The Deep Space Nine episode “Far Beyond the Stars” does an excellent job of incorporating the theme of afrofuturism into the story line. The definition of Afrofuturism is implemented into this episode when the African american dream is implemented into the future. Through Captain Sisko’s vision and leadership he is able to fulfill the goal of the prophet and inform the people to change their ways for equality amongst people of different color. In this episode Captain Sisko takes black to the past through dreams that he has while commanding the space base guarding the wormhole.
Suddenly Captain Sisko teleports back to the early 1900’s where he is a columnist for fictional paranormal newspaper. He begins to work as an unsuccessful black speculative fiction writer, trying to convince the community that black people have a future. This is very similar to when Captain Sisko is aboard his vessel in the future, where he tries to convince his allies and friends that they can make peace with their enemies, the Cardassians. Using his father and his past to guide him, Captain Sisko’s spirit persists to unite the people and serve as a prophet and a leader.
I find it interesting that even the least conservative paranormal newspaper company finds it difficult to identify a writer as being black. Captain Sisko has the most difficulty when publishing the best story he ever wrote because the protagonist is African American. The irony is that even though the public will read about martians coming to earth to have a picnic in the park they will not pay heed to a story that embellishes a person of color as the protagonist. The step back into the past helps to show the extremities that were endured by African Americans and puts the future into perspective.
Finally the father’s advice gives Captain Sisko the strength he needs to accomplish what he needs. The father tells Captain Sisko that he “is the dreamer, and the dream” and Captain Sisko decides that he “will stay and finish the job that he started.” Ultimately Captain Sisko pursues his dream to unite the black people and white as a speculative fiction writer just as he attempts to unite the Cardassians and the federation as the Captain of a space ship. The idea of Afrofuturism in this episode shows how the dream of peace is still as prevalent today as it was back then, and it is a message that needs to be remembered in the future. When Captain Sisko wakes from his dream he decides to stay as the captain of the ship, and to follow his dreams that have been prevalent in his heritage since the early nineteen hundreds.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Fusion of Species and Race
The following is an from Samuel Delaney's "Stars in my Pocket like Grains of Sand":
On my left, sound increased. I shifted my shoulders under Rat's hands, and turned to see first Ollivet't's, then Shalleme's scooter pull abreast. Ollivet't said with three tongues at once, loud enough to cover it:
{ "WHAT WAS THAT?"
{ "WHAT WAS THAT?"
{ "WHAT WAS THAT?"
I shouted, loud as I could (it doesn't compete): "I'LL TELL YOU LATER." Then as an afterthought: "YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME IF I DID," and hoped Shalleme could read my lips. It's a talent many of us humans have been developing as a sort of racial compensation.
- From Page 260 of 20th anniversary edition of "Stars in my Pocket like Grains of Sand".
This particular passage really struck out of me because of the sentence construction and the form that Delaney writes this novel. Through close reading there can be specific implications outlined in Delaney's modified writing style. Delaney is adept at creating science fiction through the imagery of the meanings and also through the formation of the words. Through formatting and language manipulation Delaney creates "sentences [that] trip and trick you into saying, into seeing" - which is a quote taken from a interview with Delaney on his book. Rather than using word connotations to construct science fiction Delaney makes use of the language signifiers and symbols. This advanced literary technique is what makes this book really shine as a piece of science fiction. Delaney is defamiliarizing the aspects of language and redefining them - the pure essence of a science fiction novel.
In mathematics an open left bracket, like the one Delaney uses in the dialog from the passage, symbolizes the parameters of a given function. By designating a symbol and using the open bracket you can define a set of values mapped from another set of values with given parameters. In the passage Delaney creates a function of Ollivet't's voice, which gives three outputs. This application forces the reader to read the same line three times and emphasizes the sentence through rhetorical structure. Normally a writer strengthens intensity of a dialog by capitalizing or italicizing the sentence, but Delaney moves a step farther by providing the bracket to symbolize three sentences in one. One of the crucial differences in society is the prevalence of language and here Delaney twists Ollivet't's language in order to emphasize the difference between humans and Evelmis.
Here the Evelmi alien, Ollivet't uses three tongues to convey it's bewilderment when being pursued by dozens of flying Evelmis and humans on scooters. Marq shouts back but her voice "does not compete" with Ollivet't. This returns to earlier in the book when Santina is describing the difference between Evelmi, saying that humans and Evelmi will never understand one another because Evelmis have more tongues than claws. Marq hopes "Shallem [can] read [her] lips," refering to the communication barrier that exists between their species. This displays the essential difference paralleled throughout the book that Evelmi and humans do not understand one another - fueling a dichotomy between them.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this passage is the conclusion. Marq's lip reading ability is develped as a "racial compensation" between the Evelmis and humans. Again, Delaney defamiliarizes the present. Race is no longer between humans of different skin colors. The conflict of race inherent through Delaney's novel implies that race is now defined by species. Evelmi, Xiv, and Humans are different races in this 6,000 world universe. What I love about this novel is that it explores outerworldy perspective on the formation and conflict of race. Black, white, asian are different races but Delaney points out that if we were to encounter alien species in the future our species will be as one, the human race.
On my left, sound increased. I shifted my shoulders under Rat's hands, and turned to see first Ollivet't's, then Shalleme's scooter pull abreast. Ollivet't said with three tongues at once, loud enough to cover it:
{ "WHAT WAS THAT?"
{ "WHAT WAS THAT?"
