Master Harold
Racial Inequality in Master Harold
In the play "Master Harold"
and the boys and the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a common theme of racial inequality is conveyed through the main characters of both narrations. Both the novel and the play's central characters are a young white boy and an older Negro worker. The authors of these two works send out significant messages about how misleading racial discrimination is. Through the representation of Jim and Sam in the young boys life, as well as the changing attitudes the boys have towards racial inequality and how society affects those changes, a message about the injustice and ignorance of racial discrimination is revealed, as well as a lesson of how it is not always society's values that are correct, that the good will of mankind should be important over all others.
In "Master Harold"
and the boys, young Hally who is growing up in the time of South African apartheid, practises the dominance that society held over the native black population living in South Africa. Although Hally retains the racist values society has imposed on him, it is also evident that Hally has a close relationship with Willy and Sam. Hally has grown up in their company, and Willy and Sam have played an important role in his young life thus far. As a young boy, while Hally was ignorant of the pressures of society, Hally used to escape to Willy and Sam's room in the boarding house to evade the unpleasantness he felt while at the boarding house. Hally strongly remembers this time, and can quote even the smallest details of the time they spent together and the living space in which they spent their time. In the following passage, it is evident that the values of society pertaining to racism are being put forth onto Hally since he is a child. However is it apparent that Hally possesses a lack of regard for these restrictions.
"Which meant I got another rowing for hanging around the "servants...
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