The surge of literature produced by black writers necessitated the creation of a system of interpretation that "would be based not on white standards but on […] the black aesthetic" (Dobie 219). This new system would evaluate black art "in terms of the special character of the black experience" (Dobie 219). Reading as a multiculturalist that is specifically focused on African American literature requires seeking and examining specific narrative forms, diction and style.
It is important to look at narrative forms in black literature because "many of the stories written by African American authors are derived from the folk tradition" (Dobie 221). Toni Cade Bambara's “Gorilla, My Love” follows a frame narrative instead of the traditional narrative structure of a folktale. While riding in the car with Grandaddy Vale, Hunca Bubba, and Baby Jason, Hazel's narrative tells the story of a trip to the movies. This story is framed by the story of Hucca Bubba's desire to get married. Moreover, the story is believable, and therefore not a tall tale, though its pacing and that it is told from a child's perspective makes it humorous.
The characters in the story don't specifically fit any traditional archetypes of folk characters. At the movie theater when the wrong movie plays, the children "all go wild. Yellin, booin, stompin and carryin on" (Bambara 59). The kids are unruly and disruptive, but they do not fit the mold of the trickster because they do not "manipulate people to make fools of them" (Dobie 221). Similarly, though there is no preacher, and the story is not told by a preacher, the movie the kids have to watch is about Jesus (Bambara 59).
With her narrative, Hazel is airing her grievances with adults. She finds that they often don't do what they promise. After the movie theater purposefully shows the wrong movie, Hazel declares, "And now I'm really furious cause I get so tired grownups messin over kids just cause they little and can't take em to court" (Bambara 60). Later, in the car, Hazel emphasizes the need for children to stick together: "Baby Jason cryin too. Cause he is my blood brother and understands that we must stick together or be forever lost, what with grownups playin change-up and turnin you round every which way so bad" (Bambara 62). Although the narrative seems unfocused, the thread that brings everything together is Hazel's dissatisfaction.
Like narrative form, diction is important because "the language used by African American writers varies all the way from strong dialect to standard American English" (Dobie 223). The language in "Gorilla, My Love" is informal. There are many colloquialisms such as leaving "g's" off of the end of gerunds. Some words are misspelled to reflect how they sound in conversation. For example, in some instances "dawg" replaces "dog," and "nuthin" stands in for "nothing" (Bambara 62; Bambara 60). Also, throughout the story, syllables are removed from some words like "about" and "because," which become "bout" and "cause."
The story includes some instances of signifying, "a clever […] indirect way of giving an opinion about another person" (Dobie 227). Hazel signifies her resentment toward Hunca Bubba's girlfriend by describing her as "some skinny woman in a countrified dress with her hand shot up to her face like she shame before cameras" (Bambara 58). Similarly, names of characters are important to their descriptions. "Big Brood" is Hazel's big brother and "brood" can suggest something that is looming. "Baby Jason's" name signifies his age and birth order. The kids call the matron at the theater "Thunderbuns" which suggests a buxom, large woman.
Language games that are traditionally found include "jiving, […] playing the dozens, […] and rapping" (Dobie 223). None of the characters do any of this over the course of Hazel's story. However, when Hazel is ranting about the movie theater management not taking her seriously as if she is "somebody's retarded child," she explains that she's the "smartest kid P.S. 186 ever had in its whole lifetime" and the teachers don't like her because her mother would "[go]up there in a minute when them teachers start playin the dozens behind colored folks" (Bambara 60). The act of "playing the dozens" is included indirectly.
The main aphorism in the story comes right before Hazel confronts Hunca Bubba. Hazel relates, "And like my mama say, Hazel […] when you go somethin on your mind, speak up and let the chips fall where they may" (Bambara 61). This is the core of Hazel's belief and drives her personality. Similarly, the reader learns about the scope of Hazel's religious understanding. Hazel determines that "just about anybody in [her] family is better than this god they always talkin about" (Bambara 59). Hazel decides that the crucifixion would have gone differently had "…Big Brood up there on the cross talkin bout Forgive them Daddy cause they don't know what they doin. And my Mama say Get on down from there you big fool, whatcha think this is, playtime?" (Bambara 59).
