When Junior encounters Penelope at his school in Reardon, he is immediately head-over-heels. On page 116 in the book, Junior asks Gordy for advice about how to make a "white girl" fall in love with an Indian. Gordy says that he will do some research and get back to him. A few days later, he explains to Junior that he found an article about a white girl who disappeared in Mexico last summer. Gordy goes on to explain, "over two hundred Mexican girls have disappeared in the last three years in that same part of the country. And nobody says much about that. And that's racist. The guy who wrote the article says people care more about beautiful white girls than they do about everyone else on the planet. White girls are privileged. They're damsels in distress."
Do you agree that the media places more importance on the white culture? If so, in what situations? Do you think Americans portrayed as a superior race? Support your opinion with examples.
I think this in an uncomfortable truth about American society. In this article: http://www.chicagodefender.com/article-2166-missing-murdered-black-youth-get-unequal-national-media-coverage.html the difference between media coverage on black and white dissappeared youth is discussed. I remember the Elizabeth Smart case capturing the attention of the American public, why? I think people somehow expect black youth to be murderered, or at least aren't surprised when it occurs. Somethings seems wrong and dangerous when a white girl is involved. That seems to be the perception anyway. The white woman is portrayed as this demi-god, a doll on a pedestal, the ultimate prize. It is ridiculous really. I thought Junior has a sort-of blatent honesty about the whole situation with his affections for Penelope.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with the comments made by TH. TH has some compelling documentation of this as well. I recall the same fascination with the disapperance of Natalee Holloway, and the death of Anna Nicole Smith. Our media does glorify the "blonde bombshell" she is Barbie and apple pie. One only needs to look at any magazine in the checkout line for proof. It permeates the culture. I remember reading The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and the young protagonist laments about her dirty brown skin. She longs to be the blonde haired blue eyed baby doll girls that she sees. They seem so pure. I appreciate his naive obsession with Penelope, she is the ideal. But then deep down he realizes that she is a victim of her own narcissism as well. Especially when he hears her purging outside the bathroom.
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