Racism in Literature Essay - 1144 Words

Racism, a disease of the ignorant, is a horrific part of society, and has reared its ugly head throughout history, and is continuing to do the same today. Racism comes in many shapes and forms, directed towards a variation of cultures. It can end lives and tear communities apart. Often times, there are people who see racism, and are inspired to write about it, with the goal in mind to make a difference and change societies belief. Abel Meeropol and Harper Lee had that goal in common, when writing â€Å"Strange Fruit†, a poem about lynching, and To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel about a persecuting southern to. Both the contrast made and the word choice are effective parts of the poem. Symbolism and satire are also big parts. The theme of racism is†¦show more content†¦No one could read these words and not feel anything. To conclude, the rhyming also gave it a flowing morose voice. This compares to To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, because the novel also has a huge co ntrast, that being the beautiful small town with terrible racism occurring, wiping the beauty away. The word choice in To Kill a Mockingbird is also effective because it is from a child’s point of view, so the words are different from what one would usually choose, leaving the reader to see things from a different perspective. Satire and symbolism are also significant. Next, the inclusion of symbolism and satire is a huge part. Symbolized is an African American, the strange fruit. In â€Å"Strange Fruit†, by Abel Meeropol, the strange fruit is really an African American who has been lynched, and left hanging in a tree. It is strange to see a body hanging from a tree where a fruit normally would be, which is why the author calls him or her ‘a strange fruit’, but it also symbolizes much more. The victim, along with the entire African American race, is seen by society as outsiders, as freaks, and as unequal. They are, one could say, the strange fruit of society. â€Å"Here is a strange and bitter crop† (12). There is also another example of symbolism, in â€Å"blood on the leaves and blood at the roots† (2). There is literally blood on the leaves, and the roots, from the dead corpse, but it is symbolizing that this killing has been going on for ages, and is at the roots ofShow MoreRelatedRacism in Literature824 Word s   |  4 PagesBill Frino English 101-K Writing I Dr. J. 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