{ "WHAT WAS THAT?"
I shouted, loud as I could (it doesn't compete): "I'LL TELL YOU LATER." Then as an afterthought: "YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME IF I DID," and hoped Shalleme could read my lips. It's a talent many of us humans have been developing as a sort of racial compensation.
- From Page 260 of 20th anniversary edition of "Stars in my Pocket like Grains of Sand".
This particular passage really struck out of me because of the sentence construction and the form that Delaney writes this novel. Through close reading there can be specific implications outlined in Delaney's modified writing style. Delaney is adept at creating science fiction through the imagery of the meanings and also through the formation of the words. Through formatting and language manipulation Delaney creates "sentences [that] trip and trick you into saying, into seeing" - which is a quote taken from a interview with Delaney on his book. Rather than using word connotations to construct science fiction Delaney makes use of the language signifiers and symbols. This advanced literary technique is what makes this book really shine as a piece of science fiction. Delaney is defamiliarizing the aspects of language and redefining them - the pure essence of a science fiction novel.
In mathematics an open left bracket, like the one Delaney uses in the dialog from the passage, symbolizes the parameters of a given function. By designating a symbol and using the open bracket you can define a set of values mapped from another set of values with given parameters. In the passage Delaney creates a function of Ollivet't's voice, which gives three outputs. This application forces the reader to read the same line three times and emphasizes the sentence through rhetorical structure. Normally a writer strengthens intensity of a dialog by capitalizing or italicizing the sentence, but Delaney moves a step farther by providing the bracket to symbolize three sentences in one. One of the crucial differences in society is the prevalence of language and here Delaney twists Ollivet't's language in order to emphasize the difference between humans and Evelmis.
Here the Evelmi alien, Ollivet't uses three tongues to convey it's bewilderment when being pursued by dozens of flying Evelmis and humans on scooters. Marq shouts back but her voice "does not compete" with Ollivet't. This returns to earlier in the book when Santina is describing the difference between Evelmi, saying that humans and Evelmi will never understand one another because Evelmis have more tongues than claws. Marq hopes "Shallem [can] read [her] lips," refering to the communication barrier that exists between their species. This displays the essential difference paralleled throughout the book that Evelmi and humans do not understand one another - fueling a dichotomy between them.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this passage is the conclusion. Marq's lip reading ability is develped as a "racial compensation" between the Evelmis and humans. Again, Delaney defamiliarizes the present. Race is no longer between humans of different skin colors. The conflict of race inherent through Delaney's novel implies that race is now defined by species. Evelmi, Xiv, and Humans are different races in this 6,000 world universe. What I love about this novel is that it explores outerworldy perspective on the formation and conflict of race. Black, white, asian are different races but Delaney points out that if we were to encounter alien species in the future our species will be as one, the human race.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
America and the nessecity of blackness
After inspecting a group of rhododendrons in bloom, it is obvious that they are truly magnificent flowers that brighten up the day. Rooted next to a shrub of thistles, it is obvious that the thistles are ugly and obtrusive, with not nearly the same amount of color or smell as the rhododendrons. But what makes the rhododendron so beautiful? The fact that it itself is beautiful, or that it sits next to a less appealing specimen? Is the thistle truly ugly, or is it simply because it is overshadowed by the rhododendron’s grandeur?
It may seem that this has nothing to do with Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” or Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” however this concept is deeply rooted in both. Both Ellison and Bell describe how African Americans are the foundation and victims of their discrimination. Bell and Ellison show that a country’s majority cannot be superior without making a minority inferior. Throughout history people have been persecuted as a scapegoat to adhere this label of inferiority. Hitler did it to Jews, and now in Derrick Bell’s “The Space Traders,” white Americans do it to the black Americans.
In “The Space Traders,” the whole of America is set to believe that it would be economically, socially, and holistically beneficial to deport all the African Americans. The whole of America felt, “as black people [were] marching stoically into the Space Traders’ ships” that black people were doing their duty to America by entering the “ancient sacrificial altars.” (Bell 347) Then Bell questions what Americans will have to do next to secure their superiority and “prosperity” when the black people are no longer the scapegoat. Bell implies that by giving into the trade for African Americans it leads way to other precedents, eventually trading away “Hispanics, Jews, Asians,” or anyone of “identifiable politics or religion or geographic location,” only to allow the dominance of the white Christian population which is presumably the heritage of the united states. (350) With the departure of black people, how will Americans be defined? This notion digs at the fact that blackness is essential for whiteness, which is precisely what Ellison depicts pragmatically in “Invisible Man.”
In Chapter 10 of Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” the main character finds himself mixing white paint but is stunned to find that white paint starts out black as coal. The liquid inside the paint can “was dead black” and after measuring ten “glistening black drops,” the paint suddenly becomes “as white as George Washington.” (Ellison 201) Ellison exemplifies the essentiality of blackness by using the metaphor of paint and the allusion to the founding father of America. Though being black has been persecuted from the foundation of our country, the black population is the foundation of our country. Lucious Brockaway is Ellison’s example of blackness founding America; he is the “only one who knew the location of all the water mains. He had been employed at the beginning, before any records were kept and actually functioned as an engineer though he drew a janitor’s pay.” (Ellison 211) Lucious is this machine behind the machine, he knows all the nuts and bolts and steers the white majority into oppression of the black minority. Lucious is an example of the black slavery that began since the beginning of the colonial revolution and the oppression that still occurs today.
