Bibliographic Entry: Griggs, Sutton E. The Hindered Hand: The Reign of the Repressionist. New York: AMS Press, 1969.
What is the Subject of the Novel?
The hardships of living in the South as a African American during that time period
Find and state (in the author's words) a "defining" passage, one
which best
summarizes the direction of the novel-its theme.
"…thus largely wrested the business from the hands of the Negroes. But the Negroes would yet drive up to the station, hoping for some measure of success in the spirited contests that would arise in attempts to capture such gleanings as the advertising agents of the transfer companies had left behind."
Paraphrase this passage (in your own words):
While business was being driven away from the blacks, the blacks would not give up. They stride on going about their business. This is a perfect example of their strong spirits and their determination. A strong spirit was essential to get by during that time especially if you were black.
Paraphrase three subsidiary, supporting ideas, images or symbols using
complete sentences.
Despite all the problems that the blacks faced they kept their spirits up hoping for a better world.
You can not escape your past no matter how hard you try. It will eventually catch up to you in the end.
Persistence not violence is the answer to change the world.
Make a list of and name the characters you have found in the essay supply
a
characterizing quotation and tell why you think the author used the
character.
Character's Name Quote the text! Why Used?
1. Ensal Ellwood "Let us print millions of this address and see to it
that a copy thereof gets into every American home…Earl, our cause is
just and we must learn to plead it acceptably." I believe that the Author
wanted to show the two sides of the black community during that time. The
"Ghandi" like scholar and the gun-ho leader. Ensal is the scholar
that thinks words not violence will solve their problems
2. Earl Bluefield "Blood must be shed at some time and it might as well
be shed now at any other time." The other side of the community. Earl
believes that action and guns will make their lives better
3. Tiara Merlow "My mother's ancestors, ancestor of this man, made a
practice of marrying with mulattoes, until in her case all trace on Negro
blood, so far as personal appearance was concerned, had disappeared One of
the victims of self-hatred. A daughter of a love less mother who passes as
a white women. This character falls in line with the scholar type. I think
the author used this character to make a point about how self-hatred can change
a person's life.
4. Eunice Seabright " You are discriminating against me without the warrant
of law…""Doomed! Doomed! Assigned to membership in the Negro
race! Made heir to all contempt of the world. Doomed! Doomed!" One of
the characters that learned about the hardships of black people the hard way.
The author demonstrates that discrimination can hit anyone no matter what
sex or color.
Summarize the plot, noting complications, climax or crisis and resolution
of the piece:
The story kinds of jumps from place to place, but the main story is about a town called Almaville and its residents. The black residents of this town go through so numerous problems, especially with racism. The town has to deal with a number of deaths. The deaths being mostly of the black race. To no surprise the blacks were either lynched or shot or sometimes both. One man and many others could take no more and set out on a mission to overtake Washington D.C. But this mission was put to rest when the leader of this mission was too hurt to carry it out. Many love stories develop one where a white woman feels the discrimination of being black when she is deemed part of the Negro race by the court. In the end the girl with no past, Tiara, and the pacifist scholar, Ensal, set out to make a home in Africa for the "American Negro"
Explain your view on the issues raised in the book. Do you agree, disagree
or partially agree with the author? Give at least three reasons you believe
as you do.
The issues in this book mainly deal with the topic of racism and discrimination. I believe that the author set out to make a point that if you let the American public know what's going without using violence on you can accomplish your goal. I agree that violence never solves anything. Violence just begets more violence. Another point I think the author tried to make is that discrimination is an equal opportunist. Discrimination can strike you anywhere any time no matter who you are. If you want to change the world, become educated and educate others around you.
