The Character of Clay in Amiri Barakas The Dutchman...

The Character of Clay in Amiri Barakas The Dutchman Clay is not naive. He may be misguided, misled, and mistaken, but he is anything but naive. Clay is an individual who has shed the roots of his race, disregarding many of the cultural implications that such a decision could have on him. He is a misguided individual who, because he is human, does the wrong things at the wrong times for the wrong reasons. He continually struggles with his own identity and the power struggle between him and Lula. The notion of power dynamics in The Dutchman is brought forth in the character of Clay, who knows the limits of his power, takes the forbidden fruit from the more powerful Lula, and fantasizes about his own life. Lula is clearly in†¦show more content†¦Staring at you? What do you mean? LULA. Dont you know what staring means? CLAY. I saw you through the window . . . if thats what it means. I dont know if I was staring. Seems to me you were staring through the window at me. LULA. I was. But only after Id turned around and saw you staring through that window down in the vicinity of my ass and legs. CLAY. Really? LULA. Really. I guess you were just taking those idle pot-shots. Nothing else to do. Run your mind over peoples flesh. CLAY. Oh boy. Wow, now I admit I was looking in your direction. But the rest of that weight is yours. (6-7) Clay is timid in the dialogue, and he is somewhat taken aback or even embarrassed in the fourth line, when he pauses. As one might expect, he is awkward and timid when approached by an individual with a higher social status. Part of this is due to exterior appearances--the fact that Lula is white intimidates him. He doesnt totally deny staring at Lula, which could mean either that he was not staring at her or simply that he did not want to admit it, fearful of the consequences. Like invisible mans grandfather would want in Ellisons book, Clay is rarely confrontational with Lula. In this instance, and in many others, he takes a more passive approach. In this case, Clay admits that he was looking in Lulas direction. Clay takes the middle road throughout much of the play. As Andrzej Ceynowa says in The Dramatic Structure of Dutchman, The most he dares in his activeShow MoreRelatedDutchman - Thematic Analysis Paper2165 Words   |  9 PagesWilliams, Jae`da June 19, 2012 ENC 1102 Dutchman Thematic Analysis The phrase â€Å"racial tension† is a small description of the main theme in Dutchman by Amiri Baraka. While race is a vital part of the underlying messages in the play, it stems to a much broader term. In Dutchman Amiri Baraka attempts to grasp the attention of the African American society. Baraka uses Clay’s character to show readers that complete assimilation into another culture is wrong. He wants to awaken the African AmericanRead MoreReading Into Amiri Baraka s The Sixties : A Very Compare And Contrast Of Ideas Of Interpretations907 Words   |  4 PagesChania Whitaker Article Review Fall 2015 AAA Literature 20 Reading into Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman in the context of how plays in the early 60s: A compare and contrast of ideas of interpretations. Reading Dutchman by Amiri Baraka was made a bit challenging because it was a play written exclusively for it’s commentary of race relations in America in the time period it was written in. While enjoying black art is important, it’s even more important to truly understand the message it is giving. AllegoryRead MoreEssay about Binaries and Identities in Amiri Barakas Dutchman1242 Words   |  5 PagesIn Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, the binary between black and white people embeds itself into the characters on the subway. 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