Sunday, March 8, 2009
IMAGINING FROM THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE
Bookshop owner Brother Kiyi says in “Fix Up," “You can't replace history with hair gel.” But progress in many different incarnations is afoot in Tottenham and indeed London-at-large that may be tantamount to the history/hair gel substitution. The play addresses the tensions between the black intellectual and the black activist-cum-entrepreneur. But the play also examines the notions of race. The obvious examination is that of black versus the white establishment, but there are more complicated racial tensions illuminated in the play. Alice, the beautiful multiethnic visitor, shows up. Her biracial identity adds another layer of sociopolitical intricacy to racial issues. She has come to survey her history, a history that she seems to know little about having been raised in predominantly white English environs. The relationship between Alice and Kiyi, and the various racial identity and gender-related questions it raises are intriguing. Is Kiyi’s commitment to the blackness that he hails weakened by his history with a white woman and his procreating of a biracial daughter? Is he less a man because he abandoned his daughter and abused his ex? Is Alice tragic because she is biracial or because she is disconnected from her past? What of Alice’s actions with regard to Kwesi? Do they make sense or are they a reflection of her gender/racial ignorance? Please discuss these characters as well as any others that you found illuminating or, as the case may be, frustrating.
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I think it's an interesting question of whether Alice is conflicted because of her heritage or her history. I think it's her history. I think this not only because of what the play indicates, but from my own personal experience of having parents of two different religions. I was raised mostly Jewish, but we still had Christmas and even Easter for a while. This wasn't confusing for me, and I didn't have to go "find myself," because the two traditions were sort of embodied within my mom and dad, and I could separate them and clarify them for myself. I think that because Alice never knew her parents, she felt strange about having two different backgrounds inside her because they couldn't explain it to her or help her visualize her components.
ReplyDeleteThis play made me think of modern issues, as I perceive them as an outsider, of the black community in America, and really any immigrant community. The struggle between tradition and assimilation is very interesting to me. Right now, I see current "thug life" as the equivalent of the hair salon, symbolizing money and financial independence, opposed to fostering family connections and building more positive communities, like the book store does. There are benefits to both, but I think the playwrite gives us a hint to which one he advocates by the way he ends the play.
As for Kiyi's connection to his African roots, I saw them as a way of convincing himself, after his love affair had ended, that he was still black. As much as he says about what strength it took to be in a bi-racial relationship, he seems to have felt immense guilt about it and is covering it up by going uber cultural and abusing his "love." Pressure or not, he can't say that he wasn't confused or that his sudden return to his African identity wasn't sparked by the way he felt about being with a white woman.
Brother Kiyi prides himself on being the keeper of Black history and knowledge in his shop. He would even 'translate' the American historical accounts to add his own history in writing for himself a book on accounts he created. He places barriers of race and rather than save money to keep his store or work with others (that are non-white, but immigrants) he closes his shop to race other than his own. He is hidden in his castle of books. But as Alice comes into the picture, and as she put it, "it's only fair, right, just that your castle tumbles and falls." Brother Kiyi is not able to adapt to change or recognize the change in now racial background of the 21 century. This is symbolized by him not even recognizing his own daughter. Kwesi is similar to Brother Kiyi because he's also within himself and trying to gain power, but not recognizing the multiracial individuals or women or other races. However, he's willing to sleep with Alice and sexuality finally reveals how hypocritical he is. At the end of the play, we see how militant he is---merely a sell out for money, willing to his past and friends for the gain of power. I feel that the questioning of Alice in her racial background and how the characters at first didn't know how to interact with her pointed out the alienation of multi or bi-racial people that the male characters show. This also adds a sexual element as well. The mysterious background and the different appearance that Alice has attracts the male characters, even Brother Kiyi gets somewhat excited from her presence (even though she's his daughter-gross). Being multi-racial myself, I can relate to Alice be feeling alienated or having people place you that's convenient for them in a category of race: Black, White, Hispanic, etc. Culture and race is WAY more than categories. The assumptions that people place on you can cause you to think twice about yourself and question what you really are. I've always strived to define myself not of being either or, because I am all those things and not of just one, and I proud of being what I am. Of course finding one's family history can be a journey. Alice also wants to find the answers to herself and going to the past that doesn't want to reveal itself is difficult one to know.
ReplyDeleteOften in theatre, cinema, and literature, the multiracial character is imbued with a deep pathology. If not illustrated as being (merely) psychologically unstable, they also are frequently pictured as self-destructive. In addition, multiracial individuals, particularly if they are female, are created as highly libidinous creatures who are either seeking or urging sex, or who are so psychologically lacking that they submit to any sexual overture that comes across the table. In the case of Alice, a rather flimsy premise sends her into a meaningless sex act with the man least capable of appreciating her as a human being. Alice continues in Western literature's parade of The Tragic Mulatta...
