Ann Petry’s The Street Essay -- Black motherhood Petry Street Essays

Ann Petrys The Street In our society of today, there atomic number 18 many symbols that are portrayed through media and through personal start that speak to the issues of dull causehood, conjugal union and the black family. Wherever one turns, there is the image of the black woman in the projects and precise rarely the image of successful black women. Even when these positive images are portrayed, it is almost in a manner that speaks to the supposed inferiority of black women. Women, black women in particular, are placed into a society that marginalizes and controls many of the aspects of a black womans life. As a result, many black women do non see a source of opportunity, a way to take flight the drudgery of their everyday existence. For example, if we were to ask black mothers if they would heighten their situation if it became possible for them to do so, many would change, but others would say that it is not possible This answer would be the result of living in a society that has conditioned black women to accept their lots in lives kind of of fighting against the system of white and male dominated supremacy. In Ann Petrys The Street, we are given a view of a black mother who is struggling to escape what the street symbolizes. In the end though, she becomes captive to the very thing she wishes to escape. Petry presents black motherhood, marriage and the black family as things that are marginalized agree to the society in which they take place. The main image that Petry gives of the black mother is Lutie, though there are other images that are crucial in explaining this image. Lutie is a single black mother living on the street. Her foundation revolves around providing for her son, and trying to make sure that they ar... ...courage to survive in the world. On the other hand, her portrayal of marriage and the black family appears to be negative. Marriage is seen as a convenient thingas something that is expected, but not wo rth having when times get rough. At least this is what Luties and Jims marriage became. The moral attributes that go along with marriage do not come along to be prevalent. As a result, because marriage and the black family are seen as the core of the black community, blacks become much divided and begin to work out against themselvesreinforcing among themselves the white male supremacy. Instead of being oppressed by another(prenominal) race or community, blacks oppress themselves. Petry critiques these issues in the black community and makes them more applicable to our lives today. These issues still exist, but we fail to realize them because of our advancement in society today.