Toppling

          Richard Wright, an American novelist of the realist school, asks a famous question in his novel Native Son. " "Who knows when some slight shock, " he inquires, "disturbing the delicate balance between social order and thirsty aspiration, shall send the skyscrapers in our cities toppling?"

For some reason, this question reminded me of the ripple of events in A Raisin in the Sun that result in catastrophe by the end of Act II. Presumably, the parts about "social order" and "thirsty aspiration" are most easily identified, as the play circulates around its characters' passionate dreams and the post World War II racial tensions embedded into the Youngers' lives. The family is trapped in a restricted situation with no hope of relief. Then, they recieve a chance of rescue. Mama (Lena Younger) obtains a check of ten thousand dollars and is now desperate to both fufill her family's dreams and relocate to a better community. So she buys a house in a white neighborhood. This single act disrupts the "delicate balance" and drops family morale from high to low. Similarly, when Walter entrusts all his money to his friend, the money disappears and Walter loses what little power he had. These instances from Lorraine Hansberry's play correlate to Mr. Wright's unfathomable question by demanding us to think over our actions carefully, so as to avoid detrimental consequences. After all, the smallest mistake could result in well-structured beliefs, motivation, and spirits toppling down, into oblivion.

Take a Stand!

          In the Langston Hughes poem "I, too" the author invokes a plea for equality and freedom. He does this by setting up his poem so that we can see his purpose by the end. The person depicted in this piece is an African American servant who is banished by his master whenever guests arrive. He is forced into dining in the kitchen-secluded from company. However, this situation doesn't faze the servant who laughs and grows stronger from the ordeal of isolation. The crux of this stanza asserts "I'll be at the table...Nobody'll dare/ Say to me/ 'Eat in the kitchen,'/ Then" (9-14). This demonstrates how the servant is willing to emerge from submission and repel others imposing limits on his self-esteem. Also, it establishes the poet's  true meaning of bravery and the benefits of standing up for what is right.

          Most people, if asked, will advocate for supporting justice and taking a stand. Here's the thing--they don't really mean it. We all think standing up for what's right is hypothetically wonderful, yet when we see it in normal life situations, we dismiss it as  awkward and unnecessary. People don't want others to do what's right; they just want them to cause the least amount of trouble as possible. The Langston Hughes poem emphasizes the amount of courage needed to break this obstacle and how people should support others without judgement. That's why America is so celebrated or "sung": it strives for pushing conventional boundaries and revering diversity.