Chapter 11 - What life event does the shock therapy mimic, and what images support this? What happens after that supports this idea? How does Buckeye the Rabbit fit in?
The shock therapy represents birth. This is emphasized by the doctors surrounding the narrator, and the white lights that fill the hospital room. All of these things are similar to a delivery room, though the narrator is not being born in the literal sense. He is being reborn, as after the accident his entire outlook changes. When we doctors mention Buckeye the Rabbit, it is in direct relation to the doctors' racism, as they use a figure of black culture (more appropriately, a figure that many black children see when they are younger) to attempt to see if the narrator can understand what they are saying. Though they are trying to see if his brain is in working order, the use of Buckeye shows how racism against blacks is prevalent all throughout the North, even in the hospital room. This can also be seen by the excessive shock therapy and the abrasive comments given by the doctors.
The shock therapy represents death. Physicians surround the narrator, and during the operation, many aspects of it resemble death (ex. the light and tinges of pain that the narrator experiences). Soon after his death though, the narrator is indeed reborn, and his recovery after the surgery, which is slow, painful, and helpless, also resembles that of a newborn and its dependence on a mother (Mary). Buckeye the Rabbit represents the ideology behind a rebirth, as black children when they are younger are the Buckeye Rabbits. Once they reach adulthood, or a new stage in their life (which can also symbolize a rebirth), they become the Brer Rabbits.
This shock therapy represents the Narrator's rebirth. Images that support this are the lights in the hospital room and the doctors that surround the Narrator. The narrator is being mentally reborn from the accident at the paint factory. Buckeye the rabbit represents the doctor's racism, since he is a degrading stereotype of black culture. This shows how racism can make it into the hospital room.
The shock therapy represents the narrators rebirth. Here he dies in a coffin-like box surrounded by white light and painful electricity. Then he is reborn into what looks like an operating room to the sight of a doctor. This rebirth is also one of ideologies; he no longer believes in the philosophies from the college. Buckeye the rabbit is used to represent the childlike stereotype given to blacks by the white men. The nursery rhyme is used to test if his mind is working as normal, showing they believe him incapable of anything above childlike thought.
The shock therapy represents rebirth. First, in order to be reborn, one must die. The narrator died in the factory explosion, and with this death his fear of Bledsoe and people in a position of power died along with him. Once he is reborn he is no longer fearful, of people like Bledsoe, as evidenced by him pouring a bucket of feces on a man who he thought was Bledsoe. Things that make this scene appear like a birth is the fact that he is in a hospital, the shining white light blinding him as if he is seeing light for the first time and his inability to remember his own name. This is because his new self has not been named yet. Buckeye the rabbit is what young black kids are and Brer rabbit is what they become when they are older. The narrator has just become Brer rabbit.
The shock therapy is the Narrator's rebirth as a new man that shes his old life based on Bledsoe and even forgets his own name. The explosion can represent the big bang which meant the birth of the universe. He sheds all of his past thoughts and all he can think about is himself and how weak he feels. The hospital where he wakes up is completely barren and pure which could represent his sting fresh on life. The significance of Buckeye the rabbit and Brer the rabbit is to represent his past self and his present self. I agree when Chris says that Buckeye the rabbit is when the kids are innocent and young, and Brer is when they become older, representative of the narrators death and rebirth.
The shock therapy is represntative of the narrator's rebirth. He "died" in the Liberty Paints explosion, and him waking up can represent being born. The reasoning for this is that he was in a hospital with doctors around, with a light shining down on him. Buckeye the Rabbit is symbolic of young black kids. When they become adults, they become Brer rabbit. I also agree with Chris in the sense that the rabbits represent the change between the narrator's past and old life. Since it's part of African folklore, it also racist, and shows that racism can find its way even into a hospital.
I believe the explosion at the factory and the shock therapy that occurred at the hospital represent both the ‘death’ of the old narrator and the ‘birth’ of the new narrator. The old narrator who wanted to return to the university and complete his college education is gone; he died in the explosion. The narrator is reborn a new man, evident by him forgetting his name. Buckeye the rabbit represents young black children, while Brer the rabbit represents older black men, by becoming Brer Rabbit, the narrator has matured from his naive self who believed in the false hopes of the University.
The shock therapy represents death. Many aspects of the experience lead to symbols of death such as the bright lights and feelings of pain. And as all of the people in the room are surrounding him in such a way that he is dying. But once he is brought back after his recovery after surgery it is as though he has been reborn. Buckeye the rabbit is what young black kids are and Brer rabbit is what they become when they are older. This is his transformation into Brer Rabbit.
