Despite the ferocious anti-racism of his early works, Himes is best known and appreciated for his detective stories. Whereas these were very successful especially in Europe, the bitterness of his first books did not find approval at first. His short stories, however, were popular enough to sell mostly to black newspapers and magazines but also to Esquire. The stories treated in this paper were published posthumously in the anthology The Collected Stories of Chester Himes. These short stories, written between 1933 and 1978, deal with themes ranging from women and poverty to life in prison, war, and, above all, racism. Some of them could be considered semi-autobiographical. They are Himes’ way of dealing with his situation as a black American in a white segregationist society and reflect his anger and hopelessness.
This paper will concentrate on two short stories treating the subject of racism against African Americans which is omnipresent in Himes’ works. Whereas in “All God’s Chillun Got Pride” Himes emphasizes that the inferiority of blacks is not a natural phenomenon but a tradition forcibly imposed on them by the whites, “Rufus Jones” is a bitter-sweet humorous attempt to unveil the absurdity of racial stereotypes. To understand the bitterness and cynicism of Himes’ short stories it is necessary both to recall the historical developments that influenced them and to look at the author’s biography. Therefore, I will first introduce a short historical and biographical overview, to then focus on the selected short stories and finally sum up the outcome.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Struggling for an Identity: The Situation of African Americans From the Beginning of the 20th Century to the Era of the Civil Rights Movement
- From the Beginning of the Century to World War I
- The Post War Period
- Harlem Renaissance and the Great Depression
- Desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement
- Learning What it Means to Be Black: Biographical Overview of Himes' Life
- Writing About the Difference: Two Short Stories
- Accusing the Difference: "All God's Chillun Got Pride"
- Mocking the Difference: "The Ghost of Rufus Jones"
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the racial struggle between black and white Americans as depicted in a selection of Chester Himes' short stories. It aims to understand the author's perspective and how his experiences as a black American in a white segregationist society shaped his writing. The paper explores the historical context of African American identity in the 20th century and how this background influenced Himes' work.
- The history of the racial struggle between black and white Americans.
- The impact of racism and segregation on African American identity.
- Chester Himes' biographical background and his personal experiences with racism.
- The portrayal of racial themes in Himes' short stories, particularly "All God's Chillun Got Pride" and "The Ghost of Rufus Jones."
- The literary techniques used by Himes to convey his message about racism.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the scene for the paper, outlining the historical context of the racial struggle in America and introducing Chester Himes as a key figure in the literary representation of this struggle. The paper then provides a historical overview of the situation of African Americans in the 20th century, from the aftermath of the Civil War to the rise of the Civil Rights Movement. This section examines the various movements and organizations that emerged to fight for the rights and equality of African Americans, as well as the challenges they faced. The chapter also highlights the role of key figures like Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois in shaping the African American struggle for identity and recognition.
The following chapter will delve into the life and experiences of Chester Himes, focusing on how his personal struggles with racism influenced his writing. The chapter will then analyze two of his short stories, "All God's Chillun Got Pride" and "The Ghost of Rufus Jones," examining the ways in which Himes portrays the racial struggles of African Americans and the realities of segregationist society. These analyses will highlight the specific themes, literary techniques, and characters that Himes uses to express his views on racism and its impact on the lives of black Americans. The conclusion will then summarize the key findings of the paper and reinforce the significance of Himes' work in understanding the complex history of the racial struggle in the United States.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The paper focuses on the themes of racism, segregation, and African American identity as represented in Chester Himes' short stories. Key figures discussed include W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, and Martin Luther King Jr. The paper also touches upon the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement, emphasizing the importance of these periods in shaping the African American experience. The analysis of Himes' short stories will explore the literary techniques he employs to convey his message about racism, including the use of characterization, narrative voice, and symbolism.
- Quote paper
- Ana Colton-Sonnenberg (Author), 2007, Learning the difference between black and white: The racial struggle between black and white Americans as represented in a selection of Chester Himes’ short stories , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/78384
