Walter Mosley’s Workin’ On The Chain Gang is an elaborate analysis on the unchecked growth of capitalism’s hegemonic restraints and its effect on not just the African American communities, but on the general population. ”Capitalism has no race or nationality. Capitalism has no humanity” (Mosley 12). Mosley explains how nearly everyone one of us despite race, color, creed, gender, and so on, are manacled by a system that is driven by the personal drive for profit. It is organized trickery, a supposed free market that is manipulated like a puppet in order to achieve deceitful ends. This is the inherent nature of capitalism.
Mosley passionately argues,“By the 1960s many African-Americans were still fighting for the right to vote, while technological advancement had brought us into outer space. On one hand there is shamefully little advancement, while on the other there is more than one could have imagined” (Mosley 9). This quote concisely explains how blacks never received the promises of America. Therefore, he strongly feels that African-Americans and the countless others mistreated, powerless, and abandoned should resist to celebrate false holidays. “I don’t consider myself an American. If you and I were Americans, there’d be no problem” (Malcolm X The Ballot or the Bullet). Malcom X's vigorous words seems in concordance with Mosley's Workin On The Chain Gang. To not recieve the promises, rights, and equal opportunity of what an authenticated constitution should provide, is to nullify you as an American citizen.
However, despite of the separation blacks and whites refuse to eliminate, their undeniable similarities are still prevalent. This is a strong indication of what Mosley is headed towards to. A stepping stone towards relinquishing our misunderstandings. To unveil curtains decorated in images of illusions assembled by the holders of history, television, music, corporate-controlled entertainment, and many other media outlets which Workin On The Chain Gang considers to keep us focused in an unfocused world.
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ReplyDeleteDear Emmanuel,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Shereen, a student in Professor Rogers- Cooper's Eng 220 class. After reading your blog, I was impressed by your use of vocabulary and how you summarized Mosley's ideas. You definitely have strengths as a writer and have an eloquent writing voice.
In the effort to assist you in becoming the best writer, I would like to focus on the second paragraph. I will teach you a trick I learned in Eng 101, that assists me in using quotes. It is called the sandwich quote approach. Basically, it is not advisable to begin a paragraph with a quote. The paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence is then followed by your own thoughts. The next sentence would be the quote that you choose to insert, making sure that the quote is related to the topic you are discussing. After the quote, it is best practice to have your own thoughts end the paragraph. I strongly urge that you do not end your paragraph with a quote.
I really enjoyed your blog and thank you for the opportunity to critique your work.
-Shereen
Thank you Shereen for reviewing my blog. I appreciate your compliments and I will definitely use the sandwich quote approach.
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