Brother to Brother: An Artist's Right to Expression

                 

         The movie “Brother to Brother” is about a young gay black artist, in the present day, who meets a man named Bruce Nugent, a prominent gay poet of the Harlem Renaissance. As Perry (the protagonist) explores his sexuality and struggle with becoming a serious African American painter, he learns about Nugent’s own struggles with being a black, gay poet in the 1920’s. Many of Nugent’s friends were black authors and poets and they struggled to get their work published, they had to choose between staying true to their art or, selling out to get paid.

            In one scene of the movie Wallace Thurman and Zora Neale Hurston (both of which are authors of the 1920’s) are talking to a white publisher about what they need to do to get their books published. The publisher starts out by telling them that the publishing company wants to publish more talented black writers (like them), but in order to do that they must first make some changes to their writing. The publisher tells Thurman that he needs to play up the dangerous, dark, nightclub feel of his novel. He tells Thurman that the public wants the excitement and drugs to show the public what the nightclubs in Harlem are like. Thurman is shocked and tells the publisher that the main character in the book starts the nightclub in order to turn his life around and get away from the danger, playing up the “nightclub” feeling would be untrue to the overall tone of the book. Thurman refuses to change his writing because it will turn his novel in to a stereotype a black person’s life.

            In the second part of the scene the publisher wants Zora Neale Hurston to change the dialect in her novel from “black english” (or vernacular) to a more common standard “white english”. He uses the “most popular book of the last month” Nigger Heaven (written by a white author) as an example of why she should change her writing.  The publisher tells her that the public wants “an authentic voice” and will find it hard to understand. Hurston refuses to change the speech and tells the publisher that her book was “written for her people, in a dialect they will understand and connect with”.

            I think that the publisher in this movie was extremely racist. He didn’t want Thurman or Hurston’s novels, he wanted a book in which he could caricaturize the African American people for the amusement of the white audience. If Thurman had changed his novel to give it more drama and drugs, it would have been a misrepresentation of the struggle of the African American people in his book. He was trying to convey a message, about his view of the African American’s who worked hard to change their lives. At the same time, if Hurston had agreed to change her vernacular language to “white english” it would have completely destroyed the tone of the book. Her story was written to her people, in their language, “making it more relatable” would eliminate the real feeling from her novel. Both authors wanted their works published because they believed it would be an accurate representation of their community and people. They wanted to write about things significant to them and if they had been forced to change their books, their message would have been lost.

            I believe that these authors did the right thing is refusing to change their work. It seems utterly ridiculous to tell an artist that they need to change their work, especially when it involves gross stereotypes. The reason an author writes or painter paint’s is because they have a message that they want to share, whether it’s an idea, or opinion. It is something important and relevant to their life. They have a specific idea of how they want to convey this message, and if they diverge or are forced to change, it dilutes the true meaning of the work. It is unfair to ask an artist to change their work because it is a representation of themselves.

A Black Woman's Struggle

Black Woman
By Georgia Douglas Johnson

Don’t knock at the door, little child,
     I cannot let you in,
You know not what a world this is
     Of cruelty and sin.
Wait in the still eternity
     Until I come to you,
The world is cruel, cruel, child,
     I cannot let you in!

Don’t knock at my heart, little one,
     I cannot bear the pain
Of turning deaf-ear to your call
     Time and time again!
You do not know the monster men
     Inhabiting the earth,
Be still, be still, my precious child,
     I must not give you birth!

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19686

Georgia Douglas Johnson

Georgia Douglas Johnson(1880-1966) was a
prominent American female poet of the Harlem
renaissance. In this poem Johnson uses repetition
of idea of knocking and a mixture of cacophonous
and euphonious end sentences to covey her love
and fear at bring a child into a hate filled and
racist world. In using the repeated symbolism of
the knocking at a door (and her heart) it shows
the readers that the speaker is torn between her
love for her unborn child and her reluctance
to cause it harm.  Each time it “knocks’ the speaker
finds it harder deny it. “I cannot bear the pain/Of
turning deaf-ear to your call”          
The final sentence in the first paragraph of writing is  cacophonous, a contrast to the rhythmic
euphonious flow of the sentences before it.  “The world is cruel, cruel, child/ I cannot let you in!”
It  physically jerks you out of the melodious flow and gives her poem substance. It shows she is
serious about protecting her unborn baby. 
In this poem the speaker feels a profound love and pain for the child she carries inside
her womb. Her first instinct, to protect her child from the evil and pain of the world,
causes her to be pessimistic about giving birth. In the time this poem was written, racism
was very pronounced and Johnson would have been bringing her
child into a world where oppression ruled supreme. Although this poem doesn’t explicitly
talk about race it carries strong themes of the Harlem Renaissance. It explores anger at
racism and a little determination to fight oppression. In refusing to bring her child up in
this “cruel world” the speaker is rebelling against her oppressors. The speaker shows her
strength and anger at the “cruelty and sin” of the world in using explanation points at the
end of passionate sentences. I liked this poem because of its stop and go rhythm. It was
heartbreaking but you can feel the passion of the poet in each and every sentence.  

