Theme of Privilege and Inequality
The theme privilege and inequality shows the way the world we know is today, with people being born into wealthy families while others are starving with not much food or water where it is a struggle to survive. My chosen texts are, a song White Privilege 2 by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, a novel Desert flower by Waris Diris, the novel Kite runner by Khaled Hosseini and the poem Still I rise by Maya Angelou. My first sub connection is Characters who feel like they don’t belong which I am linking the texts White privilege 2 and Desert Flower.
My second Sub connection is characters who are mistreated or abused, and I am linking the texts Kite Runner and Still I rise together.
In the song ‘White privilege 2’ by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Macklemore has shared his opinions about his difficult relationship with rap music and his participation in black protest movements. He begins to question himself ‘Should I even be marching?’ Macklemore appears to be confused as he is a white male and is born with the privileges of being white.
‘My skin matches the hero.’ This is stereotyping him to be superior as whites were back in the day when blacks had trouble being noticed to be the same as whites but the only difference being skin colour.
‘Am I in the outside looking on or am I in the inside looking out?’ This links to the sub connection of Characters who feel like they don’t belong because Macklemore isn’t one of them.
He isn’t black, but still wants to support the movement as he doesn’t agree with police brutality towards the black people. On an interview with the rolling stone Macklemore says ‘What type of human do I want to be? How do I want to use my platform? Do I want to be safe under the umbrella of white privilege? Or do I want to push back and resist?’ He says it’s easier for a white person to be stay silent about racial injustice.
Silence is an action where Macklemore could easily keep his mouth shut and rest in his privilege while remaining safe. But no he’s really here to seek truth and justice because everyone is equal and he should not have to worry about not belonging when he the one marching out against his own kind.’ The Book desert flower by Waris Dirie tells us a true story.