Both Derrick Bell and Ellison emphasis the fact that black people have defined America because of their obvious minority. Bell and Ellison both point toward America’s necessity to divide the economics and politics of America through the color of skin or the difference of cultures. Both articles are an explanation of this existence of a colorline and it’s perverse necessity to the foundation of our nation.
Works Cited
Bell, Derrick. "The Space Traders." 1992.
Ellison, Ralph. "Invisible Man." 1952.
It may seem that this has nothing to do with Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” or Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” however this concept is deeply rooted in both. Both Ellison and Bell describe how African Americans are the foundation and victims of their discrimination. Bell and Ellison show that a country’s majority cannot be superior without making a minority inferior. Throughout history people have been persecuted as a scapegoat to adhere this label of inferiority. Hitler did it to Jews, and now in Derrick Bell’s “The Space Traders,” white Americans do it to the black Americans.
In “The Space Traders,” the whole of America is set to believe that it would be economically, socially, and holistically beneficial to deport all the African Americans. The whole of America felt, “as black people [were] marching stoically into the Space Traders’ ships” that black people were doing their duty to America by entering the “ancient sacrificial altars.” (Bell 347) Then Bell questions what Americans will have to do next to secure their superiority and “prosperity” when the black people are no longer the scapegoat. Bell implies that by giving into the trade for African Americans it leads way to other precedents, eventually trading away “Hispanics, Jews, Asians,” or anyone of “identifiable politics or religion or geographic location,” only to allow the dominance of the white Christian population which is presumably the heritage of the united states. (350) With the departure of black people, how will Americans be defined? This notion digs at the fact that blackness is essential for whiteness, which is precisely what Ellison depicts pragmatically in “Invisible Man.”
In Chapter 10 of Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” the main character finds himself mixing white paint but is stunned to find that white paint starts out black as coal. The liquid inside the paint can “was dead black” and after measuring ten “glistening black drops,” the paint suddenly becomes “as white as George Washington.” (Ellison 201) Ellison exemplifies the essentiality of blackness by using the metaphor of paint and the allusion to the founding father of America. Though being black has been persecuted from the foundation of our country, the black population is the foundation of our country. Lucious Brockaway is Ellison’s example of blackness founding America; he is the “only one who knew the location of all the water mains. He had been employed at the beginning, before any records were kept and actually functioned as an engineer though he drew a janitor’s pay.” (Ellison 211) Lucious is this machine behind the machine, he knows all the nuts and bolts and steers the white majority into oppression of the black minority. Lucious is an example of the black slavery that began since the beginning of the colonial revolution and the oppression that still occurs today.
Both Derrick Bell and Ellison emphasis the fact that black people have defined America because of their obvious minority. Bell and Ellison both point toward America’s necessity to divide the economics and politics of America through the color of skin or the difference of cultures. Both articles are an explanation of this existence of a colorline and it’s perverse necessity to the foundation of our nation.
Works Cited
Bell, Derrick. "The Space Traders." 1992.
Ellison, Ralph. "Invisible Man." 1952.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Postcolonial Science Fiction Defined
Nalo Hopkinson’s definition of “postcolonial science fiction” in “Introduction” from So Long Been Dreaming: “Stories that take the meme of colonizing the natives and, from the experience of the colonizee, critique it, pervert it, fuck with it, with irony, with anger, with humour, and also, with love and respect for the genre of science fiction that makes it possible to think about new ways of doing things.”
This short story, “Deep End” by Nisi Shawl definitely falls under Nalo Hopinkson’s definition of a postcolonial slave science fiction narrative. The first paragraph depicts Wayna, “an upload of a criminal mind” aboard a vessel, the “Psyche Moth,” designated for prisoners enroute to a distant star. (Shawl 12) Wayne is the perspective of the story; she speaks as an upload of a criminal mind. And to her, she is the victim of the ship and its crew – which institute punishments that involve pain like “the lash of a whip.” (Shawl 13) She also felt victim to her captures and “distrusted Dr. Ops and everything about Psyche Moth.” (Shawl 13) The beginning of the story is mainly a postcolonial narrative but the story turns into much more.
Everything about this story radiates a post colonial slave narrative – from the setting of the slave ship being sent to a distant land presumably for hard labor, to the punishments of being whipped. But then, in the aura of “postcolonial science fiction” Shawl takes this regular story and distorts it to a more science fiction entity. The idea of minds being uploaded into a computer and then downloaded into a body presumes that the body is not their own. Shawl explores the idea of “passing” - the fusion of a black conciousness and a white physical appearance - with freedom. The only hope that Wayna can perceive, the only goal she can attain is to have a body that was hers, “no matter how different it looked from the one she had been born with. [No matter] how white.” (Shawl 17) And through her training she was given a body and that was “her body. She’d earned it,” as if she were given freedom from the slavery that the ships controller, Dr. Ops, had beset upon her. (Shawl 17) Instead of liberation from slavery, this novel depicts the liberation of the mind. Shawl shows that with a different kind of bondage comes a different kind of freedom, namely the freedom to own one’s body.
Another interesting junction from the normal postcolonial narrative that specifically makes this science fiction is the purpose of the slave ship. I’ve seen a lot of Star Trek episodes where evil Klingons or Ferengians are “spared” and sent to a prison planet were they do hard labor for the rest of their lives. Shawl instead uses the same idea, but instead the prisoners will mine genetic helixes. The prisoners themselves are “investments [for] protection [of] their precious genetic material,” or as Wayna puts it – “glorified mammies.” (Shawl 20) Wayna and the rest of the prisoners are doing hard time for whatever “crime” they committed, but instead of doing the harvesting for plantations owners, they are the ones being harvested. This is another way that Shawl puts an ironic twist on this postcolonial science fiction narrative.
