One of the intriguing themes in Dutchman was the extent to which society creates expectations about
a specific racial group, and how these stereotyped ideas are both denounced and
supported by Clay. I think Clay is acutely aware of society's expectations for
a young black man, but he doesn't buy into these ideas. In the first act, Clay
treats Lula's prejudices with humor and when asked his last name he responds, "'Take
your pick. Jackson, Johnson, or Williams," poking fun at those names
society expects to belong to black Americans (15). This discussion of last
names reminded me of an interview with Malcolm X that I saw at the National Civil Rights Museum (in
Memphis, Tennessee). The museum plays the first two minutes of this video in a
loop as part of an exhibit. Essentially, the interviewer asks Malcolm X his
"real" last name, but he refuses to answer because he ties names such
as "Murphy, Jones, or Smith" to the history of slavery, claiming that
these last names don't really belong to African Americans and they shouldn't be
forced to answer to these false identities.
Similarly, in Dutchman, Lula seems intent on tying Clay and his ancestors to
slavery in order to project her limited view of black Americans onto Clay, as
seen in the following exchange:
LULA. What right do you have to be wearing a three-button
suit and striped tie? Your grandfather was a slave, he didn't go to Harvard.
CLAY. My grandfather was a night watchman.
Whenever Lula makes an accusation or assumption, Clay tends
to ignore the insult tied to what she's saying and just focuses on her next
topic. Clay avoids violence of action and speech consistently, as he doesn't seem
to believe that anything worthy will result. Although Clay's physical
appearance and lifestyle could be seen as assimilation into white American
culture, I don't think Clay believes his opportunities and expression are tied to
any specific race, but simply are part of his identity as a human. Unlike Lula,
he believes he has a right to wear this suit because he is capable of
constructing whatever identity he wants without worrying about social restrictions.
If this is a play is to be read as a representation of the
unjust persecution of black Americans, I found Clay's anti-Semitic comment to
be quite surprising. When Lula speaks of Clay's ancestors as slaves on a plantation surrounded by barbed wire, he
responds by saying, "You must be Jewish. All you can think about is wire"
(29). This is an obvious reference to the concentration camps of the Holocaust,
which was not only a form of religious persecution, but also involved ethnicity,
sexuality, nationality, and disabilities. Dr. Lennon mentioned that the
playwright was anti-Semitic, which might explain why this comment was included.
However, it seems like Clay would show greater sympathy for other minority
groups who have been historically oppressed. I think this comment deflated
Clay's character and slightly contradicts his final monologue. In this speech, Clay
suggests that black Americans are encouraged to keep their culture and customs
separate by white society, and he is glad that many black American do not buy
into the "rationalism and cold logic" used to justify the hatred of
others (36).
Even at the end of the play, I felt unsure about what
exactly it is Lula was after in her exchange with Clay. She seemed to be
anticipating a specific response from Clay throughout the play, and kills Clay
when she doesn't receive it. As Clay is dying, Lula says "Sorry is the
rightest thing you've said," almost as if she think Clay should apologize
for his dislike of racial segregation and prejudices, while she is entitled to
her own thoughts (37).
You pose some interesting thoughts in your post and touched on some of the things we talked about in my discussion group last week. Some members saw Clay as unperceptive/ oblivious because he disregards Lula's racial comments. I don't think he is oblivious but rather doesn't want to talk about it. Some said he was trying to be white and I disagree. As you explain, He was trying to construct his own identity regardless of the race society prescribes to certain characteristics such as to his outward appearance and pursuit of education.
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