"I don't see color, I see people!"
The disregard for race and ethnicity and related struggles and injustices has occurred in predominantly white minds since after the Civil Rights Movement. Researchers have defined this as Racial Colorblindness.
In this paper, I will explain how Ishmael Reed criticizes the idea of Racial Colorblindness through the character Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara. To do this, Racial Colorblindness as an ideology and the issue of a ‘white’ standard must be examined. A character analysis of Tralaralara will further explore her views on race and similarities to the Racial Colorblindness movement. On another note, the overall portrayal of Indigenous women in American culture will be discussed briefly.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Racial Colorblindness in Theory and the Novel
2.1. Racial Colorblindness as an Ideology
2.2. Whiteness as an Ideal
3. Character Analysis: Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara
4. Conclusion
Research Objective and Topics
This paper examines how Ishmael Reed uses the character of Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara to critique the ideology of Racial Colorblindness. By analyzing the protagonist's upbringing, her relationship with the pirate Yankee Jack, and her complex self-identification, the paper explores how colorblind attitudes perpetuate systemic inequalities and undermine the struggle for racial liberation.
- Theoretical examination of Racial Colorblindness as an ideology
- Critique of whiteness as the assumed national standard
- Cultural representation of Indigenous women in America
- Analysis of character development and the failure of unlearning colorblindness
Excerpt from the Book
3. Character Analysis: Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara
Quaw Quaw is an Indigenous woman and as such it is important to first get a quick overview of the cultural representation of Indigenous women in America. First, there is the Princess stereotype. Now mainly associated with Pocahontas, the “powerfully symbolic Indian woman, as Queen and Princess, has been with us since 1575” (Green 701). The story of Pocahontas, her marriage to an Englishman, and her baptism, soon become the most popular retelling of the Indigenous Princess stereotype. “With her darker, negatively viewed sister, the Squaw – or, the anti-Pocahontas, as Fiedler calls her – the Princess intrudes on the national consciousness, and a potential cult waits to be resurrected” (Ibid.) In addition to the Princess and the Squaw, there is the narrative of the Queen, depicted as a warrior but still serves the purpose of a motherly, peace-bringing figure. (Cf. 702–03) All of these different Indigenous characters have one thing in common; they’re depiction “is motivated by lust. Both her nobility as a Princess and her savagery as a Squaw are defined in terms of her relationships with male figures.” (703) Quaw Quaw fits into these narratives. Before looking into her character, her name already serves an interesting purpose. “Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara - with the juxtaposition of Princess and [S]Quaw” (Mielke 12) already puts a lot of emphasis on her Indigenous heritage. Quaw Quaw also sounds like the call of a bird, which functions as a connection to Raven. (Ibid.) In her name, however, there is a contradiction. ‘Princess’ suggests that she confirms the Pocahontas stereotype. ‘(S)Quaw’ implies that she will completely contradict said stereotype. Reed hereby “begins to show the reader the complexity of Quaw Quaw's experience in colonialism” rather than just relying “on a simplistic understanding of the Pocahontas story.” (9)
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the research focus on Ishmael Reed’s novel Flight to Canada and the ideological conflict represented by the character Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara.
2. Racial Colorblindness in Theory and the Novel: This chapter defines Racial Colorblindness as an ideology that obscures systemic racism and explores how whiteness is established as an ideal in the context of the novel.
2.1. Racial Colorblindness as an Ideology: This section investigates how the dismissal of race as a meaningful category serves to maintain existing power structures and perpetuate inequality.
2.2. Whiteness as an Ideal: This section analyzes how the novel portrays whiteness as a standard of privilege that characters attempt to emulate to gain security or status.
3. Character Analysis: Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara: This chapter provides a close reading of Quaw Quaw, analyzing her cultural background, her marriage to the pirate Yankee Jack, and her eventual failure to deconstruct her colorblind worldview.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the main findings, emphasizing that Quaw Quaw's inability to reconcile her identity with her colorblind beliefs leads to the inevitable collapse of her relationship with the protagonist, Raven Quickskill.
Keywords
Ishmael Reed, Flight to Canada, Racial Colorblindness, Whiteness, Indigenous identity, Pocahontas stereotype, Systemic racism, Ideology, Character analysis, Post-Civil Rights, Raven Quickskill, Quaw Quaw Tralaralara, Colonialism, Cultural representation, Individualism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
This paper analyzes Ishmael Reed's novel Flight to Canada, specifically focusing on his critique of the ideology of Racial Colorblindness through the character of Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara.
What is the central research question?
The research explores how the ideology of Racial Colorblindness affects character development and how Ishmael Reed uses the internal conflicts of Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara to illustrate the failure of this ideology in addressing systemic racism.
Which theoretical concept is central to the analysis?
The central concept is Racial Colorblindness—an ideology that claims race does not matter, which the author argues actually serves to ignore racial injustices and validate white privilege.
How is the analysis conducted?
The paper utilizes a character-centered literary analysis combined with an examination of sociological and cultural theories regarding race relations, colorblindness, and the representation of Indigenous women.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the definition of Racial Colorblindness as an ideology, the role of whiteness as an ideal in society, and a detailed literary analysis of the contradictions within the character of Quaw Quaw.
Which key terms characterize this study?
Key terms include Racial Colorblindness, Whiteness, Indigenous identity, Colonialism, and Systemic racism.
How does the upbringing of Quaw Quaw Tralaralara influence her worldview?
Having been kidnapped and raised by a white pirate, Quaw Quaw was shielded from discriminatory experiences, leading her to adopt a colorblind perspective that denies the significance of race and ethnic struggle.
What is the significance of the "Niagara Falls" scene in the novel?
The scene represents a climax in her character development where she attempts to embrace her Indigenous identity, but ultimately reveals that her motivation is performative, thus failing to abandon her colorblind conditioning.
Why does the author conclude that the character development fails?
The author concludes that her development fails because she continues to rely on the rhetoric of "people are people" even after being confronted with personal experiences of racism, confirming that she cannot truly unlearn the colorblind ideology.
- Quote paper
- Lea Hammermeister (Author), 2025, Princess Quaw Quaw Tralaralara and "Racial Colorblindness" in Ishmael Reed’s "Flight to Canada", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1602124
