Notions (African Americans and Literature)

We had a couple of African-American books back in secondary as recommendations for the literature subject. They were Native Son and A Raising in the Sun.

When Bigger suffocated the white girl, Mary, my only thoughts were "What is wrong with this one? What kind of fear would make you do such thing when you could have easily escaped the blind woman.

I didn't have a clue what American society was. I just read the book for entertainment and for analysis in the exams but never really understood the setting behind the story.

Also, I was mildly annoyed with the court proceedings. And because I had little idea on how that society worked, I hoped that Bigger be freed, alas that was not so. Infact, now I think about it, it would have been more than a  miracle for a black man who actually killed a white woman be spared especially in those days. Guy readily accepted the punishment.

I remember being really uncomfortable with the whole scenarios. Really uncomfortable. While I enjoyed the book, I couldn't reconcile the America in the book with what I perceived through the lens of the American movies I watched (High School Musical, Bring it On, Jump in et.al). I guess I didn't even know the books was set in the 60s.

Same with A Raising in the Sun. I didn't understand why a bunch of people sent an agent to tell the black family to evacuate and that they couldn't believe the family could afford the area. I didn't get it because of the contents I devoured on Hollywood.

Of course, now I know better. Cos the situations then are not so different from America today. In a nutshell, America just has Hollywood as P.R. The same way they condition the story of America is same way they propagated their agenda in narrating Cold War. It's just like their medium of creating fantasy.

And try as I may, I don't feel comfortable watching their movies anymore, especially the regular Chick-flicks and all. I don't just feel them anymore. I see the movies and it's like I'm watching a parody, the movies and real life are so parallel.

So I lean more towards the biographies, or movies based off real events and documentaries (I saw 13th, a documentary by Ava Duvernay, brilliant piece btw. Go see it if you haven't, it's on YouTube), and these days Nollywood because I am all for supporting the industry to be better.

Honestly, I feel so cheated by Hollywood. It's like my eyes have cleared from the mirage they presented to us. And being freed from the disillusionment is both gratifying and depressing. Because the society you so much wished was different is just another Nigeria that is more developed.

But it's not as if the whites owe me anything, however understanding the reality can be bleh.. I just wish African-Americans can portray stories other than Tyler Perry's craft. We've seen enough of him. Dhuur.

Or better still re-enact many of their own native history and books by themselves(not like the Native Son adaptation - that was a disaster). I hope this period will induce that.

Probably.