White Rat

Allison S Curseen342 Comments

The short fiction story “White Rat”, by Gayl Jones, was published in 1977. It follows a light-skinned African-American, known only as “White Rat”, his wife, Maggie, and Little Henry, the first child of White Rat and Maggie born with club-foot. Due to White Rat’s light skin, he is often mistaken for a white person; however, he never chooses to take advantage of this, instead sticking with his family roots. After having their first child together, Maggie runs away with J. T. on account of White Rat’s rampant alcoholism, leaving Little Henry with him in hopes that the responsibility of raising him will make White Rat stop drinking, which works. Two months later, White Rat finds Maggie abandoned by J. T., who left after impregnating her. White Rat takes her home and expresses how he would be willing to raise the child along with Little Henry.

The text begins in the present but flashes back two months in order to show how White Rat’s alcoholism inhibited his ability to care for his family; his visit to a white bar and subsequent monologue reveals how he believes that his son’s disability is God’s curse upon his family due to him renouncing his priesthood and breaking his vow of celibacy. It then flashes forward two months from the present and reveals how White Rat has not seen any sign of a growing baby in Maggie. The text heavily focuses on the perspective of a white-passing black man.

I was compelled by the heavy focus on family ties in the narrative, as White Rat constantly emphasizes that his ancestors are African-American and repeatedly refuses to use his light skin to pass as white. His initial blame of Maggie for Henry’s club-foot serves to develop his character, as him seeing it as a curse on his line causes him to feel guilt, which is a major part in him quitting drinking to raise Henry.

342 Comments

  1. Thank you for this beautiful site. I appreciate the valuable and informative content that provides diverse knowledge. I recognize its usefulness for the future new york state divorce mediation Whether it’s detailed analyses of current events, deep dives into niche topics, or personal reflections that resonate with readers, each well-crafted blog post strengthens the connection between content creator and audience. This highlights the power of knowledge-sharing and underscores the impact of quality content in shaping our understanding of the world.

  2. Pingback: รับตกแต่งร้าน
  3. Pingback: ผู้ป่วยติดเตียง

  304. I got thi web pqge from my buddy who told me regarding thius
    web page and now this time I amm vissiting this web site and reading
    very informative content at this time.

    Feel free to surf to my web-site; johndocs (framagit.org)

  307. Vibracion mecanica
    Aparatos de calibración: importante para el desempeño estable y eficiente de las máquinas.

    En el campo de la innovación actual, donde la eficiencia y la confiabilidad del dispositivo son de máxima trascendencia, los equipos de ajuste juegan un papel vital. Estos sistemas dedicados están diseñados para equilibrar y regular partes giratorias, ya sea en dispositivos industrial, transportes de traslado o incluso en electrodomésticos caseros.

    Para los expertos en reparación de equipos y los ingenieros, manejar con aparatos de equilibrado es esencial para asegurar el operación estable y estable de cualquier dispositivo giratorio. Gracias a estas alternativas modernas modernas, es posible disminuir sustancialmente las movimientos, el zumbido y la tensión sobre los rodamientos, mejorando la longevidad de elementos caros.

    De igual manera significativo es el papel que juegan los aparatos de equilibrado en la servicio al usuario. El ayuda profesional y el reparación constante utilizando estos sistemas posibilitan ofrecer prestaciones de alta nivel, incrementando la bienestar de los compradores.

    Para los responsables de proyectos, la aporte en unidades de calibración y medidores puede ser importante para aumentar la productividad y eficiencia de sus dispositivos. Esto es particularmente trascendental para los inversores que manejan pequeñas y intermedias organizaciones, donde cada detalle importa.

    Por otro lado, los equipos de calibración tienen una extensa utilización en el área de la fiabilidad y el control de nivel. Permiten identificar eventuales problemas, evitando mantenimientos costosas y perjuicios a los equipos. Incluso, los resultados generados de estos dispositivos pueden emplearse para mejorar procesos y mejorar la reconocimiento en sistemas de consulta.

    Las campos de utilización de los aparatos de balanceo incluyen numerosas ramas, desde la producción de ciclos hasta el supervisión ambiental. No afecta si se considera de enormes fabricaciones de fábrica o reducidos talleres de uso personal, los sistemas de ajuste son fundamentales para promover un operación efectivo y sin presencia de interrupciones.

  308. Unlock New Opportunities with MachFi.

    MachFi is at the forefront of decentralized finance on the Sonic Chain, providing an advanced borrow-lending platform. Our platform supports custom trading strategies, helping you unlock the full potential of your digital assets in a decentralized environment. visit to https://machfi.net/

    Key Features of MachFi:

    – Sonic Chain: Fast, secure, and reliable blockchain for DeFi transactions.
    – Customizable Lending: Choose strategies that work best for you.
    – Higher Returns: Capitalize on innovative DeFi solutions for superior returns.

    Join MachFi now and redefine your digital financial strategy!

  311. Ethereal Trade is a cutting-edge decentralized exchange that redefines the way users trade cryptocurrencies. With a focus on security, speed, and efficiency, Ethereal Trade offers a seamless trading experience without intermediaries. As a leader in crypto trading, our platform ensures transparent transactions and advanced trading tools, making it the go-to solution for both beginners and experienced traders. https://ethereal.ac/

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.