A Microcosm of American Exceptionalism: Eigth-Rocks in Ruby as Chosen People in Toni Morrison’s Paradise

Pınar Süt Güngör

Makale detayları

A Microcosm of American Exceptionalism: Eigth-Rocks in Ruby as Chosen People in Toni Morrison’s Paradise

Yazarlar:

Pınar Süt Güngör

Yayıncı:

Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar:

İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Dergi:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1247-1259

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001301843

pISSN:

1303-0094

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 American exceptionalism, which has been supposed to have a divine historiography, accentuates and represents various aspects of Americanness that manifest destiny and strong challenges. Its sense of independence and moral superiority stems from the mythos that prioritizes its uniqueness and responsibility as part of its formation process. This ideology, in particular, suggests that the prior history of these people is pointed toward the New World in order to build and glamorize their distinctive future. This study offers an overview of the connection between the ideology of American exceptionalism and the 8-rock families, as chosen people, in Toni Morrisons novel Paradise. Morrison, in Paradise, portrays a black immigration movement that demands a long-term imperial settlement modeled by white American society. Facing the failure of Reconstruction, her characters strive to maintain their freedom and independence through self-imposed, forceful segregation. The assumption that grounds the study, therefore, is that the 8-rock families, the founders of Ruby Town, pattern the ideological formation of American exceptionalism, despite their coal-black skin color and inferior status in cultural paradigms, by adopting a policy of racial segregation. The solidification, as in the American case, implies that self-proclaimed New Founders are responsible for building an independent and superior community that embraces the doctrines of disenfranchisement and racism in America. In addressing this reciprocity and its outcomes, Morrison has confirmed that just like good things, discrimination and ideas of superiority are learned, and Ruby residents have learned to use their skin color as a tool of domination.

 American exceptionalism, which has been supposed to have a divine historiography, accentuates and represents various aspects of Americanness that manifest destiny and strong challenges. Its sense of independence and moral superiority stems from the mythos that prioritizes its uniqueness and responsibility as part of its formation process. This ideology, in particular, suggests that the prior history of these people is pointed toward the New World in order to build and glamorize their distinctive future. This study offers an overview of the connection between the ideology of American exceptionalism and the 8-rock families, as chosen people, in Toni Morrisons novel Paradise. Morrison, in Paradise, portrays a black immigration movement that demands a long-term imperial settlement modeled by white American society. Facing the failure of Reconstruction, her characters strive to maintain their freedom and independence through self-imposed, forceful segregation. The assumption that grounds the study, therefore, is that the 8-rock families, the founders of Ruby Town, pattern the ideological formation of American exceptionalism, despite their coal-black skin color and inferior status in cultural paradigms, by adopting a policy of racial segregation. The solidification, as in the American case, implies that self-proclaimed New Founders are responsible for building an independent and superior community that embraces the doctrines of disenfranchisement and racism in America. In addressing this reciprocity and its outcomes, Morrison has confirmed that just like good things, discrimination and ideas of superiority are learned, and Ruby residents have learned to use their skin color as a tool of domination.

 American exceptionalism, which has been supposed to have a divine historiography, accentuates and represents various aspects of Americanness that manifest destiny and strong challenges. Its sense of independence and moral superiority stems from the mythos that prioritizes its uniqueness and responsibility as part of its formation process. This ideology, in particular, suggests that the prior history of these people is pointed toward the New World in order to build and glamorize their distinctive future. This study offers an overview of the connection between the ideology of American exceptionalism and the 8-rock families, as chosen people, in Toni Morrisons novel Paradise. Morrison, in Paradise, portrays a black immigration movement that demands a long-term imperial settlement modeled by white American society. Facing the failure of Reconstruction, her characters strive to maintain their freedom and independence through self-imposed, forceful segregation. The assumption that grounds the study, therefore, is that the 8-rock families, the founders of Ruby Town, pattern the ideological formation of American exceptionalism, despite their coal-black skin color and inferior status in cultural paradigms, by adopting a policy of racial segregation. The solidification, as in the American case, implies that self-proclaimed New Founders are responsible for building an independent and superior community that embraces the doctrines of disenfranchisement and racism in America. In addressing this reciprocity and its outcomes, Morrison has confirmed that just like good things, discrimination and ideas of superiority are learned, and Ruby residents have learned to use their skin color as a tool of domination.

 İlahi bir tarih yazımına sahip olduğu varsayılan Amerikan İstisnacılığı, kader ve güçlü meydan okumalar ortaya koyan Amerikanlığın çeşitli yönlerini vurgular ve temsil eder. Bağımsızlık ve ahlaki üstünlük duygusu, oluşum sürecinin bir parçası olarak benzersizliğini ve sorumluluklarını önceleyen mitostan kaynaklanmaktadır. Bu ideoloji, özellikle, bu insanların geçmiş tarihinin, kendilerine özgü geleceklerini inşa etmek ve yüceltmek amacıyla Yeni Dünyaya doğru yönlendirildiğini öne sürmektedir. Bu çalışma, Toni Morrisonun Cennet adlı romanında Amerikan İstisnacılığı ideolojisi ile seçilmiş insanlar olarak 8-kayalı aileler arasındaki bağlantıya genel bir bakış sunmaktadır. Morrison bu romanında, beyaz Amerikan toplumu tarafından modellenen uzun vadeli emperyal bir yerleşim talep eden siyahi bir göç hareketini tasvir etmektedir. Yeniden Yapılanmanın başarısızlığıyla yüzleşen karakterleri, özgürlüklerini ve bağımsızlıklarını kendi kendilerine dayattıkları, çoğunlukla zora dayalı, ayrımcılıkla korumaya çalışırlar. Bu nedenle, çalışmaya temel oluşturan varsayım, Ruby kasabasının kurucuları olan 8-kayalı ailelerin, kömür karası ten renklerine ve kültürel paradigmalardaki aşağı statülerine rağmen ırk ayrımcılığı politikasını benimseyerek Amerikan İstisnacılığının ideolojik oluşumunu örnekledikleridir. Amerikan örneğinde olduğu gibi bu katılaşma, kendini Yeni Kurucular olarak ilan edenlerin, Amerikanın haklarından mahrum bırakma tavrı ve ırkçılık doktrinlerini benimseyen bağımsız ve üstün bir topluluk inşa etmekle sorumlu olduklarını ima eder. Bu karşılıklılığı ve sonuçlarını ele alan Morrison, tıpkı iyi şeyler gibi ayrımcılık ve üstünlük fikirlerinin de öğrenildiğini ve Ruby sakinlerinin ten renklerini bir tahakküm aracı olarak kullanmayı öğrendiklerini doğrulamıştır.

Makale detayları

A Microcosm of American Exceptionalism: Eigth-Rocks in Ruby as Chosen People in Toni Morrison’s Paradise

Yazarlar:

Pınar Süt Güngör

Yayıncı:

Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar:

İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Dergi:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1247-1259

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001301843

pISSN:

1303-0094

American Exceptionalism

Toni Morrison

Paradise

DiscriminationAmerikan İstisnacılığı

Toni Morrison

Cennet

Ötekileştirme

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Pınar Süt Güngör

Yayıncı: Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar: İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Dergi: Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1247-1259

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 10/2023

Belge Dili: İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.): 2001301843

pISSN: 1303-0094

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Pınar Süt Güngör

Yayıncı:

Gaziantep University

Ana Başlıklar:

İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Dergi:

Gaziantep Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1247-1259

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

10/2023

Belge Dili:

İngilizce

Document ID (Org No.):

2001301843

pISSN:

1303-0094