Kaffir Boy

"Kaffir Boy" by Mark Mathabane depicts African Americans not being in the same social class as whites. This is also a single story which can relate to what we discuss in class. The rich family has a boy named Clyde, he is a white young boy and goes to school with other white children. "I dont play with Kaffirs, at school they say we shouldn't," when he says this about his school it creates a single story because not all black boys are Kaffirs. Clyde also is exposed to a single story when he says his teachers tell him again, "Kaffir's can't read, speak or write English like white people because they have smaller brains, which are already full of tribal things. My teachers say you're not people like us, because you belong to a jungle civilization. That's why you can't live or go to school with us, but can only be our servants." This shows how put down the blacks were by the white people.


We see micro-aggressions throughout the story as well. We see this multiple times towards the grandson. For example, Mrs. Smith says, "What a clever, clever pickaninny!" This is a micro-aggression because she is basically saying he is supposed to be stupid or not clever. Another one is shown in line 157 when Clyde asks if he can read. This is a micro-aggression because since the grandson is black, Clyde doesn't expect him to know how to read and for him to be stupid. The last one about the grandson is the last line of when the family gives him a copy of Treasure Island which is a little kid book that is for kids around the age of 5. This is an insult to him because once again, they are assuming he is stupid.

The Stolen Party

“The Stolen Party”, by Liliana Heker focuses on the main idea of different classes in society. Luciano and Rosaura are both from Hispanic families but Luciana s from a rich, wealthy family, while Rosaura is from a less wealthy, poor family. For Luciana’s birthday she is having a party at her house and Rosaura is invited. Rosaura is excited, but her mom thinks that the party is going to be nonsense. Her mom thinks that rich people are liars.

“Get away with you believing that any nonsense you’re told!” She said to Rosaura.

Rosaura’s mother was Luciana’s family’s maid. When she was at the party one of Luciana’s cousins asked her who she was and when Rosaura went onto tell her that she is a friend, the other girl said she wasn't because she knew all of her cousins friends. After she says this the girl asks her if they go to school together, which they do not. This signifies that Rosaura and the other kids are not in the same social class. Rosaura probably goes to a school that won’t teach as well as a school that rich kids like Luciana go to. At the party, Sénora Ines kept having Rosaura help her and at the end of the party before she left she had given her money. She was treated like an “employee” instead of a little girl who is friends with Luciana.”Rosaura’s eyes had a cold, clear look that fixed itself on Sénora Ines’s face.” This shows that Rosaura was in awe that she received money and not a Toyota or bracelet like the other kids.

There are hidden symbols in the story as well. For example, the magician and the monkey signify a slave master and a slave. The monkey is kept in a cage and only freed when it needs to do its job.

Girl

Girl depicts gender roles of males and females in todays society and in the past. It is shown throughout the whole short story, the mother is talking to her daughter and trying to tell her how to act. She does this because she did not want to be embarrassed and wants her daughter to marry a good, wealthy man. The mother refers to gender stereotypes about women cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry, while the male or husband of the family goes out and makes the money.

"this is how you sweep a whole house" (line 18)

"soak salt fish overnight before you cook it" (line 6)

Her other also describes that if she wants to act a certain way, that no one should know or see because nobody wants a woman that does not act how they are "supposed" to act. In the end she says, "you mean to say that after all you are really going to be the kind of woman who the baker won't let near the bread?" This quote describes how the mother feels like if she doesn't act in the ways she is saying that a man won't love her and support her while she stays home and is a housewife.

We see these types of stereotypes in society. My own parents take on roles close to these stereotypes. My dad has the higher paying job that supports my family. My mom cooks, cleans, and does the laundry. But she also has a job of her own that just doesn't pay as much. My dad was the one who went to college to get a good paying job and my mom didn't go to college. My father also does the yard work or working on the cars in my household as well. These types of characteristics show that they play a part in the stereotypes we see in the story "Girl."