The end result is something entirely different, something new. Shawl combines elements of postcolonial narratives and disfigures them and puts them back together to create a postcolonial science fiction. The beauty of this new narrative that it has the ability to tackle the same issues as a regular postcolonial narrative, but in this style Shawl is able to raise many more questions. Shawl introduces concepts of owning ones body and harvesting genetic material. More importantly Shawl attempts to dilute the colorline by emphasizing the fact that Wayna’s new body is white. Does having a “black mind” mean that she is still black? Does a “black mind” even exist? Much of Shawls story can be interpreted as a redefinition of blackness itself, how it existed in colonial days and how it exists today.
This short story, “Deep End” by Nisi Shawl definitely falls under Nalo Hopinkson’s definition of a postcolonial slave science fiction narrative. The first paragraph depicts Wayna, “an upload of a criminal mind” aboard a vessel, the “Psyche Moth,” designated for prisoners enroute to a distant star. (Shawl 12) Wayne is the perspective of the story; she speaks as an upload of a criminal mind. And to her, she is the victim of the ship and its crew – which institute punishments that involve pain like “the lash of a whip.” (Shawl 13) She also felt victim to her captures and “distrusted Dr. Ops and everything about Psyche Moth.” (Shawl 13) The beginning of the story is mainly a postcolonial narrative but the story turns into much more.
Everything about this story radiates a post colonial slave narrative – from the setting of the slave ship being sent to a distant land presumably for hard labor, to the punishments of being whipped. But then, in the aura of “postcolonial science fiction” Shawl takes this regular story and distorts it to a more science fiction entity. The idea of minds being uploaded into a computer and then downloaded into a body presumes that the body is not their own. Shawl explores the idea of “passing” - the fusion of a black conciousness and a white physical appearance - with freedom. The only hope that Wayna can perceive, the only goal she can attain is to have a body that was hers, “no matter how different it looked from the one she had been born with. [No matter] how white.” (Shawl 17) And through her training she was given a body and that was “her body. She’d earned it,” as if she were given freedom from the slavery that the ships controller, Dr. Ops, had beset upon her. (Shawl 17) Instead of liberation from slavery, this novel depicts the liberation of the mind. Shawl shows that with a different kind of bondage comes a different kind of freedom, namely the freedom to own one’s body.
Another interesting junction from the normal postcolonial narrative that specifically makes this science fiction is the purpose of the slave ship. I’ve seen a lot of Star Trek episodes where evil Klingons or Ferengians are “spared” and sent to a prison planet were they do hard labor for the rest of their lives. Shawl instead uses the same idea, but instead the prisoners will mine genetic helixes. The prisoners themselves are “investments [for] protection [of] their precious genetic material,” or as Wayna puts it – “glorified mammies.” (Shawl 20) Wayna and the rest of the prisoners are doing hard time for whatever “crime” they committed, but instead of doing the harvesting for plantations owners, they are the ones being harvested. This is another way that Shawl puts an ironic twist on this postcolonial science fiction narrative.
The end result is something entirely different, something new. Shawl combines elements of postcolonial narratives and disfigures them and puts them back together to create a postcolonial science fiction. The beauty of this new narrative that it has the ability to tackle the same issues as a regular postcolonial narrative, but in this style Shawl is able to raise many more questions. Shawl introduces concepts of owning ones body and harvesting genetic material. More importantly Shawl attempts to dilute the colorline by emphasizing the fact that Wayna’s new body is white. Does having a “black mind” mean that she is still black? Does a “black mind” even exist? Much of Shawls story can be interpreted as a redefinition of blackness itself, how it existed in colonial days and how it exists today.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Crossing the color line
The two texts, "Deathlok" by McDuffie and "Conservation of Races" by W.E.B. Du Bois voice concerns of African Americans and their identities as an african and as an american. This common duality is seen often in entertainment - like the pervasive "Power Rangers." Power Rangers deal with the obligation to be a ranger of the world protecting people from puttymen and they have to cope with being a regular schmo in school without revealing their super identities. I just used Power Rangers as an example of a concept of duality that exists in almost all super hero genres - from Batman to Superman to Spiderman just to name three. Super heros have to learn to cope with their idenity as a super hero as well as their idenity as a regular guy. This is similar to the african american race predicament in which African Americans are disrespected because of their inability to place faith in their african heritage while living for the american dream. W.E.B. Du Bois and McDuffie both employ strategies to attact an academic audience and a young adult audience respectively. However both writers share messages that attempt to expose the prevality of the color line while questioning the Critical Race theory.
