This paper discloses the rationale behind certain choices for the drawing of a diagram of the essay “Beyoncé Performs at the Super Bowl and I Think about All of the Jobs I’ve Hated” by Hanif Abdurraqib. This piece has a nonlinear structure, which complicates the comprehension of its main points. Nevertheless, it is possible to ascertain two main themes of the essay: celebrities’ influence on social issues and the necessity of black people to resist discrimination. Both themes are highlighted by arrows with different colors that show how the essay’s main idea is derived from the text.
The essay is divided into four major parts, with each one covering a specific story. The first part is about the famous American singer Beyoncé using her performance to deliver an important social message. The second part describes the life of the narrator, who observes the ignorance and indifference of white people toward the injustices done to black Americans. The third part serves as the convergence of the previous two storylines when a specific Beyoncé performance has a deep psychological effect on the narrator. The fourth part is a conclusion, in which the narrator ponders potential ways of changing the status quo in American society.
The way the essay is written determines the structure of the diagram. It should be evident that there is no proper larger introduction. Specifically, there are two introductions, which are equally important for the subsequent part of the writing. It is also noteworthy that the title itself does not disclose what the essay is really about. Just reading the title creates the impression of personal emotional investment in a particular performance by Beyoncé without any political context. Meanwhile, the piece itself is a primarily political text that uses the singer as a way to accentuate a particular social problem. As both the singer and the narrator are important to the essay, their respective biographical parts are given equal importance in the diagram.
Beyoncé’s part began with the recollection of her performance at the Super Bowl in 2016. Despite the higher quality of her performance at the same spot three years earlier, this show overshadows all her previous work. The reason for this discrepancy lies in her transformation “from an already showstopping entertainer to someone who had a foot in two worlds of performance: being memorable, and delivering a message” (Abdurraqib 189). The message conveyed during that performance was simple – to remind the public about injustices done to black people by showcasing costumes clearly reminiscent of the Black Panther movement.
The narrator’s introduction begins with her recalling that many colleagues had difficulty pronouncing her name. In some instances, people would ask her about her whereabouts and family, which is presented as a sign of bigotry (Abdurraqib 191). As the Black Lives Matter movement started to gain prominence, the narrator started noticing numerous indications of white people’s indifference and outright rudeness towards black people who have a fear of being shot at. The ultimate point of this part is that working in settings where white people could not relate to the narrator’s apprehensions made her feel miserable.
The third part is the climax of the overarching narrative. As the narrator is traveling to California, she finds herself surrounded by many people who are suddenly distracted by their phones. At this point, Beyoncé’s video “Formation” is released, and audiences around the world are exposed to Beyoncé’s depiction of black people’s resilience and pride. The narrator is heavily influenced by this video as images of drowning and silence is conjured up in her mind.
The final part is the narrator’s consideration of the American political climate, both historical and contemporary. The narrator remembers Elaine Brown, who was the first female leader of the Black Panther Party. Then, she recalls that 93 percent of black women voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. However, the narrator believes that Clinton was not the best option for black women but rather the best alternative. She laments that “many black people in the country have to go to jobs they don’t love, or deal with waves of macroaggressions”, while knowing that “voting won’t save or stop any of this” (Abdurraqib 197). So, black people have to choose a better alternative in order to institute wider public awareness of black people’s empowerment, as Beyoncé does in her performance.
While analyzing this essay, I have learned the writing technique of converging different storylines to deliver a single message. Had the first part not included the description of Beyoncé’s biography, it would have been confusing for the reader to understand why the appearance of her video has caused such an effect. Likewise, the introduction of the narrator’s past in the second part helps explain her strong emotional response to Beyoncé’s video in the third part. The fourth part is a logical conclusion, as all events are summed under a single message that black people should search for ways to make their lives easier and safer.
Work Cited
Abdurraqib, Hanif. A Little Devil in America: In Praise of Black Performance. Random House Publishing Group, 2021.