Introduction to African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…”
Modern living and the arrival of supermarkets have not only affected the general populace in the United States but also African Americans. Hence, presenting African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…” inevitably highlights the effects of the modern lifestyle on the youths of this marginal community. African American youths have had to adjust to the new realities of joblessness, new lifestyle, and new transformations in the social fabric. The main character of “The Long Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” is fully aware of these social changes and the effects of the new market mechanism. That is why he makes his appearance in the famous Third Avenue 7-11, for just Creamsicle and considers himself a hero (Alexie 3). In the same way, Sammy does leave his job just to show his heroism to the girls who do not even see what he has done. It just dawns upon him that he has nowhere to go after he leaves his job (Updike 4-5). The use of first persons in the narrative by both the characters in “A&P”, and “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” shows the assertiveness of these two young men, their behavioral frustration at stores, and their reflection over their failed lives in the material world.
First Person Narrative of African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…”
As far as the use of the first person in the narrative is concerned, it is a symbol of assertive behavior. Both African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…” are assertive. Although Sammy has a family, it is not clear whether Sherman Alexie’s boy has a family or not, but he is shown as an assertive fellow. His behavior with his girlfriend, his separation from her, and even his behavior at the store; this points to assertiveness in his character. “I wanted to whistle low and menacingly but I never learned to whistle”, he says when he is at the store with the shift manager to purchase Creamsicle (Alexie 3). Sammy, on the other hand, narrates his entire episode with the girls, his work at the store, and even his final moments with assertiveness. About the girls, he says, “I began to feel sorry for them, they couldn’t help it” (Updike 3). Both African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…” show their assertiveness almost everywhere, and it is more clear through their first-person narrative. Their assertiveness, however, is a reflection of their frustration.
Frustration of African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…”
Young people mostly felt frustrated during the 70s and 80s on account of fewer employment opportunities. The only opportunities were in the career of salesmen in the stores such as A&P and 7-11. Both African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…” “are doing jobs in an outlet of these chains of superstores. Sammy is still employed, while the boy has left long ago. The article, “How The A&P Changed The Way We Shop,” tells in detail about these supermarkets and superstores saying that the arrival of more customers made the young men more frustrated, “In a supermarket, you were likely not to know your customers,” though it sometimes happens that the world goes according to the market mechanism where morals and rules hold little importance (“How The A&P Changed The Way We Shop”). Sammy does not know what to do with Lengel when Lengel asks the girls to abide by the policy of the store that does not exist. This further adds to Sammy’s frustration. In the case of the boy in Sherman Alexie’s story, this frustration is pounded with the unrequited love that is also due to his unemployment (Alexie 5). And this unemployment is the reflection of a career failure.
Survival of African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…”
In fact, those were very hard times, where survival without proper education and skills was not possible. Specifically, the black community lagged far behind in education and skills. The odd jobs of working in the supermarkets and the introduction of major stores further shrank the opportunities. The mother of the boy in Sherman Alexie’s story is worried about her son, “Where are you going to do with the rest of your life,” she asked him and he is frustrated as he said only “Don’t know” (Alexie 5). The same is the case with Sammy. He has said that he is going to leave the job, knowing nothing about what to do next. Although the manager, Lengel, reminds him, “I don’t think you know what you’re saying” to which he responds, “But I do” though by the end of the story, he confesses, “I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter” (Updike 5). This is a clear indication of his career failure. Both African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…” do not know what to do in their lives.
Conclusion
In short, the argument of difficulties and frustration the decades of the 70s and 80s posed to African American communities proved really very hard as two young characters of the story “A&P” and “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” show. Both African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…” show their assertiveness through first-person narrative. However, this too shows their frustration which is a reflection of their failure in the world. In other words, this community was at its wit’s end after the introduction of new shopping ways and new superstores and markets. The stories clearly show this dilemma of the African American community through the young characters who display the condition and behavioral frustration of the entire community. The story also depicts the changing times and its effects on the behavior of the youths. Although both African American characters in “A&P” & “The Long Ranger…” are specific ones, they are representative characters of a community that is feeling the heat of materialism.
Works Cited
- Alexie, Sherman. “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.” Duke. n. d. Web. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
- “ How The A&P Changed The Way We Shop.” NPR. 23 Aug. 2011. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
- Updike, John. “A&P.” Brainstorm Services. n. d. Accessed 22 Feb. 2017.
Relevant Questions about African American characters in “A&P” and “The Lone Ranger…”
- How do the African American characters in “A&P” and “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” contribute to the themes of identity and societal expectations in these stories?
- In “A&P” and “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven,” how do the African American characters navigate their roles and relationships within the predominantly white environments, and what impact does this have on the narratives?
- What similarities and differences can be observed in the portrayal of African American characters in “A&P” and “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven,” and how do these characters influence the stories’ exploration of race and culture?
