Indledning
Shirley Jackson’s “After you, my dear Alphonse” distinguishes the subtle racism still existent today. The purpose of the text is to show how racism without violence is still racist and harmful. The story begins with Johnny introducing his friend to his mother, Mrs. Wilson.
She then interrogates the boy and only assumes negative things of his quality of life. The subtle racism is evident in the title, the setting and through the dialogue of the characters.
The phrase “After you my dear Alphonse” is actually a reference to a comic strip from 1905 between Alphonse and his friend Gaston.
It signifies a play on words between two individuals as though they are saying “No, you go first.” It is an action of politeness.
This is important in the story because it shows how Johnny and Boyd view each other as friends and more importantly as equals.
This is shown by how Johnny tells his mother that Boyd does not like tomatoes, and that he does not need extra food as he is bigger than Johnny.
In the story Johnny does not understand why his mother is interrogating Boyd as he is his friend.
This demonstrates how racism is passed through generations by the children typically mirroring the parents’ behavior.
Johnny acts as though Boyd is solely his friend as he should, and his mother is making him feel as though he is unwelcome.
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Uddrag
With the history of slavery dating all the way back to the 1600’s, many generations of white individuals have been taught to carry forward racist thoughts towards people of colour.
Not all have had intentions to harm and the majority are hidden beneath the real meaning of their words. Johnny’s mother is the character responsible of representing this concept.
The woman in the story shows this by assuming things about the boy based on the stereotypes she is most likely used to being around and seeing.
This is evident in: “There, you see?” Mrs. Wilson said. “And he certainly has to be strong to do that—all that lifting and carrying at a factory.” (p. 22), She assumes that Boyd’s father is working a lower-class job such as the ones slaves used to work.
She is shocked to find out that his father is a foreman and that he makes good money. When the mother meets Boyd, the first thing she notices is his skin colour.
After that point, she attaches a negative association to him. Even though she is not entirely calling the boy black it is incredibly obvious in the way she speaks to him.
Her assumptions seem harmless but can make a young boy very self-conscious and make him feel like an outsider. Mrs. Wilson seems to have a whole idea of Boyd’s life without even asking anything about him.
She assumes that the quality of life he has is poor solely off of his skin colour. “Mrs. Wilson felt defeated. “What does your mother do, Boyd?” “My mother?” Boyd was surprised. “She takes care of us kids.” “Oh.
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