Thursday, February 14, 2013

Relative Social Truths in "Dutchman"


     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).  

1 comment:

  1. 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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