4. There will be no much difference even the setting will be change to the north. After the abolition of slavery in the United States, The Supreme Court handed down a series of decision regarded by many second-class citizen, blacks were separated from whites by law and by private action in transportation, public accommodations, recreational facilities, prisons, armed force and also school in both Northern and Southern states and this separation was legal by the Supreme Court. Plus, the separation is not equal for both race. So, no matter where the setting is, whether in North or South, the racial segregation still the same.
If the setting is to changed to today’s world, I think there is less racial segregation happened. Not to denying that there is some place where segregation of racial still took place.
“Our Constitution makes it clear that people of all races must be treated equally under the law. Yet we know that our society has not fully achieved that ideal. Racial prejudice is a reality in America. It hurts many of our citizens. As a nation, as a government, as individuals, we must be vigilant in responding to prejudice wherever we find it…[w]e should not be satisfied with the current numbers of minorities on American college campuses. Much progress has been made; much more is needed…and because we’re committed to racial justice, we must make sure that America’s public schools offer a quality education to every child from every background…. America’s long experience with the segregation we have put behind us and the racial discrimination we still struggle to overcome requires a special effort to make real the promise of equal opportunity for all.”
This is George W. Bush speech when he was the President. All we can see that, he is trying to solve this racial segregation matter. So, if the play is being perform and we changed their setting to today’s setting, the racial segregation will not look too obvious in the play.
5. From these lines, I find that at the period of times, it is weird to see a family or groups of black people dine out and it is useless for the black if they have many brilliant ideas because they have less opportunity to speak their mind. From this situation, we understand that Marge is alluding to segregation. This can be seen in line 39. It show that she is alluding to segregations as she look downs on her own people. She disagree with her mother going to the White area and she always think that black people always lower than white people even the ideas is brilliant.
Question 6: Does Mrs. Carter think of herself as a racist? Do you agree with her assessment of herself?
No. Instead of a racist, she thinks herself as a tolerant and liberal person in her way of thinking.
I don't agree with her assessment of herself. This is proven from her conversation with Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Carter worries about her brother, who is an unsuccessful novelist. He writes about a culture that he neither understands nor is capable of experiencing, which may be why his books do not sell. Mama tries to explain that the story Mrs Carter's brother is telling is not true, but Mrs. Carter rejects this explanation. Mrs. Carter cannot accept that a black woman could know more than her white brother. Mrs. Carter also believes that she is doing a good deed in arranging for a black woman to work as a servant.
7. What causes Mama
to disagree with Mrs. Carter about her brother’s book? What does this
disagreement tell the audience about both characters?
Mama disagree with Mrs. Carter
brother’s book because she had a friend that
is not ashamed to say that she is a Negro women although people thought she is
a white women whereas Mrs. Carter brother’s book is about a girl that feels
ashamed of herself because she is a Negro and commit suicide.
This disagreement tell the audience
that both character have different points of view. Mrs. Carter thinks it is true that black people
are ashamed of themselves whereas Mama thinks that black people do not feel
ashamed but proud of themselves.
8. Does Mama’s view of Mrs. Carter change or remain the same
as the plot develops? Why does Mama ask Mrs. Carter to help Florence? What does
she learn that causes her to reject the “help” that Mrs. Carter offers?
As the plot develops, Mama’s view of Mrs. Carter does change
because at the beginning of the story, Mama is convinced with her, thinking that she does need to stop Florence
because of Mrs. Carter’s advise but at the end of the story, she started to
dislike her because she discovered that Mrs. Carter is racist and she did not care about Mrs. Carter
anymore. She then went home.
Mama asks Mrs. Carter to help
Florence because Mrs. Carter told Mama that she knows many people that is in
the acting bussiness , so Mama think that Mrs. Carter might help her by
introducing Florence to the people that Mrs. Carter knows so that Florence can
pursue her dream.
She learnt that the “help” that
Mrs. Carter offers is not the kind of help that Mama looks for. She realized
that Mrs. Carter does not understand her and underestimate her.
9. What is Mama’s opinion of her daughter at the beginning of the play? How does this view change by the end? In what way is Mrs. Carter responsible for this play.
In the beginning, Mama thought that Florence was having a tough life at New York because she has brown skin. Coloured people are discriminated during that period. Florence was discriminated too. She actually went to New York so she can be an actor but she only acted as a stage sweeper. Mama was worried about her daughter and she wanted to persuade Florence to return with her.
At the waiting room, Mama met Mrs. Carter. She is white. At first, Mrs Carter told Mama that she could find a job of an actress for Florence. What Mrs Carter actually wanted to offer Florence to be a maid. After realising that, Mama straight away clutch Mrs. Carter’s hand. Mama was very angry because of Mrs. Carter’s way of thinking that coloured people should only treated as maid. Mama straight away changed her mind so that Florence can prove herself.
Mrs Carter was very narrow-minded. Only because Florence was a black women, she offers her a maid position. Mrs. Carter was the one who responsible to change Mama’s view of Florence. After listening to Mrs Carter, she wanted Florence to prove herself.
10. Although the play bears her
name, Florence never appears on stage. In what sense is Florence nevertheless a
character in the play? Why do you think Childress names the play for her?
- Florence is the nevertheless
character in the play because she portrays the black women that try really hard
to live their life between the white people which being respect by the others.
She is also the focus of Mrs. Whitney’s journey and bring her back to her son. Besides,
she is the reason why Mama is sitting in the train station. After Mama’s
conversation with Mrs. Carter, she forgets her intention to go to New York to
persuade Florence but instead she left her a note to tell her to keep trying.
-Childress names the play for her
because Florence seems to be the strong black women. She moved to New York to
find success as an actress. Even though she did not achieve stardom, she achieved
small success on the stage and that keeps her remains at New York and continues
her work as a cleaner. Besides, she is the main topic for Mama and Mrs. Carter’s
conversation. Mrs. Carter explains that she can get a work for Florence but as
a domestic servant. Mama becomes upset and she support Florence to achieve her
dream and leaves the train station.
