A fundamental acceptance is the inception of a genuine freedom. People should be free to have and live their life. They are supposed to be able to choose their own actions for the full development of human potentiality. Dudley Randall explores the American society’s acceptance towards different cultures through The Melting Pot. For some cultures, they will be gladly welcome, with a stipulation. For others, they are coldly rebuffed, without any attention.
White people are accepted by American society along the provision of self-adjustment with the predetermined cultures. In the first paragraph, Randall states: “There is a magic melting pot” (pg.928). Melting pot represents a society in which many different cultures form a single culture through social assimilation. America is indeed a melting pot that there are a lot of people from different backgrounds come into America and acknowledge themselves as American. Even so, the first and second stanzas prove that only some cultures which can be accepted by American society. In the first stanza, the author mentions European nationalities in which all are white people: “Can step in Czech or Greek or Scot” (pg.928).
Moreover, Randall emphasizes the presence of white people by introducing some common names from Europe in the second stanza by using the figure of speech of alliteration: “Johann and JanandJeanandJuan, GiovanniandIvan” (pg.928). Nonetheless, the white people are not effortlessly welcome. They have to marginalize themselves with the cultures that have already applied in their new home. American society believes that in order to create a harmonic environment, people should be having the same ideology and viewpoint. This part can be proven by the line 8: “all freshly christened John” (pg.928). American religious background is Cristian and John is a common name that is recognized by American society. Therefore, all white people who are willing to be accepted should leave behind their old customs and in an immediate convert their names and religion to those which are parallel with the predetermined norms.
Black people are not acknowledged or even ogled by the American society due to the racial discrimination. In the third paragraph, the author uses the more personal approach by mentioning a specific character: “Sam watching, said…” (pg.928). By saying so, a conclusion could be withdrawn that through this poem, Randall is trying to expose his own experience in being African-American, represented by Sam. He mentions in the tenth line: “Why, I was here even before they came” (pg.928). Considering the historical background of America, the issue of slavery is patently prominent in this poem. African people are well-known as slaves in the early 16th century. Accordingly, Sam has indeed lived there before the white people come. He is brought to America by his owner and lives his life by someone else’s rules. As time goes by, he wants to be accepted by the coveted society as a true human being. He tries several times to join the magic melting pot but he is excluded. He even is not allowed to get close to the pot: “but was tossed out before he passes the brim” (pg.928). He enters the society only to be removed: “they threw him out again” (pg.928). Samis an obvious depiction of the author’s story of rejection. Ultimately, in the fourth stanza, the issue of racial discrimination is coming to the surface. “We don’t want your black stain” (pg.928). This particular part proves that the only reason why Samis not accepted is his color. Black stain as if tells that being black is a filthiness. Sam is left with no information but the color he was born. He is never called as a wicked nor ignorant people. Apparently, there is nothing but racism.
By a reason of being unaccepted by the American society, black people have a choice to stand on their own foot and preserve their identity. In the last paragraph, the author makes a change in a way Sam lives his life. After making efforts and being rejected for thousand times, he is now choosing to take back control and does not care anymore about American society’s ideology: “I don’t give a damn. Shove your old pot” (pg.928). This certain action actually has a big thing to do with The Civil Right Movement that happened in the year of 1963.
Black people are banned from associating with white people in the institution and public accommodation such as schools, restrooms, hotels, hospitals, and even movie theaters. They are not given an opportunity to live their life equally with others. However, through The Civil Right Movement, all black people do demonstrations and fight for their freedom. They think that people should be treated the same regardless their genealogy. This event eminently gives a new confidence to Sam to vindicate his descent by being who he is: “You can like it or not. I’ll be just what I am” (pg.928). He will make his own pot and does not need to be amalgamated with others who prefer to be American. He is proud to be black African-American.
In conclusion, Randall admirably illustrates the American society’s acknowledgment in welcoming people from various backgrounds. Some cultures may experience a favorable acceptance while the rest may not. Through The Melting Pot, the author forthrightly says that the subjective tendency to a certain race will eventually outweigh the objectiveness of accepting and supporting. Moreover, most of the people tend to be one of the millions to walk on the majority’s forged trail instead of experiencing their own nameless path. They are too slothful to be self-reliant.
References
Randall, Dudley. “The Melting Pot”,1968. Introduction to Literature. Longman, p.928, 2008.
Baldwin, Davarian L. The Civil Right Movement.AFRICANA AGE, 2016. http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-civil-rights.html. Accessed November 24, 2016.