"Black Rhythm" Music of the 1920's

  

Down in Louisiana

There's a grand piano-playing man;
He knows that they can't kid him
'Cause he's got hot rhythm in his hand.
The blues that he'll compose will thrill you
From your head to your toes.
He called his song "Black Rhythm,"
'Cause his black hands did it 'neath the moon,
The keys he plays on sweetly,
And you're left completely in a swoon.
The melancholy strum
Mixed with the rum-tum of melodious blues.

When he plays the blue note,
And adds a new note,
You'll think that he wrote a symphony.
But he's just improvising
On a southern mammy melody.
You'll quit your pouting,
And start a'shouting,
No need in doubting he knows the keys.
He can lay on the white ones,
Can play on the black ones with ease.
The way he plays Black Rhythm
Makes the gang stick with him all night long,
Forget the hour is late,
They hear him syncopate his mournful song.
A'humming like the breeze,
A' strumming lightly on those ivories.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Black-Rhythm-lyrics-Cab-Calloway/8F8F961529DC8A3048256C230007DF44

Cab Calloway(1907-1994)

     This song, by Cab Calloway, was written around 1930-1934. Although it was not written in the Harlem Renaissance it was directly influenced by it. It explores deep pride for the African accomplishments in music. It talks about how the African American musicians knew they were talented and no one could dispute it. Calloway was probably quite proud of his own success in the music industry and wanted to how how he felt.
    The line "He can lay on the white ones,/ can play on the black ones with ease." could have a double meaning. Obviously Calloway could mean the piano keys and how easy it was for the pianist to play his beautiful music, but it could also relate to how charmed the white audiences were with this style of music in the 1920's. He is expressing his pride and also showing us that white "folks" enjoyed and appreciated it even when they had no respect for African Americans as a people.
     I really like the bluesy and soulful melody of this song. It seems mournful and sad but the lyrics are actually touting the black music of the 1920's. The song itself talks about "melancholy strum" and "mournful song" when in fact this song is not mournful or sad, it shows deep pride and well deserved smugness at the success of black artists.

Harlem Pride and Lois Mailou Jones

The Ascent of Ethiopia (1932)

     This painting, called "The Ascent of Ethiopia"(1932) was painted by Lois Mailou Jones. Jones was an African American artist during the Harlem Renaissance. Many of her paintings(as this one does) reflects her pride at her African heritage.
      What drew my eye to this painting was the beautiful contrast of light and dark colors. Jones uses light yellows mixed into the dark blues, greens and blacks to draw your eye up and towards the sun(in the corner of the page) and to the other corner, where there are dark shadows playing musical instruments, taking photos, painting, singing and dancing.  I love the surrealist feel of the painting.
     Jone's painting explores the struggles and success's of Africans to be recognized as talented individuals. She explores many different Harlem Renaissance themes such as heritage/culture, struggle to reconstruct the meaning of negro and a strong pride at what her peoples artistic accomplishments. The image of the ancient Egyptian or Ethiopian in the headdress shows us she knows her background and is not afraid to explore it. The Egyptian is in the very foreground, giving us the impression that he is surveying the scene, almost watching over his ancestors.

Lois Mailou Jones(1905-1998)

     The people next to the ancient Egyptian seem to be struggling to climb in to the light, in order to show us the struggle Africans had in being recognized. The right corner seems to represent the Harlem Renaissance at its peak. I love how Jone's not only represented painters but also drama and other preforming and visual arts.                            
       She was very proud of what she accomplished through her art. Jones has once commented that her contribution to the arts was a “proof of the talent of black artists". She said that "The African-American artist is important in the history of art and I have demonstrated it by working and painting here and all over the world."(http://www.answers.com/topic/lois-mailou-jones) Jone's pride and hard work was an inspiration to many.

Song Bird of the Reniassance

(What Did I Do To Be So) Black And Blue

     Out in the street, shufflin' feet,
Couples passin' two by two,
and here am I, left high and dry,
Black, and 'cause I'm black I'm blue.
All the race fellas crave high yellas,
Gentlemen prefer them light,
Wish I could fade, can't make the grade,
Nothing but dark days in sight:
     With a cold, empty bed, Springs hard as lead,
Pains in my head, I feel like old Ned.
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?
No joys for me, No company,
Even the mouse ran from my house,
All my life through, I've been so Black And Blue.
      I'm white, but it's inside, So that don't help my case
'Cause I can't hide, just what is on my face, oh!
Sad and forlorn, Life's just a thorn,
My heart is torn, Why was I born?
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?
     Just 'cause you're black, Boys think you lack
They laugh at you, And scorn you too,
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?
When I draws near, they laugh and sneer,
I'm set aside, always denied,
All my life through, I've been so Black And Blue?
How sad I am, each day the situation gets worse,
My mark of Ham seems to be a curse!
How will it end? Can't get a boyfriend,
Yet my only sin lies in my skin.
What did I do, to be so Black And Blue?

