Blues Aint No Mockingbird Essay

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Where Have Our Rights Gone? In “Blues Ain’t No Mockin’ Bird,” by Toni Cade Bambara, the author conveys to the audience the importance of privacy, dignity, and rights, and the fact that no one has the right to trespass on a land or privacy, or disobey the wishes of the owner. In this story, two cameraman trespass unto a property and take photos without Granny’s permission, instigating her anger and response to this disrespect. The two cameramen did not leave on Granny’s command, making her even angrier. Granddaddy finally had to order them out. Bambara exclusively uses indirect characterization to develop the characters Smilin’, Granny, and Granddaddy, in order to convey the theme. The antagonist, Smilin’, shows that he is arrogant, disrespectful and uncaring when he trespassed unto Granny’s land and took photos without her permission. Smile’s name has an ironic double meaning. He always smiles just like a salesperson who tries to sell an item smiles. When salesmen want you to buy their products, they usually put off a nice, placating tone of voice, trying to convince you that their product was the best. Smilin’s smile has a fake, forced quality about it, because he is trying to convince Granny that they had a right to come to her land and take pictures. After Granny makes it clear that she does not want him there, he still tries to convince her and calls her “Auntie.” This was very disrespectful because he was white and she was black and it was a rude thing to say. They soon left to walk around the land and tried to use their convincing techniques to convince Granddaddy to let them take pictures. Although the author avoids telling us the cameraman’s traits directly, it can be assumed that he acts arrogant and selfish. Granny, stubborn, dramatic, and an ethical woman, was the story’s protagonist who feels disrespected, so she fought back strong and stubbornly.

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