Extension Activity
The following activity will function as an extension activity for my students. It may be used for a regular or honors regular education class as an integral part of this unit. W.E.B. Du Bois defined double consciousness as the unique interactions between blacks and the world around them. Double consciousness is described as the condition of having to always consider oneself from others' (whites') perspective. This view is considered a measurement of one's value in the society as a whole. African-Americans are forced to see themselves as substandard members of society because of their African heritage. After acknowledgement of this second rate citizenship, African-Americans are then permitted to see themselves as American citizens (De Bois, 1903, 96).
Soitos describes the double-consciousness trope of all detective fiction as the "masking" trope. He suggests that the black detective must wear two masks. This is both difficult and advantageous. The masking allows the black detective to maneuver his way through the black community to get information, knowledge, clues. He fits in with the culture he is enmeshed in. At the same time, the detective, in an effort to outwit the criminal, must be on his toes. The detective must "act white" in some ways. He is smart (but can't always let on to the black community that he is actually solving the mystery), he must make efforts to communicate with the - often corrupt - white police and/or black police. Easy Rawlins is thoroughly aware of his "blackness" in a white dominated society (Soitos 1996). The first line of Devil in a Blue Dress, "I was surprised to see a white man walk into Joppy's bar," already identifies race in the opening chapter of the novel. Rawlins must best the criminals' intellect, and in order to do so, he must understand both the white and the black mind. Easy can more easily manipulate both the black and white world to further his solution of the crime if he is able to wear both masks.
This theme of double-consciousness can be introduced in the beginning chapters of the novel. Structured student notebooks should include a section requiring students to track examples where people are not what they seem. There are examples throughout the book of Easy's precise descriptions of people, specifically how they look and the color of their skin, eyes, hair and attire. Early in chapter 3 Easy describes Albright's men: "The man who held the door was tall and slight with curly brown hair, dark skin like an India Indian, and brown eyes so light they were almost golden. His friend, who stood against a door at the far wall, was short and looked a little like he was Chinese around the eyes, but when I looked at him again I wasn't so sure of his race." Easy refers to this man as the "maybe-Chinese man." Easy even asks Albright if the little guy is Chinese. Albright says, "No one knows." The identity of others, not just Easy, is also in question. In chapter 18 Easy realizes that there will be no justice for him by way of the police, and that he has to get himself out of the mess DeWitt Albright has gotten him into. Chapter 18 ends with Easy saying, "I'd ask the bartender his name and talk about anything, but, really, behind my friendly talk, I was working to find something. Nobody knew what I was up to and that made me sort of invisible; people thought that they saw me but what they really saw was an illusion of me, something that wasn't real." Students will be asked to pinpoint other characters who wear more than one mask. Daphne Monet should be identified. She is plainly a mask-wearer in her struggle to live as a white female despite her black heritage. This activity can be accomplished in any of the Rawlins novels. Discussion questions include: Describe a mask. What is it used for? When is it beneficial to wear a mask? Are there disadvantages to wearing a mask? Who wears a mask? Why is it beneficial to wear a mask? Can people wear different masks depending on the environment/situation? What types of masks do you wear? Is there anyone who has seen all of your masks? A culminating question may include: How have you used what you have learned about double-consciousness and masking to improve your sense of self and perception in your school, community, home and society?
There are "color codes" throughout the novel (Fry, 13 July 2007). Daphne Monet is the white and black woman of the novel and all colors lead to her. In the middle of chapter 3, DeWitt Albright gives Easy a picture of Daphne as he begins his pursuit of her whereabouts. Easy describes Daphne's photograph, "It was a picture of the head and shoulders of a pretty young white woman. The picture had been black-and-white originally but it was touched up for color like the photos of jazz singers that they put out in front of nightclubs. She had light hair coming down over her bare shoulders and high cheekbones and eyes that might have been blue if the artist got it right." The idea of the photograph being in black and white and then color added to it is of interest. Characters surrounding Daphne include Frank Green, Howard Green, DeWitt Albright (white), and Jackson Blue - and Daphne's real name is Ruby (red). She wears a blue dress early on but eventually changes into a yellow sundress. Color and shades of people, dress, and objects are mentioned throughout the novel. It seems that Mosley has a fixation with color. Mosley's subsequent Easy Rawlins stories include: Red Death, White Butterfly, The Yellow Dog, and Black Betty.
Color codes should be discussed as a preview to the book. For my special education students I will likely review the color codes after reading the entire text. I will point out Mosley's references to color throughout the readings, but have the students reread or scan the book for color (shade) words after reading the entire book. Students will take different color markers, pens, pencils and/or highlighters to identify all the color and shade references. Regular education and honors students should be able to read for comprehension and analyze the text simultaneously. An examination of the feelings and meanings evoked by diverse colors will be explored.
Students will spend time examining Paul Laurence Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask." The poem is readily available online at many websites. Each student will receive a copy of the poem. Groups of three will be formed to discuss their thoughts and ideas about the poem. Guided questions will be provided. Groups will be asked to present their findings (no wrong answers) to the whole class. This activity will likely take only one period for my special education class. Regular education English teachers may want to spend more time analyzing the parts, punctuations, rhymes, effects, and devices. Students may produce a written essay that includes the following criteria. The essay should explain what happens in the poem, who is speaking, what is the poem about, the theme, formal and thematic structure and formal and thematic elements. Students should choose a minimum of three of the above mentioned components and include their favorite parts of the poem. A guide for the structure of the essay follows. Paragraph one should introduce the poem and present a thesis. Paragraph two includes a brief summary and analysis of the poem. Paragraph three discusses the thematic elements. Paragraph four discusses the formal elements, and whether the form helps to clarify meaning. Finally, paragraph five is a conclusion. It is assumed that this assignment would follow lessons where students have already learned about analyzing poems.
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