America in the Eyes of Ginsberg and Agee

America in the Eyes of Ginsberg and Agee

Allan Ginsberg and James Agee have given us the idea that Americans have an image of a perfect American for its citizens that have caused a large amount of America's problems with racism, American dependence on media to form its own opinion, and war. This perfect American is usually white, male, middle class citizen, early thirties, and very successful at what it is that they do. Allan Ginsberg ferociously attacks American for conforming to this way of thinking instead of being a country that believes and respects individuals for their individuality and difference in opinion. James Agee does almost the same thing in his writing "America, Look at your shame" where he calmly recollects a story about a bus ride he had, which strongly portrays the prejudices that a person who doesn't fit the profile of the perfect American has to go through. Agee and Ginsberg both believe that in order for America to change the woes of its society, each citizen along with the government has to take a stand against racism, the perfect image of an American citizen, and war.

James Agee's "America Look at Your Shame" focuses on racism in America and how those of us who believe that it is wrong should stand up and voice our opinions to the oppressors of these people. His main subject is the racism against blacks, but there is subtle hints that suggest to us that it's not just about blacks versus whites, it's also about racist whites versus non-racist whites, Jews against those who don't like Jew (Hitler and others). He mainly uses blacks versus white racism as an example of how America contradicts itself because it calls itself a melting pot with segregated schools and race riots. We are fighting against Hitler for the subjugation of a race of people, but here we are, Almost like Hitler, in America trying to and in some ways succeeding at this expression of hate towards a race of people who skin color is darker than theirs. Agee tells us about this social conflict as and how it is handling by the racist, the non-racist, and the oppressed. Agee would not say anything to the offender because of fear of not belonging with their own. The soldier says ."..f@#king n@#$%ers all over the whole God damned f@#king Nawth. The word cut through my solar plexus like a cold knife, and the whole bus, except for those two voices and the comments of their friends, was suddenly almost exploded by an immensely thick quietness .