W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the leading writers in the Critical Race theory wrote "Conservation of Races" to delve into the meaning and purpose of race. Du Bois questions whether race exists, what race is, how many races are there and what characteristics define race. The definition Du Bois proposes is that race "is a vast family of human beings, generally of common blood and language, always of common history, tradition and impulses, who are both voluntarily and involuntarily striving together for the accomplishments of certain more or less vividly conceived ideals of life." (Du Bois 817) The definition is certaintly ambiguous - what is common blood? What is common impulse? What goals? Common history is the only constant race defining factor and my departure point for this essay. Common history itself is ambiguous. HIstory from 50 years ago? 100? 3000? The time line continues infinitely so history can't really define the entire span. This begins the predicament of the duality of African American. African American race is defined by the common history of Africans in tribes of Africa, with their own marriage customs, customary traditions, and religious beliefs. This is a unique history. But according to Du Bois their history is also defined by the Civil War in 1865 partly caused by the emancipation of black slaves in 1863. This history shares a very proud and defined culture of an oppresed society that broke through the chains of bondage and broke the slave block. This is a unique history. Then which is it? Does being black "place upon any more obligation to assert nationality than German, or Irish, or Italian blood would?" (Du Bois 810) Is an African American more African or more American? This is where we find out that this ambiguity is the "crossroads" in which African Americans must ask "am I an American or am I a Negro?" (Du Bois 810)
Though McDuffie's "Deathlok" does not offer a clear solution to this question he helps to expand its importance. Using a man/machine dualism, Deathlok begins to address the same African American duality. Michael Collins is betrayed by fellow worker Rykan and his brain is implanted into a cyborg. However his brain overrides the onboard computer and allows him to think in programming language - allowing him to be both cyborg and human. The fusing of Michael's neurons with the electrical circuits of the cyborg suit is a symbol of the inherent combination of the heritage and traditions of africanism with the responsibilities and privelages as an American. Michael Collins finds it hard to be accepted by his own family and society because he is neither man nor machine. His own wife calls him "some kind of monster" (McDuffie 39) which poses as a latent message of the alienation of african americans by Africans and Americans.
Whether it be because of individual pride or preservation of race tradition, the critical race theory needs acceptance. Possibly reinventing a new definition of color and race. By defining race, a color line is inherently drawn. The frusturation of people inbetween the lines are that they find themselves in the "none of the above" or "other" sections. McDuffie's "Deathlok" and W.E.B. Du Bois expose the consequences of the colorline and the definitions of race. McDuffie proposes a possible answer to the critical race theory, a way to cease alienation and live in unity with respect for other heritages. Instead of hiding different heritages and histories, they should be used to protect humanity itself.
W.E.B. Du Bois. "Conservation of Races."
McDuffie, Dwayne. "Deathlok."
W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the leading writers in the Critical Race theory wrote "Conservation of Races" to delve into the meaning and purpose of race. Du Bois questions whether race exists, what race is, how many races are there and what characteristics define race. The definition Du Bois proposes is that race "is a vast family of human beings, generally of common blood and language, always of common history, tradition and impulses, who are both voluntarily and involuntarily striving together for the accomplishments of certain more or less vividly conceived ideals of life." (Du Bois 817) The definition is certaintly ambiguous - what is common blood? What is common impulse? What goals? Common history is the only constant race defining factor and my departure point for this essay. Common history itself is ambiguous. HIstory from 50 years ago? 100? 3000? The time line continues infinitely so history can't really define the entire span. This begins the predicament of the duality of African American. African American race is defined by the common history of Africans in tribes of Africa, with their own marriage customs, customary traditions, and religious beliefs. This is a unique history. But according to Du Bois their history is also defined by the Civil War in 1865 partly caused by the emancipation of black slaves in 1863. This history shares a very proud and defined culture of an oppresed society that broke through the chains of bondage and broke the slave block. This is a unique history. Then which is it? Does being black "place upon any more obligation to assert nationality than German, or Irish, or Italian blood would?" (Du Bois 810) Is an African American more African or more American? This is where we find out that this ambiguity is the "crossroads" in which African Americans must ask "am I an American or am I a Negro?" (Du Bois 810)
Though McDuffie's "Deathlok" does not offer a clear solution to this question he helps to expand its importance. Using a man/machine dualism, Deathlok begins to address the same African American duality. Michael Collins is betrayed by fellow worker Rykan and his brain is implanted into a cyborg. However his brain overrides the onboard computer and allows him to think in programming language - allowing him to be both cyborg and human. The fusing of Michael's neurons with the electrical circuits of the cyborg suit is a symbol of the inherent combination of the heritage and traditions of africanism with the responsibilities and privelages as an American. Michael Collins finds it hard to be accepted by his own family and society because he is neither man nor machine. His own wife calls him "some kind of monster" (McDuffie 39) which poses as a latent message of the alienation of african americans by Africans and Americans.
Whether it be because of individual pride or preservation of race tradition, the critical race theory needs acceptance. Possibly reinventing a new definition of color and race. By defining race, a color line is inherently drawn. The frusturation of people inbetween the lines are that they find themselves in the "none of the above" or "other" sections. McDuffie's "Deathlok" and W.E.B. Du Bois expose the consequences of the colorline and the definitions of race. McDuffie proposes a possible answer to the critical race theory, a way to cease alienation and live in unity with respect for other heritages. Instead of hiding different heritages and histories, they should be used to protect humanity itself.
W.E.B. Du Bois. "Conservation of Races."
McDuffie, Dwayne. "Deathlok."
Monday, April 16, 2007
Supergroovalisticprosifunkstastic Films, Music and LIterature
(props to George Clinton for the blog title)
The "Last Angel of History", a film by John Akomfrah, is an intriguing parallel between afrofuturist literature and sonic music that attempts to destroy the binaries that predetermine conceptions for people of different races, cultures, or traditions. The beginning starts off with the story of guitarist Robert Johnson who appropriated his soul to the devil in order to learn the secret black technology. This technology would inevitably guide black Americans to social revolution and help to preserve their heritage and their future. This technological breakthrough is blues. True blues. Blues brought out through depression, economic crisis and the segregation Americans. Akomfrah's movie helps to exemplify how the beginning of this black technology helped to construct a vehicle intended to preserve African American pride and culture.
