Compare Contrast Paper
Malaysia Ash
WR 111F- Ms. Clark
10/14/2014
Compare/Contrast
Race Doesn't Define Us In both of the essays, the authors are faced with stereotypes. In Tyina Steptoe's "An Ode to Country Music from a Black Dixie Chick" she argues that she is faced with stereotypes because she is an African-American who enjoys country music. In Toni Morrisons's "She and Me" she feels that she is faced with racial profiling because she is a little black girl who was being taken advantage of by a white woman, but did not want to complain because she felt good about contributing to her family. Even though these essays were written nearly 60 years apart, both confront issues of stereotypes in their enviroments. Although both authors write about about being in situations in which they feel out of place because of their race, Steptoe eventually feels free to step out of her cultural heritage to embrace a new one, whereas Morrsion feels trapped by her cultural heritage. Both authors refuse to let others define them. At first it was difficult for Steptoe to resolve this struggle. Steptoe loved country music, but she was afraid to embrace it because she always seen it as a "white thing". She felt that because of her race, being black, she should not like country music. That was hard for her because country music was apart of her. In paragraph 5 Steptoe said "Sometimes you never know what home means until you leave it". Country music was like home for her. She realized that she missed country music when she left and went to Wisconsin for school. Even though she missed country music, she still had a strong predjudice towards country music. She associated country music with the same group of people who called her "nigger". She wanted to enjoy country music because it is what made her the type of person she is. The stereotype that "black people should not listen to country music" was strongly influencing her. Steptoe then made up her mind. She said "I had to confront my own bias." She came to
WR 111F- Ms. Clark
10/14/2014
Compare/Contrast
Race Doesn't Define Us In both of the essays, the authors are faced with stereotypes. In Tyina Steptoe's "An Ode to Country Music from a Black Dixie Chick" she argues that she is faced with stereotypes because she is an African-American who enjoys country music. In Toni Morrisons's "She and Me" she feels that she is faced with racial profiling because she is a little black girl who was being taken advantage of by a white woman, but did not want to complain because she felt good about contributing to her family. Even though these essays were written nearly 60 years apart, both confront issues of stereotypes in their enviroments. Although both authors write about about being in situations in which they feel out of place because of their race, Steptoe eventually feels free to step out of her cultural heritage to embrace a new one, whereas Morrsion feels trapped by her cultural heritage. Both authors refuse to let others define them. At first it was difficult for Steptoe to resolve this struggle. Steptoe loved country music, but she was afraid to embrace it because she always seen it as a "white thing". She felt that because of her race, being black, she should not like country music. That was hard for her because country music was apart of her. In paragraph 5 Steptoe said "Sometimes you never know what home means until you leave it". Country music was like home for her. She realized that she missed country music when she left and went to Wisconsin for school. Even though she missed country music, she still had a strong predjudice towards country music. She associated country music with the same group of people who called her "nigger". She wanted to enjoy country music because it is what made her the type of person she is. The stereotype that "black people should not listen to country music" was strongly influencing her. Steptoe then made up her mind. She said "I had to confront my own bias." She came to