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Essay / When art imitates life: a research and analysis on...
Many authors, poets, writers and artists have shaped the face of culture. It is safe to say that even in this concept; many writers have unconsciously taken responsibility for ensuring that this theory is reflected in their work. This notion also established a foundation designed to foster analytical ideals as well as to expand knowledge and definition of culture itself. This idea also gives the perception that validates the importance of writers and the need to study their work. When the fundamentals of creative writing are expressed through a measure of particular historical periods involving certain places and social events, this theory is clearly evident in the in-depth evaluation of the creative works of Gwendolyn Brooks. By consciously, and sometimes unconsciously, allowing her life experiences involving different forms of racism to influence her work, she has inspired an entire generation to understand how racism can evolve. Her home life was stable and loving, although she faced racial prejudice in her neighborhood and in schools. . She experienced varying levels of racism which determined her view of what was right and what was wrong; what was normal and what was considered unusual. In her poem Primer for Blacks, from the book Primer for Blacks, she was able to demonstrate her conscious ability to use creative writing as a tool to bring forth the fourth consciousness. This poem was used to reflect her experiences involving transferring from an all-white school to an all-black school and the varying levels of racism she encountered; both physical and emotional. Using the word “Primer” is a direct but clever concept. It is direct in the sense that it shows a clear and complete term, but subtle in that a... middle of paper ... community and the idea of racism coming, not from others, but from within . Although in some parts of the poem she seems critical and annoyed, she speaks with a level of wisdom that advocates strong self-esteem. She views the position of being black as the reality of herself and her people that they must accept and be able to live with. Works CitedBrooks, G. (1980). Introduction to Blacks. California: Black Position Press. Brooks, G. (January 17, 2012). Retrieved from PoemHunter.com: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/primer-for-blacks/Brooks, GE (March 18, 2014). Retrieved from The Biography Channel: http://www.biography.com/people/gwendolyn-brooks-9227599. Williams, K. J. (1997). The life and career of Gwendolyn Brooks. Chicago: Oxford University Press. Excerpted from Modern American Poetry: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/brooks/life.htm