Introduction
Normal can be considered to be an occurrence or behavior that conforms to accepted rules. Humans repeat patterns of behavior which in many ways makes them predictable. This phenomenon is apparent when characters in Sticks by George Saunders and The Underground Railway by Colson Whitehead are examined. Some are very easy to predict in that one occurrence indeed leads to the other. Nonetheless, most of the events surrounding and affecting the characters in the books can be described as normal. However, these two books have different ideologies on what should be described as ordinary. Fundamentally, they relay their perspectives regarding normalcy in opposite directions, which makes the books adventurous, thought-provoking, and unhappy to read.
Discussion
In The Underground Railway, Whitehead tries to make the reader see the brutality one person can impose on another. The novel discusses this issue through the lens of slavery and racism. There is a powerful depiction of how people who worked on the plantations in Georgia were brutally handled and bullied. The author creates an atmosphere full of a lack of conscience, visible through characters such as Cora, the protagonist. Cora underwent suffering at the hands of a young 15-year-old boy. She becomes a wanted fugitive after she kills the boy. With her new friend, they run through a railroad to escape possible execution (Whitehead 12). Her escape from justice marks the beginning of her tribulations. In this case, Cora lacks compassion, and her action to kill is depicted as justified and hence normal.
Whitehead also characterizes human torture as a regular thing, provided one happened to work in the plantation field as a slave. Slavery is an old method of control, in which escape would only come through volunteer heroes with a liberal mindset to start a revolution. Therefore, the characters’ mistreatment in the plantations is featured as a very usual thing. Surprisingly, despite Cora being a murderer, no one wanted her to go back to the plantation (Whitehead 12). This changed the face value of ‘normal’ and helped Cora to escape mistreatment. Therefore, gaining compassion was greatly fueled, not by her killing but by the torture and suffering she experienced in Georgian plantations.
Cora is constantly haunted by the traumatic experience of rape. The novel suggests that rape was a stepping stone toward Cora gaining self-independence from the harsh environment she called home. In chapter two, slavery is depicted as a stressful and traumatic experience, but the only way to escape is to gain compassion. However, there were some imposed risks for the escape to be successful. All the slaves had to conform to a uniform tactic that would make the mission successful. Runaway slaves were hunted down by slave hunters and slave masters using public cooperation in apprehension as a form of motivation. Freed blacks, American Indians, and individuals from a wide range of religious and cultural backgrounds joined together to assist in searching for escapees.
In her attempt to escape from slavery, Cora carried Caesar and Lovey with her, not knowing that the mission involving more than two people would put them at risk (whitehead 12). In this case, Cora is compassionate about helping others when she seems to be the one in need of compassion herself. She has a kind heart that minds others, too, even if it puts her life in danger. For example, she knew she was hunted for murder but still managed to carry two more people to the underground railway to seek refuge. Cora, therefore, despite being in slavery, which was a normal state of life during that time, wanted to show compassion to her fellow slaves by helping them escape.
However, the above contrasts how normalcy is treated in Sticks. In the novel, there is an association of the ordinary with goodness and accountability for better remembrance. The author’s activities with his father were very friendly and could have one looking forward to another day. Despite his father’s harsh treatment of his children, he would treat them compassionately to ensure they lived comfortable life. The places they could visit were to bring good memories in the future, especially when one sits back to think about the past life and events. In the occurrences in this novel, there is no instance of brutal treatment.
On the contrary, rewards of different kinds appreciate humanity, and incentives of different forms are given (Saunders 17). There is no point one can even tempted to think about moving out of this kind of home or escaping to seek asylum because the treatment they receive is good. At some point, the author carried out of their home and formed his life with a wife and kids, but still afforded to think back. He could walk his mind over his past and smile about how amazing his father was and what he did to ensure his child had a comfortable life.
These two instances vividly describe how normal in one example can ultimately be different from the other. The Underground Railway integrated what is considered normal in an inconsiderate manner. The reader’s speculation would have in mind that some humans are inconsiderate of humanity. It shows that this might have been the origin of racism had the novel been written based on a true story. It could even bring one to tears, knowing that this might be the reason a relative has an upper and lower limb amputation. It can be a source of hatred due to the rage and anger that develops afterward when seeing an individual sinking into suffering and depression. The ideology in the novel Sticks, on the other hand, gives an optimistic view. It lifts one into a very high hope for tomorrow.
The chances of having a better tomorrow are more elevated, and people will always look up to it. In this novel, man is treated with kindness. Humanity is appreciated, especially in the depicted calendar occasions like the Halloween, Christmas Day, and birthday seasons. Each experience was treated well and was worth remembrance. After his dad’s death, the author could still afford to go back to his roots to see whether the pole was still there.
A notable factor about Saunders’s work is that his dad had a unique way of appreciating every little thing. Despite being an authoritarian, he still exercised compassion for his children. For example, his father could buy cupcakes on their birthdays but didn’t have any space for ice cream. According to Sunders, there was a pole that his father used in dressing for the occasion (Saunders 23). On each occasion, he had the pole dressed up to suit the happenings. It symbolized appreciation of humanity and Good’s creative art. Human life was an incredible thing that never deserved underestimation. His father created good memories for the author that was worth remembering. Thus, he embraced all occasions by dressing his pole in accordance until the event was done.
Therefore, in the Underground Railway, normalcy is a pace set for the author to always know how to treat people. Humanity is a section to be viewed from a clean and sober perspective. Memories are worth remembrance, especially when the moments are good. The author’s father was also of easy temperament, according to the book outline. He could admit his errors and be apologetic when necessary. This father taught his children an excellent way to make peace with people and appreciate special occasions like birthdays; hence, a good lesson worthwhile. He created memories from events so that his children would remember him even after they forgot how his voice sounded.
Conclusion
The two novels have different opinions about what should be considered normal. The Underground Railway brings out a pessimist lifestyle full of no hope because of what people went through, such that the thought of the next day would bring depression. It also depicts a kind of civil defiance adopted by different people from different social classes of life. On the other hand, Sticks is composed in a manner that has individuals becoming more hopeful for a better tomorrow. The slaves accept their situation and work in earnest while plotting an escape with anticipation of the next day bringing better experiences different from what they are currently experiencing. It is, therefore, crucial that everyone lives in optimism than pessimism.
Works Cited
Saunders, George, and Nancy Loeber. Sticks., 2017. Print.
Whitehead, Colson. Underground Railroad. Albin Michel, 2017.