Tag Archives: English10D

“What literature has taught me about the effects of racism”

Racism is seen everywhere, whether its from movies, books, or real life almost everyone has seen it. In the graphic novel sugar falls a young girl was taken from her home and put into a residential school. The purpose of the residential school was to make them feel ashamed about their culture. They were taught not to speak in their language and to praise God. They had to cut their hair and wear plain clothes. Residential schools would make a child feel ashamed to be who they really are. In the novel Indian Horse al Saul wants is to play hockey. When Saul plays hockey he finds happiness and peace. But because he is First Nations he is not allowed to participate on the ideal team. Racism prevents one from completing their dreams. After failing his hockey carrier and leaving the residential school, Saul becomes an alcoholic and this makes him go down a darker road. Racism ruined Saul’s future. He could’ve been an amazing hockey player and he could’ve had a happy life. Because some don’t see others as equals; because of their culture they are forced to have a tougher life. Saul’s mother grew up in a residential school this caused her to be shattered. His mother’s past affected his childhood and caused him to fear residential schools before even being put into one. In the poem, what do you remember of the evacuation by Joy Kogowa, it explains how Japanese citizens were forced to leave all of their belongings behind and go work in camps. Even if they were born in Canada they were treated differently because of the way they looked and the colour of their skin. The young child who is going to the camp wants to be white so bad: She says, “and I prayed to God who loves all of the children in his sight that I might be white” (Joy Kogowa). A child wants to change who she is because society is telling her that she is not right. In conclusion racism is seen way too often, it puts down a person and cause their lives to have unnecessary struggles.