Also set in the 1920's was a book called "The Comet" by W.E.B. Du Bois. This book shows the extremities of black segregation when a poisonous gas from a passing comet kills all the people of New York and devastates the only two people left - a rich white woman and a poor black man. It is easy to see that the poor black man represents the African American society and the rich white woman represents prejudice white society. When left to their individual differences white society says "How foolish our human distinctions seem now" (Du Bois 14). For the first time the black society feels appreciated as part of humanity because black humanity is accepted. For the first time white human society feels equality because of embracing difference. Though it does not last long in the book, Du Bois eliminates negative preconceptions by taking them to an extreme power and putting them in persepctive.
Du Bois also says in "The Comet" that black people are treated as "alien in blood and culture." (Du Bois 17) This extraterrestrial aspect of African Americanism is used a positive contraption to secure African American heritage. One of the many astronomical extraterrestrial promoters was the funkadelic musician, George Clinton. George Clinton was the musician behind the popular "Mothership Connection" record. When asked about the record he responded saying that he feels that "space to black people is...like we've been there...[like] descendents from teh stars." [Akomfrah] George Clinton is able to promote the individuality of African Americans through their literal alienation. At the same time the element of galacticism helps to destruct the divisions between normal binaries. The divisions of black and white, man and machine, same and difference, outside and inside are all permeable entities when compared to alien elements. All humanity unites in the presence of an alien, and when African Americans are not the alien they become united as well. Much of the afrotfuturist writing and music plays to this element and is a positive influence on the future of African American culture. What do music, literature, and film have in common? They are all vehicles that convey a message. For afrofuturists this message is directed to humanity to eliminate racism and promote individuality.
The main character of Akomfrah's film, "The Last Angel of History" was the last angel, the data thief. The data thief searches for clues to help to reclaim African American past for the future. One of the clues he found was a stone that read "The line between social reality and science fiction is an optical illusion." Isolation in post-apocalyptic novels, and alienation in first contact narratives are all allegories of the present miscegenation and racial discrimination. Of course when put into perspective through extraterrestrial metaphors or when left to individualistic expression, it is easier to see what was white and what was black is actually in between. It’s not quite grey, its more beautiful than that. It’s more of a tie dye.
Works Cited
Du Bois, W.E.B. "The Comet." 1920
Akomfrah, John. "Last Angel of History." 1996
The "Last Angel of History", a film by John Akomfrah, is an intriguing parallel between afrofuturist literature and sonic music that attempts to destroy the binaries that predetermine conceptions for people of different races, cultures, or traditions. The beginning starts off with the story of guitarist Robert Johnson who appropriated his soul to the devil in order to learn the secret black technology. This technology would inevitably guide black Americans to social revolution and help to preserve their heritage and their future. This technological breakthrough is blues. True blues. Blues brought out through depression, economic crisis and the segregation Americans. Akomfrah's movie helps to exemplify how the beginning of this black technology helped to construct a vehicle intended to preserve African American pride and culture.
Also set in the 1920's was a book called "The Comet" by W.E.B. Du Bois. This book shows the extremities of black segregation when a poisonous gas from a passing comet kills all the people of New York and devastates the only two people left - a rich white woman and a poor black man. It is easy to see that the poor black man represents the African American society and the rich white woman represents prejudice white society. When left to their individual differences white society says "How foolish our human distinctions seem now" (Du Bois 14). For the first time the black society feels appreciated as part of humanity because black humanity is accepted. For the first time white human society feels equality because of embracing difference. Though it does not last long in the book, Du Bois eliminates negative preconceptions by taking them to an extreme power and putting them in persepctive.
Du Bois also says in "The Comet" that black people are treated as "alien in blood and culture." (Du Bois 17) This extraterrestrial aspect of African Americanism is used a positive contraption to secure African American heritage. One of the many astronomical extraterrestrial promoters was the funkadelic musician, George Clinton. George Clinton was the musician behind the popular "Mothership Connection" record. When asked about the record he responded saying that he feels that "space to black people is...like we've been there...[like] descendents from teh stars." [Akomfrah] George Clinton is able to promote the individuality of African Americans through their literal alienation. At the same time the element of galacticism helps to destruct the divisions between normal binaries. The divisions of black and white, man and machine, same and difference, outside and inside are all permeable entities when compared to alien elements. All humanity unites in the presence of an alien, and when African Americans are not the alien they become united as well. Much of the afrotfuturist writing and music plays to this element and is a positive influence on the future of African American culture. What do music, literature, and film have in common? They are all vehicles that convey a message. For afrofuturists this message is directed to humanity to eliminate racism and promote individuality.
The main character of Akomfrah's film, "The Last Angel of History" was the last angel, the data thief. The data thief searches for clues to help to reclaim African American past for the future. One of the clues he found was a stone that read "The line between social reality and science fiction is an optical illusion." Isolation in post-apocalyptic novels, and alienation in first contact narratives are all allegories of the present miscegenation and racial discrimination. Of course when put into perspective through extraterrestrial metaphors or when left to individualistic expression, it is easier to see what was white and what was black is actually in between. It’s not quite grey, its more beautiful than that. It’s more of a tie dye.