Ethel Waters(1900-1977)

     This song was preformed by Ethel Waters in 1930. Ethel Waters(1900-1977) was an American blues, jazz, gospel vocalist and actress. She started her career in the 1920's singing blues and quickly gain success. She went on to star in Broadway performances, in movies and TV shows.  "What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue" was originally composed by "Fats" Waller with lyrics by Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf. It was introduced in a Broadway musical called "Hot Chocolates". Waters adapted the song and made it popular.     
     This song has very strong themes from the Harlem Renaissance. It shows a determination to fight oppression or at least raise awareness of racism. The tone of the song is not necessarily angry at but its very sad. Waters sings about all the reasons why she feels at a disadvantage by being black. She relates her problems back to her skin color. She feels sadness at being black in a racist time and makes it apparent in every aspect of the song. Water's feels stuck.
    What really struck me in this song was the line "I'm white, but it's inside, So that don't help my case/'Cause I can't hide, just what is on my face" It was shocking to hear her so plainly state that she wished that she was white. I think she was saying that she feels like she is as good as any white person and should be equal. Waters defiantly wanted to inform people in the most dramatic way possible of the racism she felt. She felt that she was denied privileges that should have been given freely. For example "Yet my only sin lies in my skin". Obviously Waters feels her skin is not a justifiable reason for her to suffer, I tend to agree.
      In today's society we have been almost trained(at least in Berkeley) to be proud of our culture, heritage and background. It was amazing to hear a song that deconstructs our Berkeley training. Waters admitted to being ashamed and embarrassed by her color. This song must have raised awareness of racism and it was Waters own part in fight oppression. This song is so amazing and sad, I feel as though i have only begun to scratch the surface in my analysis.

"Yet Do I Marvel" A Poetry Analysis Of Countee Cullen

Yet Do I Marvel By Countee Cullen I doubt not God is good, well-meaning, kind,And did He stoop to quibble could tell why The little buried mole continues blind,    Why flesh that mirrors Him must some day die, Make plain the reason tortured  Tantalus Is baited by the fickle fruit,  declare    If merely brute caprice dooms Sisyphus To struggle up a never-ending stair.    Inscrutable His ways are, and immune    To catechism by a mind too strewn    With petty cares to slightly understand    What awful brain compels His awful hand.    Yet do I marvel at this curious thing:    To make a poet black, and bid him sing! Countee Cullen(1903-1946) (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/yet-do-i-marvel/)

In this poem Countee Cullen uses allusions* and enjambment** to explore the idea of God's incomprehensible nature and illustrate the poet's confusion at why he was made a poet in a time period that didn't accept him.      The poet uses enjambment to "jam up" the flow of the stanzas and show his confusion at why God causes hardship if he is "good, well-meaning,/kind". The physical sensation of stop and start at each line break contributes to this feeling of confusion because it gives the reader a sense of incompletion. It also builds up the anticipation of the speaker questioning God's "will". He doesn't think God is bad but he wonders why he would make a world with so many hardships and cruelties. This apparent in the way the poet enjambed the lines of the poem. It continues a feeling of confusion and frustration. "Why flesh that mirrors/Him must someday die."In the poem Cullen reflect that if God made man in "his" image why does God allow men to die.       The speaker alludes to specific stories in Greek mythology in order to illustrate the hardships people face. "Make plain the reason tortured,/ Tantalus Is baited by the fickle fruit." The speaker refers to the story of Tantalus(http://www.pantheon.org/articles/t/tantalus.html) and his own eternal struggle to achieve his desires, in order to question why God tempts men with things they cannot have. Similarly, when the poet references "Sisyphus" (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/sisyphus.html) he is wondering whether unpredictability "dooms" him "to struggle up a never-ending stair", to never accomplish what he is capable of. The speaker of the poem wonders if God really has a reason for causing difficulty and starts to wonder if there is a higher power controlling people's fates. Tantalus struggling to reach the fruit        In the last two lines of the poem the speaker states "Yet I marvel at this curious thing:/ To make a poet black and bid him sing." In saying this the speaker "marvels" at the fact that God would be so cruel as to make him black and a poet in the 1920's when racism was so prominent.      This poem explores themes of racism but it doesn't necessarily cover any of the Harlem Renaissance themes( e.i. identification with race, pride, history/culture, etc). The poet talks about racism and his struggle with being a black poet but he doesn't seem resentful. The overall tone is questioning but not really angry. The poet seems to be in a state of wonderment and surprise that God would allow people to suffer but he doesn't seem enraged. *Allusion: a reference to a (generally well-known) historic, mythic, or literary person, place or event. **Enjambment: the use of run-on lines in poetry. Instead of stopping or pausing at the end of a line of poetry, we have to carry on reading until we complete the meaning in a later line.