shielding himself from the biased operation of the white faction and the intense oppression encasing the black one.” The essayist continues to go on about how the narrator was “…Neither [able to] disclaim the black race nor claim the white race…” (499). This line from the novel is the main theme of the critical essay as it develops. In the beginning it looks at how the narrator was never able to truly identify himself with the black race and even looks back at his elementary school days to show this interesting side of the narrators personality. In the long run, Greg Armistead says that the narrator “cannot commit to either side so long as he funnels his perceptions into generalizations of both white and black spheres.” The essay even touches on how the narrator presents the black race almost to a point of negativity throughout the novel with lines like: "...This ability to laugh heartily is, in part, the salvation of the American Negro; it does much to keep him from going the way of an Indian" (423) which gives Negroes the only talent of laughing or "It is a struggle; for though the black man fights passively, he nevertheless fights...he bears the fury of the storm as does the willow tree"(433) where he discludes himself from being in the category by using he instead of we.
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Conner Brown
12/14/2013 05:17:16 pm
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 11, 2013
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Angela B.
12/14/2013 08:22:18 pm
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 15, 2013
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Anonymous
12/17/2013 02:13:06 am
Very good job the conversation between the quotes is very effective in showing your understanding excellent job.
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rachelp
12/15/2013 05:29:35 am
Barnhart, Bruce. “Chronopolitics and race. Rag-time and symphonic time in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” African American Review. Fall 2006. BNET.
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rachelp
12/15/2013 05:32:20 am
forgot to add the last paragraph so here it is : ....
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Anonymous
12/17/2013 02:12:00 am
Very good excellent annotation. Not only did you show good understanding but your implementation of quotes was effective in showing the chronological order of which that piece created and developed overall idea. Very good job.
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Molly R
12/16/2013 07:47:33 am
Goellnicht, Donald C. “Passing as autobiography: James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man.” African American Review. Spring 1996. BNET.
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Anonymous
12/17/2013 02:10:29 am
While you did show the understanding of the piece at which you analyzed, I would suggest that you take and implement more quotes. Now you have effectively analyzed the piece and show understanding, but it is more effective to have a conversation between quotes and I would suggest that you do that, otherwise very good thought process.
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Georgie P
12/17/2013 02:52:43 am
Neil Brooks’ Essay ‘On becoming an ex-man: Postmodern irony and the extinguishing certainties in the Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man’ aims to describe how the novel ‘An Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man’ cannot truly be described as ironic unless it is in a postmodern way. He argues that the novel could not be ironic as there is nothing to base the irony on; the Ex-Colored Man does not have a firm identity. Instead, he is described as ‘passer’ which holds ‘a racial assumption--one must be either all white or all black—‘. Brooks’ therefore singulars out the Ex-Colored Man as somebody isolated from society in general; he is neither a part of black culture, nor a part of white culture, yet he can be successful in both. However, he can never have his own identity. He also explains that the novel takes the form of a slave narrative in some instances, saying that ‘the novel emphasizes the struggles of the protagonist to assert dignity in the face of oppression, and thus to show the brutality of the oppressors.’ And yet Brooks also points out that the Ex-Colored Man could never truly be a part of this world as ‘the book tells the tale of a free man aggressively asserting his individuality, yet trapped within a social system that denies him the rights of an individual.’ Contrastingly, the book also exhibits signs of an elaborated, fictional version of fact for the fake factual protagonist. ‘The story he narrates is largely a romanticized version of his past and an elaborate justification of his present’.
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Buse D.
12/17/2013 03:44:54 am
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” Gradesaver. December 17, 2013
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Sarah P
12/17/2013 08:50:15 am
Armistead, Greg. “The Consequences of the Faded Color Line in The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.” December 18, 2013.
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