Works Cited
Du Bois, W.E.B. "The Comet." 1920
Akomfrah, John. "Last Angel of History." 1996
Monday, April 9, 2007
That is one attractive DNA sequence!
Throughout the history of science fiction everyone seems to be absolutely certain what an alien looks like. This book, Lilith's Brood takes the alien appearance to the next level by fusing an alien with a human. In fact, much of "Adulthood Rites" is based on a male Human-Oankali construct (an alien human child) and his journey to discover what and who he is, and most importantly why he is. This male Human-Oankali construct, Akin, "did not have [the human] flaw. He had been assembled within the body of an ooloi. He was Oankali enough to be listened to by other Oankali and Human enough to know that resister Humans were being treated with cruelty and condescension." (404) Akin has the important role as the intermediary between Humans and Oankali because of his appearance, and the role of becoming the future generation because of what resides in his DNA.
The Oankali, the Human-Oankali Constructs and the Humans are different in many ways. Much of their anatomy is shared but their appearance is distinguished between each race. I made a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the similarities between the "species".
The Human-Oankali constructs are more repulsive to the humans than the Oankali. From the Human perspective, the Oankali are simply aliens. A Human commented on two girl Human-Oankali constructs saying that their tentacles "looked more like slugs than worms most of the time" which seemed to not alien, but inhumane and "criminal to allow little girls to be afflicted with such things." (391) Such strong words describe the repulsiveness of the Human-Oankali constructs to Humans, whereas the Oankali were tolerable. I think it is interesting that the Oankali do not find the Humans repulsive. The Oankali do not fear the Humans from a physical standpoint, because they strive to eliminate difference within their society in order to ensure peace.
More importantly, the personality traits and values differ between each species. Humans are loyal to humans, however they seek heirarchial status and power, and will kill one another to recieve it. Oankali see this as a fatal flaw of humans and thus their species thrives on conformity and division of power between their three different sexes- Ooloi, Male, and Female - though the Ooloi are constantly conceived of being the most powerful. The Human-Oankali constructs are more or less children, pure and naive and can be easily swayed between the Humans and the Oankali. However the Human-Oankali constructs resemble more than just a offspring of the two alien species, they are the Oankali upgrade in many ways. The constructs are the Oankali version two, and the future of Humans and Oankalis.
The human revolt is constantly perpetuated by the hatred of the differences of the Oankali. Humans have a suspicion that they are being assimilated by the Oankali who seek to trade genes with the Humans to further empower themselves. This is not fully realized until Akin gives it away. The Oankali are a race that needs to constantly self improve and "someday the people of Lo-or their descendents-will be in space again, looking for some other people to infect or afflict or whatever you call it." (364) This uncovers the agenda behind the Oankali, the saving of the Humans was just a "trade" to find genes that would suit the Oankali and make them more efficient. The main difference between Humans and Oankalis is simple. Humans find other attractiveness through intelligence and physical beauty. Oankali find attractiveness through the sequence of DNA. Personally I find eyebrows to be really attractive.
Works Cited
Butler, Octavia E. Lilith's Brood. New York: Warner Books, 1989.
The Oankali, the Human-Oankali Constructs and the Humans are different in many ways. Much of their anatomy is shared but their appearance is distinguished between each race. I made a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the similarities between the "species".
The Human-Oankali constructs are more repulsive to the humans than the Oankali. From the Human perspective, the Oankali are simply aliens. A Human commented on two girl Human-Oankali constructs saying that their tentacles "looked more like slugs than worms most of the time" which seemed to not alien, but inhumane and "criminal to allow little girls to be afflicted with such things." (391) Such strong words describe the repulsiveness of the Human-Oankali constructs to Humans, whereas the Oankali were tolerable. I think it is interesting that the Oankali do not find the Humans repulsive. The Oankali do not fear the Humans from a physical standpoint, because they strive to eliminate difference within their society in order to ensure peace.
More importantly, the personality traits and values differ between each species. Humans are loyal to humans, however they seek heirarchial status and power, and will kill one another to recieve it. Oankali see this as a fatal flaw of humans and thus their species thrives on conformity and division of power between their three different sexes- Ooloi, Male, and Female - though the Ooloi are constantly conceived of being the most powerful. The Human-Oankali constructs are more or less children, pure and naive and can be easily swayed between the Humans and the Oankali. However the Human-Oankali constructs resemble more than just a offspring of the two alien species, they are the Oankali upgrade in many ways. The constructs are the Oankali version two, and the future of Humans and Oankalis.
The human revolt is constantly perpetuated by the hatred of the differences of the Oankali. Humans have a suspicion that they are being assimilated by the Oankali who seek to trade genes with the Humans to further empower themselves. This is not fully realized until Akin gives it away. The Oankali are a race that needs to constantly self improve and "someday the people of Lo-or their descendents-will be in space again, looking for some other people to infect or afflict or whatever you call it." (364) This uncovers the agenda behind the Oankali, the saving of the Humans was just a "trade" to find genes that would suit the Oankali and make them more efficient. The main difference between Humans and Oankalis is simple. Humans find other attractiveness through intelligence and physical beauty. Oankali find attractiveness through the sequence of DNA. Personally I find eyebrows to be really attractive.