ReplyDeleteHere's a poem by Langston Hughes that is germane to Alice's character:
ReplyDeleteCROSS
My old man's a white old man
And my old mother's black.
If ever I cursed my white old man
I take my curses back.
If ever I cursed my black old mother
And wished she were in hell,
I'm sorry for that evil wish
And now I wish her well
My old man died in a fine big house.
My ma died in a shack.
I wonder were I'm going to die,
Being neither white nor black?
-Langston Hughes
[D/L 03-09-2009 @ http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/cross/]
This play brought me to think about the way that both Kiyi and Kwesi approached the issue of race. Also, it was interesting to see the development of Alice's character over the course of the play. Kiyi had a definite stance on the way that he encouraged the empowerment of Africans in white society. He did not seem to feel that there was any way to have a cooperative society, rather that one must prevail despite the other. This idea became more interesting after discovering his history. It is likely that Kiyi's current opinions relate to the tragedy of his past. Perhaps at one point he felt that peace was possible, but after suffering abuse and even killing his wife he gave up any notion of cooperation. Also, he explains that his current lifestyle was created in part to separate him from the past. His ideals therefore are his means of escape from a life he could not support. He is trying to escape.
ReplyDeleteKwesi's path to empowerment is also questionable. He is seeking power through economic advantage. In that way he hopes to gain more power than white society. But, the eventual end point of his plan leaves me with a sense of doubt. By the time he does obtain riches will he still care about his cause? He seems to be trying to fit into the system that he is rebelling against. Ultimately that seems defeating to his purpose. He does not see either Kiyi or Alice sympathetically and this leads me to believe that his goals are primarily selfish.
Alice was a confusing character. I found myself trying to discern why she was so affectionate towards the men in the play, as if she was specifically seeking them for sexual gratification. At first I thought that she desired a sexual relationship with Kiyi, but after she hugged him it occurred to me that it was more of a daughterly action. I could not see any sensible reason for her to have sex with Kwesi. She was overcome with emotion and a desire to hide the photo album. Those were the only reasons I could discern. It was a senseless act. She came to Kiyi to find answers about her past, but found nothing that could help her.
Fix Up gave me a lot of insight into a world I had never experienced. When it comes to race issues, I'm certainly aware that they exist, but until I came to USC, I lived in a town that was named the best town in the US for an interracial couple (I'm not exaggerating: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n20_v92/ai_19847136). Growing up, I was surrounded by people of all races and combinations of races and it was a non-issue. It really wasn't until I came to LA that I even realized the degree to which discrimination still exists.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Fix Up showed that yes, race is an issue, but what is more important is how each individual chooses to confront that issue. Kiyi's self image is heavily linked to his past. I couldn't let myself justify his killing of his wife as a side effect of the abuse he suffered, but I did see a connection between the cycle of abuse and the idea of potential. Kiyi is a character who is trying to be the best that he can be... considering the circumstances. I think allowing his circumstances to dictate what qualifies as his best is his fatal flaw. Kwesi, on the other hand, tries to reach his full potential despite his odds. He actually seems more determined to prove naysayers wrong. I don't know if that is the best approach to success, but I do think that he at least sets himself up for a better outcome than Kiyi does.
The first thing I noticed about Alice was her name. This could be completely irrelevant, but, because Alice is my mom's name, I know that it means "of nobility." Seems fitting for a play about a character who doesn't know anything about her heritage, doesn't it? Either way, I don't think that we can say that Alice is "tragic" because of either only her mixed blood or only her lack of a history. It is simply not that black and white (no pun intended!). I think Alice is tragic because she has no true identity. The fact that she has no identity is the result of both her lack of a history and her lack of a clear-cut heritage/ethnicity, plus probably many other factors.
Somehow, I forgot to post this earlier. I suppose that might be the physical manifestation of my internal struggle with this play. I have to admit, I didn't really like it and had a hard time finishing it. I just didn't find Brother Kiyi to be very compelling. I think its silly to spend your money on books instead of food when you are hungry. Also, as far as I'm concerned, not paying your landlord isn't an example of new ownership gone bad--it's an example of you being irresponsible. It's great to appreciate the larger concepts in life and spend time losing yourself in them but part of being an adult and a bookstore owner includes taking care of your responsibilites. It's great that Brother Kiyi feels such a connection to the Black experience but i think it makes it hard for him to relate to other things/people in life and for that reason it made it hard for me to relate to him.
ReplyDelete