Since certain "narrative forms, characters, and typical language […] cause certain stylistic characteristics to recur" it is vital to examine style as well (Dobie 224). Much of the story seems exaggerated and some of Hazel's reactions are irrational. Hazel realizes that the theater manager isn't going to give her a refund: "So he ain't getting up off the money" (Bambara 60). Her reaction to this is to take "the matches from under his ashtray and set a fire under the candy stand" (Bambara 60). This is an unlikely reaction in this situation.
Similarly, Hazel reminds Hunca Bubba that when she was younger, he promised to marry her (Bambara 61). When he tells her, "Well, for cryin out loud, Hazel, you just a little girl. And I was just teasin," she cries and calls him a "lyin dawg" (Bambara 62). The reader knows that it would be inappropriate for Hunca Bubba to marry Hazel, but the exaggerated reactions to Hunca Bubba and the theater manager expose Hazel's age and immaturity.
Much of the story can be performed as a monologue because Bambara's diction is conversational. Moreover, like polyrhythm in poetry, Bambara's lines are short and uneven. She often placed a period where a comma should go. This creates a rhythm in the story similar to spoken word.
Dobie posits that since “the standards held up as exemplary in the poetry and fiction of white writers were not always suitable for what African American writers produced,” a new critical approach was needed (219). However, I find that the other critical approaches this class has covered would work fine with African American literature. In terms of “Gorilla, My Love,” New Historicist research would aid in understanding parts of the black experience that may be unfamiliar to the reader. Jungian psychoanalysis offers the means for recognizing archetype in Hazel and the other characters. A Formalist reading would expose elements of style and diction. The approach outlined here offers elements found in the writing of all cultures and makes it seem exclusive to black writing.
Minorities are already marginalized and the theory presented here further marginalizes black literature by over simplifying it. The narrative form, diction, and style of Zora Neal Hurston are shared by many other black writers, but there are an equal number of writers who don’t include these elements. Additionally, there are writers who aren’t black that do. Black literature is as diverse as all literature. The multicultural theory presented here doesn’t explain that kind of variation, which renders this theory unnecessary. A reader would have no trouble understanding “Gorilla, My Love” without it.
Works Cited
Dobie, Ann B. Theory into Practice. 2nd Ed. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Bambara, Toni Cade. “Gorilla, My Love.” The Art of the Story. Ed. Daniel Halpern. New York: Penguin, 1999. 58-62. Print.
It is important to look at narrative forms in black literature because "many of the stories written by African American authors are derived from the folk tradition" (Dobie 221). Toni Cade Bambara's “Gorilla, My Love” follows a frame narrative instead of the traditional narrative structure of a folktale. While riding in the car with Grandaddy Vale, Hunca Bubba, and Baby Jason, Hazel's narrative tells the story of a trip to the movies. This story is framed by the story of Hucca Bubba's desire to get married. Moreover, the story is believable, and therefore not a tall tale, though its pacing and that it is told from a child's perspective makes it humorous.
The characters in the story don't specifically fit any traditional archetypes of folk characters. At the movie theater when the wrong movie plays, the children "all go wild. Yellin, booin, stompin and carryin on" (Bambara 59). The kids are unruly and disruptive, but they do not fit the mold of the trickster because they do not "manipulate people to make fools of them" (Dobie 221). Similarly, though there is no preacher, and the story is not told by a preacher, the movie the kids have to watch is about Jesus (Bambara 59).
With her narrative, Hazel is airing her grievances with adults. She finds that they often don't do what they promise. After the movie theater purposefully shows the wrong movie, Hazel declares, "And now I'm really furious cause I get so tired grownups messin over kids just cause they little and can't take em to court" (Bambara 60). Later, in the car, Hazel emphasizes the need for children to stick together: "Baby Jason cryin too. Cause he is my blood brother and understands that we must stick together or be forever lost, what with grownups playin change-up and turnin you round every which way so bad" (Bambara 62). Although the narrative seems unfocused, the thread that brings everything together is Hazel's dissatisfaction.
Like narrative form, diction is important because "the language used by African American writers varies all the way from strong dialect to standard American English" (Dobie 223). The language in "Gorilla, My Love" is informal. There are many colloquialisms such as leaving "g's" off of the end of gerunds. Some words are misspelled to reflect how they sound in conversation. For example, in some instances "dawg" replaces "dog," and "nuthin" stands in for "nothing" (Bambara 62; Bambara 60). Also, throughout the story, syllables are removed from some words like "about" and "because," which become "bout" and "cause."