The shock therapy represents birth. This is emphasized by the doctors surrounding the narrator, and the white lights that fill the hospital room. All of these things are similar to a delivery room, though the narrator is not being born in the literal sense. He is being reborn, as after the accident his entire outlook changes.
ReplyDeleteWhen we doctors mention Buckeye the Rabbit, it is in direct relation to the doctors' racism, as they use a figure of black culture (more appropriately, a figure that many black children see when they are younger) to attempt to see if the narrator can understand what they are saying. Though they are trying to see if his brain is in working order, the use of Buckeye shows how racism against blacks is prevalent all throughout the North, even in the hospital room. This can also be seen by the excessive shock therapy and the abrasive comments given by the doctors.
The shock therapy represents death. Physicians surround the narrator, and during the operation, many aspects of it resemble death (ex. the light and tinges of pain that the narrator experiences). Soon after his death though, the narrator is indeed reborn, and his recovery after the surgery, which is slow, painful, and helpless, also resembles that of a newborn and its dependence on a mother (Mary).
ReplyDeleteBuckeye the Rabbit represents the ideology behind a rebirth, as black children when they are younger are the Buckeye Rabbits. Once they reach adulthood, or a new stage in their life (which can also symbolize a rebirth), they become the Brer Rabbits.
This shock therapy represents the Narrator's rebirth. Images that support this are the lights in the hospital room and the doctors that surround the Narrator. The narrator is being mentally reborn from the accident at the paint factory. Buckeye the rabbit represents the doctor's racism, since he is a degrading stereotype of black culture. This shows how racism can make it into the hospital room.
ReplyDeleteThe shock therapy represents the narrators rebirth. Here he dies in a coffin-like box surrounded by white light and painful electricity. Then he is reborn into what looks like an operating room to the sight of a doctor. This rebirth is also one of ideologies; he no longer believes in the philosophies from the college. Buckeye the rabbit is used to represent the childlike stereotype given to blacks by the white men. The nursery rhyme is used to test if his mind is working as normal, showing they believe him incapable of anything above childlike thought.
ReplyDeleteThe shock therapy represents rebirth. First, in order to be reborn, one must die. The narrator died in the factory explosion, and with this death his fear of Bledsoe and people in a position of power died along with him. Once he is reborn he is no longer fearful, of people like Bledsoe, as evidenced by him pouring a bucket of feces on a man who he thought was Bledsoe. Things that make this scene appear like a birth is the fact that he is in a hospital, the shining white light blinding him as if he is seeing light for the first time and his inability to remember his own name. This is because his new self has not been named yet. Buckeye the rabbit is what young black kids are and Brer rabbit is what they become when they are older. The narrator has just become Brer rabbit.
ReplyDeleteThe shock therapy is the Narrator's rebirth as a new man that shes his old life based on Bledsoe and even forgets his own name. The explosion can represent the big bang which meant the birth of the universe. He sheds all of his past thoughts and all he can think about is himself and how weak he feels. The hospital where he wakes up is completely barren and pure which could represent his sting fresh on life.
ReplyDeleteThe significance of Buckeye the rabbit and Brer the rabbit is to represent his past self and his present self. I agree when Chris says that Buckeye the rabbit is when the kids are innocent and young, and Brer is when they become older, representative of the narrators death and rebirth.
The shock therapy is represntative of the narrator's rebirth. He "died" in the Liberty Paints explosion, and him waking up can represent being born. The reasoning for this is that he was in a hospital with doctors around, with a light shining down on him. Buckeye the Rabbit is symbolic of young black kids. When they become adults, they become Brer rabbit. I also agree with Chris in the sense that the rabbits represent the change between the narrator's past and old life. Since it's part of African folklore, it also racist, and shows that racism can find its way even into a hospital.
ReplyDeleteI believe the explosion at the factory and the shock therapy that occurred at the hospital represent both the ‘death’ of the old narrator and the ‘birth’ of the new narrator. The old narrator who wanted to return to the university and complete his college education is gone; he died in the explosion. The narrator is reborn a new man, evident by him forgetting his name. Buckeye the rabbit represents young black children, while Brer the rabbit represents older black men, by becoming Brer Rabbit, the narrator has matured from his naive self who believed in the false hopes of the University.
ReplyDeleteThe shock therapy represents death. Many aspects of the experience lead to symbols of death such as the bright lights and feelings of pain. And as all of the people in the room are surrounding him in such a way that he is dying. But once he is brought back after his recovery after surgery it is as though he has been reborn. Buckeye the rabbit is what young black kids are and Brer rabbit is what they become when they are older. This is his transformation into Brer Rabbit.
ReplyDelete