Today, reading minor literature is a unique opportunity to recognize and learn the gaps between modern citizens of the United States. There is no need to talk about inequality or injustice in interpersonal relationships but to see how the authors of a particular minority group share their thoughts and deliver their messages to the reader. The representatives of minor literature touch upon various serious issues, including double identities, disabilities, or protests. This essay aims at examining and comparing the worth of the concept of pride in the two works, “A Wrinkle in the Realm” by Ben Okri and “Tribal Ceremony” by Janet Campbell-Hale. Pride is one of the most ambiguous concepts in literature, as well as in human life. Although its negative connotation of pleasing oneself without any justified basis is usually omitted in literary discussions, it should be mentioned to underline the importance of just and fair reasons for being proud. People may be challenged by a variety of problems and concerns they face every day, including gender inequality, family neglect, unemployment, and racial prejudice. Despite the existing social norms and expectations, each individual must be proud of being a part of a marginalized identity and not only accept but celebrate the difference. Pride in minor literature is a crucial element, and the approaches chosen by Okri and Campbell-Hale show how the interpretation of this concept defines American society.
Campbell-Hale’s “Tribal Ceremony” is a poem about the changes Native Americans had to survive during the last several centuries. On the one hand, the author’s decision to use the English language to share her experience and pride in her father’s achievements demonstrates her weakness and the inability to avoid racial inequality. On the other hand, it is hard for modern minor poets to represent their ideas using their native languages because of “white ways of thinking” and the fact that children “know no others” except “English words” (Campbell-Hale, n.d., lines 35, 39). In this poem, pride is not about how Native Americans live today but what old generations have done to promote the well-being of their children in the country, full of white prejudice and arrogance. Reading between the lines of Campbell-Hale’s work, it is possible to understand the ambiguity of pride in modern society. The grandfather had to “learn to wear shoes, to eat with knife and fork, to pray to the Catholic God,” which reveals real and usually negative or imposed white pride (Campbell-Hale, n.d., lines 24-26). At the same time, the author finds it necessary to share her father’s history, his participation in World War I, and his life on the reservation as an example of pride in attempting to penetrate society and protect future generations. The progress of American society has its price, and Native Americans made a meaningful payment to celebrate their identities and conform to social norms.
In contrast, the concept of pride and, more specifically, its absence in human life helps understand the worth of Okri’s “A Wrinkle in the Realm.” This short story introduces a man who “had a regular face, with a bit of a beard, a prominent forehead, good strong lips” (Okri, 2021, para. 13). However, despite his normal appearance, the man starts thinking that “there was something not quite right about him” because the people on the street were either afraid of him or neglecting him at all (Okri, 2021, para. 1). With time, it becomes difficult for the main character to live in a society where his appearance provokes negative emotions and reactions. Instead of being proud of his identity, he decides to wear masks and hide his face. He believes he is less worthwhile than other people, making himself weak and unconfident. Compared to other minor literary works, “A Wrinkle in the Realm” teaches that the quality of being proud of personal identity, especially in a marginalized group, affects humans differently. What is more important is to understand the line between no self-respect and overconfidence. When a person can celebrate their identity, it is necessary to remember solidarity as a part of pride in its positive meaning. The man is too obsessed with thinking about how society treats him, which leads to detachment, poor judgments, and avoidance.
In conclusion, the chosen texts have certain similarities and differences in addressing the concept of pride in minor literature. Today, Native Americans, African Americans, and the representatives of other minority groups cannot ignore the fact that their rights are diminished in white society. They must prove their ideas, choose places, and attempt to demonstrate their appropriateness. However, in all these intentions, they should never forget about pride and self-respect. While Campbell-Hale wants to demonstrate how proud the daughter is of her father, Okri describes the lack of confidence in her character. Pride defines the style of life, the goals to achieve, and the emotions to never hide. The celebration of national identity is the expected outcome many minority authors want to provoke in their readers. The differences between human behaviors when pride is present and absent in characters help understand the worth of the chosen texts and the necessity of self-respect under any conditions.
References
Campbell-Hale, J. (n.d.). Tribal ceremony. Jasons Classroom. Web.
Okri, B. (2021). A wrinkle in the realm. The New Yorker. Web.