The story includes some instances of signifying, "a clever […] indirect way of giving an opinion about another person" (Dobie 227). Hazel signifies her resentment toward Hunca Bubba's girlfriend by describing her as "some skinny woman in a countrified dress with her hand shot up to her face like she shame before cameras" (Bambara 58). Similarly, names of characters are important to their descriptions. "Big Brood" is Hazel's big brother and "brood" can suggest something that is looming. "Baby Jason's" name signifies his age and birth order. The kids call the matron at the theater "Thunderbuns" which suggests a buxom, large woman.
Language games that are traditionally found include "jiving, […] playing the dozens, […] and rapping" (Dobie 223). None of the characters do any of this over the course of Hazel's story. However, when Hazel is ranting about the movie theater management not taking her seriously as if she is "somebody's retarded child," she explains that she's the "smartest kid P.S. 186 ever had in its whole lifetime" and the teachers don't like her because her mother would "[go]up there in a minute when them teachers start playin the dozens behind colored folks" (Bambara 60). The act of "playing the dozens" is included indirectly.
The main aphorism in the story comes right before Hazel confronts Hunca Bubba. Hazel relates, "And like my mama say, Hazel […] when you go somethin on your mind, speak up and let the chips fall where they may" (Bambara 61). This is the core of Hazel's belief and drives her personality. Similarly, the reader learns about the scope of Hazel's religious understanding. Hazel determines that "just about anybody in [her] family is better than this god they always talkin about" (Bambara 59). Hazel decides that the crucifixion would have gone differently had "…Big Brood up there on the cross talkin bout Forgive them Daddy cause they don't know what they doin. And my Mama say Get on down from there you big fool, whatcha think this is, playtime?" (Bambara 59).
Since certain "narrative forms, characters, and typical language […] cause certain stylistic characteristics to recur" it is vital to examine style as well (Dobie 224). Much of the story seems exaggerated and some of Hazel's reactions are irrational. Hazel realizes that the theater manager isn't going to give her a refund: "So he ain't getting up off the money" (Bambara 60). Her reaction to this is to take "the matches from under his ashtray and set a fire under the candy stand" (Bambara 60). This is an unlikely reaction in this situation.
Similarly, Hazel reminds Hunca Bubba that when she was younger, he promised to marry her (Bambara 61). When he tells her, "Well, for cryin out loud, Hazel, you just a little girl. And I was just teasin," she cries and calls him a "lyin dawg" (Bambara 62). The reader knows that it would be inappropriate for Hunca Bubba to marry Hazel, but the exaggerated reactions to Hunca Bubba and the theater manager expose Hazel's age and immaturity.
Much of the story can be performed as a monologue because Bambara's diction is conversational. Moreover, like polyrhythm in poetry, Bambara's lines are short and uneven. She often placed a period where a comma should go. This creates a rhythm in the story similar to spoken word.
Dobie posits that since “the standards held up as exemplary in the poetry and fiction of white writers were not always suitable for what African American writers produced,” a new critical approach was needed (219). However, I find that the other critical approaches this class has covered would work fine with African American literature. In terms of “Gorilla, My Love,” New Historicist research would aid in understanding parts of the black experience that may be unfamiliar to the reader. Jungian psychoanalysis offers the means for recognizing archetype in Hazel and the other characters. A Formalist reading would expose elements of style and diction. The approach outlined here offers elements found in the writing of all cultures and makes it seem exclusive to black writing.
Minorities are already marginalized and the theory presented here further marginalizes black literature by over simplifying it. The narrative form, diction, and style of Zora Neal Hurston are shared by many other black writers, but there are an equal number of writers who don’t include these elements. Additionally, there are writers who aren’t black that do. Black literature is as diverse as all literature. The multicultural theory presented here doesn’t explain that kind of variation, which renders this theory unnecessary. A reader would have no trouble understanding “Gorilla, My Love” without it.
Works Cited
Dobie, Ann B. Theory into Practice. 2nd Ed. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Bambara, Toni Cade. “Gorilla, My Love.” The Art of the Story. Ed. Daniel Halpern. New York: Penguin, 1999. 58-62. Print.
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