Dear Professor Surname:
I chose Ishmael Reed’s The C above High C in order to add to my view of the social issue pertaining to racial differences. What only made me think much is the meaning of that “C”. Thankfully, it was just a phrase that implies doing more and reaching for what is better.
What seemed to me as the strength of the play is the presentation of social issue based on an actual event. Basing one’s work on history is catchy. History is more appreciated when it is also depicted by detailed stories. However, that could also be a weakness of Reed’s work. If he could have used other events and characters, he would be able to creatively make a story having a greater scope – having wider and further explanation/presentation of the social issue. What I see to be a weakness is that the story’s setting and flow is limited by the actual 1950s issue. Nevertheless, I believe that the approach done by Reed is still effective.
I would like to ask my instructor to make a good evaluation on my comprehension and on the clarity of this paper. Moreover, I would like to note that this is in MLA format.
Best Regards,
Throughout many generations, issues within the human society are always a big matter to everyone. Justice, equality, rights, peace, and other similar political and social concerns get the attention of people. Discrimination, for instance, seems to be continuous even today. Thus, many people make various ways in various extents to address such social issue. In fact, one particular method some individuals used throughout the centuries is through songs, poetry, or drama plays.
This can be seen in Ishmael Reed’s play The C Above High C. The most addressed social matter throughout the play is racial issues. The characters mainly portrayed are Louis Armstrong and Dwight Eisenhower. These people are true even in real life, though, and the even the Little Rock crisis in Arkansas is for real.
The first scene where Reed addresses such issue is [probably] during the time Louis is talking to himself – that is, dialogue 1. He says, “My face doesn’t belong to me anymoremy agent only sees money.” In these words, Louis is more likely to imply his own condition as a black entertainer. He feels of himself as a mere tool being used in the public. Moreover, there is a greater matter Louis had in mind – the issue of desegregation in the Little Rock. Ishmael Reed could have intended to convey that black people, who are viewed as ‘evil’ and useless people, are good and are actually socially useful. In dialogue 11, Armstrong’s mission to make unity between every people despite racial differences is brought out. Besides, another character named Nat talked about Louis in dialogue 139 as someone who has done much for the image of United States. Such approach of Reed reveals the reality that countless black individuals have already contributed much in various spheres of life.
Later on, Dwight Eisenhower is introduced in the story. He is a politician, and a white man. He is depicted as someone who at some point has the concern about the issue of the Little Rock. In dialogue 35, he mentions about the white people not wanting to have their children go to school with some Negroes. Nevertheless, not until Louis persuaded him was Eisenhower someone who does not want to do more and better for the civil rights of the Negroes.
There are certain non-historical encounters that were used to portray this racial issue through the play. One is Armstrong’s encounter with Joe Glaser. In fact, Joe didn’t really want to meet Louis, thinking that he would also become a black man. Stereotypes about black people are addressed in this scenario. During the time set in the story, people didn’t want to be with black people simply due to not wanting to be influenced by these Negroes. Another encounter is the arrival of Louis in the office of Eisenhower. Upon seeing him, Eisenhower asked, “Don’t we have a black member of the administration?” (Dialogue 144) It is quite clear that Eisenhower also do not want to speak to a black man. Thankfully, by the end of the play, Louis persuaded Eisenhower to do more for the civil rights. And things went the way both of them expected it.
Looking at the entire play, it seems that Reed used real characters in order to make portray the story of the issue that actually happen in the 1950s. He intended to create a somehow detailed picture of how the two individuals of different races dealt with it. He could have used other characters in the play. However, Reed must have it that way in order to have his play supported by reality. Although using different unreal characters may allow him to further create a creative play that addresses the issue of racial discrimination, rather than base it from actual history, such approach may still be effective. Reed worked on making a creative view of how this 1950s issue was dealt with. Historical events may not be completely presented in detail, and such work can help others understand what these actual issues and events are.
Works Cited
America Public University System. ENGL 200: Composition and Literature. New York:
McGrawHill, 2011. E-book.
