Essay #1 : "Revision"

ENN 191-0920
04/05/2010
Prof. Tanenbaun.
Jackelyn G. Cortez.


“Strange Fruit” and “The Case Stated”

“Strange Fruit” by Abel Meeropol and performed by Billie Holliday can give different meanings with the same message because it shows African Americans from the inside out. This means black people’s souls from passive and obedient to fighters with strong minds and character before injustice and abuse. That is the reason why I have chosen this remarkable work along with “The Case Stated” by Ida B. Wells-Barnet.
In every single line the metaphors and allegories about the south, black people and their suffering is evident. For example when talking about the south, it may refer to all the states in the south under the white power or just a few in which the abuse and torture was really horrible. The first line talks about the south as the cradle of black people’s suffering. The southern states sheltered these people becoming a witness of the lynching, rape, and abuse towards them. These places were infested with deaths and torture that the smell of hate and intolerance could be smelled from far away. Black people were considered inferior in relation to white people. And, I think that is the reason why the author calls them “Strange Fruit”, because even though they share the same space with white Americans there is some disadvantage for black people before society. The line “The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth” (Line 6), has a metaphor towards the physical abuse that black people suffer in the hands of white people. There is imagery and rhythm in this poem, in every single line that along with symbols made the perfect song for freedom. I think the main purpose of the song is to get to know about what is happening to black people in the south and their suffering. Later in the poem the author says: “Scent magnolias, sweet and fresh.” (Line 7) In this line there is imagery and real peace can be felt. But suddenly the quiet and harmony are destroyed by screams and grumbles coming from black people being tortured. After the massacre is done, what is left is just rotten fruit. This contrast becomes a good imagery of slavery from its beginning in Africa, because that is the way black people were treated since they became slaves.
“The Case Stated” sheds light on “Strange Fruit” by Abel Meeropol because writing like this shows that the arts and culture play an important role on freedom of speech, social change and justice among individuals of a society. These two powerful tools were really effective in the fight against racism and segregation because the major goal of these artists was the recognition of the black community as Americans, too. Wells-Barnett says: “In Slave times the Negro was kept subservient and submissive by the frequency and severity of the scourging, but, with freedom, a new system of intimidation came into vogue; the Negro was not only whipped and scourged; he was killed.” This excerpt shows that even when many African Americans were emancipated, they were not really free from the hands of white Americans. Then the struggle for freedom was still a goal to reach. The author also talks about the anarchy and outlawry of 1894, when the white power over the black people was at its peak because even though some African Americans could go to school and become professionals, they were always persecuted and charged with false statements before law. I think racism and bad education were the excuses for many white Americans in order to exert power over black people.
The reception of the song “Strange Fruit” by Abel Meeropol could have been really positive in the sense that many black Americans woke up from the lethargy of being walking people with no souls or purpose in life. I think that is the way many slaves felt at the end of their days. Because through my learning of history, I have known about many slaves who rise up against their oppressors with no success or change of their conditions, and of course the Emancipation Proclamation was a success but with the help of white people. I think that a new song like this and writings like The Case Stated by Wells-Barnett were a big change for the black people because they acknowledge themselves as citizens that have the right to rise their voices and protest against impunity and injustice. The understanding of these issues became a turning point over what was left to do politically in rallies, sit ins, strikes and sometimes boycotts. The awakening to a better future for African Americans was just around the corner! Because through the knowledge of black people’s suffering in America, educated people like Ida Bell Wells-Barnett (An early leader in the civil rights movement) started to get more people or followers involved into these matters in order to help and fight for African American’s rights.