Works Cited
Butler, Octavia E. Lilith's Brood. New York: Warner Books, 1989.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Thoughts on "Scratch" Documentary
Music remains to be one of the most influential aspects of modern culture. Music can indirectly transform opinions, policies, art - all things that are part of a culture. Music is one of the key factors in defining the era of the present and the prospects of the future. "Scratch" is a interesting documentary which depicts turntables as one of the most recent advancements in music technology, a technology that has a capacity to shape a new era of music. Turntabalism is also a driving force for afrofuturism and an icon for the growing African American revolution to change the face of music by collaborating with the past to define the future.
"Scratch" shows the effect of turntables on the innovators of the turntable in the 1970's. At first the turntable was a tool to bring together neighborhoods of young African Americans. Now the music that is created by turntable players, "DJ's", use the instrument to bring the universe together - including all heritages, and origins (even intergalactic as commented by many DJ's). This type of music is a premeditated future of cultural unity. DJ QBert says that he finds influence for his music by playing the type of music that people would listen to in the future. The music created by DJ's definetly has a science fiction element as many of the fans and produces describe the music as a communication with alien beings or even declare that the DJ's themselves are aliens from a different planet.
Turntabalism was popularized majorly through "re-mixing" that allowed DJ artists to begin to be featured in clubs and major venues. By sampling popular music from previous decades, DJs find themselves intrinsically redefining the future using the past. Musical records are literally records and serve as a sonic memory of the past music and culture. Thus "re-mixing", became much like "re-thinking" where the DJ's took these old familiar songs and beats and incorporated their own ideas to "extend that tradition...towards the proleptic as much as the retrospective." (Eshun 2) By creating the same music a second time these african american DJ's were able to seamlessly integrate their African heritage into music that will remain as a "countermemory" for the future. (Eshun 1)
Music is one of the many ways that an artist seeks to redefine an era. The technological state of the present allows us to manipulate what was considered permanent. This science fiction type of music even falls into one of Eshun's definitions of science fiction where he says that science fiction is an "engineering feedback between it's preferred future and it's becoming present." (Eshun 3) By using turntable technology, African American artists are reprogramming the culture of the past in order to unify the roots of all cultures for the future. Although the sampling of other musical artist's songs may be considered stealing I feel that it should be synonymous with sharing. African DJ's alter past music in order to establish a link between African American culture and pre-civil rights culture in order to create a new proleptic bond between all cultures. Through turntabalism DJ's are filling in the missing stitch in the tapestry of the past in order weave a better fabric for the future.
Works Cited
Eshun, Kodwo. "Further Considerations on Afrofutursim." The New Centennial Review 3.2 (2003): 287-302.
Scratch. Dir. Doug Pray. Perf. DJ Qbert, Rob Swift and the X-ecutioners, Steve Dee, Cut Chemist. DVD. Palm Pictures, 2002.
"Scratch" shows the effect of turntables on the innovators of the turntable in the 1970's. At first the turntable was a tool to bring together neighborhoods of young African Americans. Now the music that is created by turntable players, "DJ's", use the instrument to bring the universe together - including all heritages, and origins (even intergalactic as commented by many DJ's). This type of music is a premeditated future of cultural unity. DJ QBert says that he finds influence for his music by playing the type of music that people would listen to in the future. The music created by DJ's definetly has a science fiction element as many of the fans and produces describe the music as a communication with alien beings or even declare that the DJ's themselves are aliens from a different planet.
Turntabalism was popularized majorly through "re-mixing" that allowed DJ artists to begin to be featured in clubs and major venues. By sampling popular music from previous decades, DJs find themselves intrinsically redefining the future using the past. Musical records are literally records and serve as a sonic memory of the past music and culture. Thus "re-mixing", became much like "re-thinking" where the DJ's took these old familiar songs and beats and incorporated their own ideas to "extend that tradition...towards the proleptic as much as the retrospective." (Eshun 2) By creating the same music a second time these african american DJ's were able to seamlessly integrate their African heritage into music that will remain as a "countermemory" for the future. (Eshun 1)
Music is one of the many ways that an artist seeks to redefine an era. The technological state of the present allows us to manipulate what was considered permanent. This science fiction type of music even falls into one of Eshun's definitions of science fiction where he says that science fiction is an "engineering feedback between it's preferred future and it's becoming present." (Eshun 3) By using turntable technology, African American artists are reprogramming the culture of the past in order to unify the roots of all cultures for the future. Although the sampling of other musical artist's songs may be considered stealing I feel that it should be synonymous with sharing. African DJ's alter past music in order to establish a link between African American culture and pre-civil rights culture in order to create a new proleptic bond between all cultures. Through turntabalism DJ's are filling in the missing stitch in the tapestry of the past in order weave a better fabric for the future.
Works Cited
Eshun, Kodwo. "Further Considerations on Afrofutursim." The New Centennial Review 3.2 (2003): 287-302.
Scratch. Dir. Doug Pray. Perf. DJ Qbert, Rob Swift and the X-ecutioners, Steve Dee, Cut Chemist. DVD. Palm Pictures, 2002.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
English 349 Blog
This is my blog website for english 349 with Lysa Rivera. This spring semester of 2007 I will be posting blogs concerning different topics of african american science fiction literature. I'm really excited to take this class because I already like science fiction and I feel that this class will enhance my appreciation of this genre and the sub genre of African american science ficiton writing. Science fiction is really intriguing in that it is a genre that attempts to predict the future. Some innovational authors that come to mind are H.G. Wells or Jules Verne though they are not african american. I really had no idea there was a large african american science fiction movement, and that makes me even more interested in this class! This class is going to be a lot of fun!
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