Outline and Thesis:

1. Introduction: Race discrimination and inequality

1. Topic Sentence:

2. Thesis: While racial discrimination and inequality has evolved drastically over the years, which is explained in our class readings, through close readings; there is still much to overcome when it comes to this part of life. This is  a good idea, but it is a little too vague for a short research paper like this. Consider focusing on a single inequality that has remained as a constant.  

2. Explanation of race discrimination and inequality over time (again, this is a broad idea, you probably want to focus on something very specific, like antimiscegination or something like that).

1. Topic Sentence: Race discrimination and inequality has changed so much over time, however we still see aspects of inequality in today’s society.

2. Elaborate on the evolution of racial discrimination

3. Explain the aspects of race from many different countries

3. Texts from class to display examples/Close reading from each (split into separate paragraphs)

1. Holes (revised from close reading paper)

2. The Dark End of the Street

3. Craft’s Bondwoman’s Narrative

4. Uncle Tom’s Cabin

4. Conclusion

Final Draft:

     An ongoing topic throughout this semester has been racial discrimination and inequality. So much of the world today is still discriminated on in different ways, whether it is through gender, sex, race, or something else. There are several novels that we have covered that have touched on this point. One in particular is Holes by Louis Sachar. The teen novel hits on several topics of racism and inequality in many different ways throughout the novel. There are many young adult novels that have hidden meanings or themes, including Holes. It references race and equality many times in a couple different ways. It takes about aspects of growing up with racism all around you. The boys in the novel overcome the racism by becoming friends or brothers, as referenced in the book, at the camp and sticking together no matter what happens. The way racism is classified is different all around the world. Although discrimination and inequality has come a long way over the years, there is still many forms of discrimination around the world today, through gender and race.

     Race in the United States is classified a lot differently than race in other countries. Both the Yelnats and Zeronis families were considered white in Eastern Europe. However, when they came to the United States, they were separated by “white” and “non-white.” Although racism has a generalized definition that is fairly easy for everyone to understand, each country still discriminates differently. One of the main reasons for this is because different countries have different racial categories (Wade, 2010). While one country may classify all people as “white or non white,” another country may give a little more detail in their descriptions, such as saying “white, asian, mexican, and black.” According to Wade and the consensus from nine different countries, the race questions are very different. For example, on the Canadian consensus, instead of just asking one generalized question about what race you are, it asks four different questions. Three of the questions are “beat around the bush” questions and the fourth says “Are you:” with a drop down box for you to pick your race. While Australia, Canada, England, and the United States asks several different questions when referring to race; the other countries, such as: Brazil, Bulgaria, Guam, Mexico, and South Africa ask only one (Wade, 2010). This shows how the racial categories are classified differently in the different countries. “Most Americans and most researchers have in mind a general categorical scheme that includes whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and American Indians. Most Americans and nearly all researchers are also aware that these general categories disguise significant heterogeneity within each of these major groups” (Anderson, 1970). Each country is responsible for their own racism by the racial categories that they present. In the novel Holes, racial categories come into play with the different reaction to the boys running away. For example, when Stanley runs away, she knows that he has to be found. He has family and people at home that care about him and what happens to him. On the other hand, when Zero runs aways, she just tries to get rid of all his things and erase any evidence that he was ever there. She believes that he does not have anyone who really cares about him or would care that he was gone. Stanley is considered white at the camp, therefore he is thought to be a higher class than Zero and is “more important” than Zero, who is considered “non white.” In this example, she thinks so low of Zero because of his racial category. If he has gotten the same racial category that he had back in Europe, she would have cared more about him.

     In holes, racial discrimination is proven when it explains that “It took Sam a week to fix the roof, because he could only work in the afternoons, after school let out and before night classes began. Sam wasn’t allowed to attend classes because he was a Negro, but they let him fix the building.” This shows how black people were taken advantage of by whites, in that time. According to Ben Carson in an interview with Mike Gallagher, just two years ago, “American blacks over the course of this next year will begin to see that they’ve been manipulated, very, very largely” (Ken-meyer, 2015). Blacks or races other than white, have been manipulated throughout many many years. This is said to have started with affirmative action in the American workplace in the late 17th century when European indentured servants were replaced by African slaves (California Newsreel). Back in that time, indentured servants were people who served their time and got out. Many times they were paid a very little amount, however still received some payment. African slaves, which were often all black, were given a different name because they worked for life and worked for nothing. African slaves were so eager to get out of Africa and come to America that they would sign their life away to be a slave. Black slaves were often owned by white men or white families, which shows another way that blacks were taken advantage of. This discrimination was not only on blacks though. In 1830, the Indian Removal Act forcibly relocated Cherokee, Creeks, and other eastern Indians to west of the Mississippi River, in order to make room for white settlers (California Newsreel). In this time, if you were not white, you had no privilege; which brought about the term “white privilege.” There were many other acts, such as the Homestead Act, that also gave away people’s land to whites (California Newsreel). Discrimination is brought up through the years by these different acts because by passing these acts, it caused the feud between the different races, similar to the novel Holes.

     The feud of race in the novel Holes was not between the boys, but between the adults and the boys. To the boys, they were all a big family. They stuck together and were always there for each other, especially Stanley and Zero. For example, on page 175, in the book, when both boys were very weak, but Zero was doing worse than Stanley. At the bottom of 175, the text reads, “As he drifted into sleep, Stanley softly sang him the song that had been in his family for generations.” This shows just how close the boys were and gives that sense of family relationship when he sings his family's song to him. Many of African slaves formed that bond between each other as well. They were all family, regardless of blood relations because that made it easier to handle the bad things that happened to them. According to an article on PBS, the slave narratives were very important between 1845 and 1862. “The narratives gave Northerners a peak into the life of slaves and their communities. These narratives included the love between family members, the respect for elders, and the bonds between friends” (Slave Narratives and Uncle Tom’s Cabin). If the bond between slaves was important enough to write about then that shows just how important the bond was to them and their community. Another example of family bonds between slaves is the story of the underground railroad. Harriet Tubman, not only made one trip through and showed many slaves to freedom, but then came back several times and continued to bring more and more slaves to freedom. She sacrificed her own safety and freedom for the safety and freedom of her friends and family. Tubman could have just saved herself and forgot about everyone but instead she helped others because that is what family does. The story of the underground railroad is very similar to the end of the novel Holes when family bonds come into play. The book talks about the boys records and release dates, however Zero’s can not be found. Stanley’s attorney takes it upon himself to make sure nothing bad is going to happen to Zero because he knew how much he meant to Stanley. The book says “Stanley’s lawyer took hold of Zero’s hand. “C’mon, Hector, you’re coming with us.”” The family bond is shown here because instead of leaving him by himself, him and Stanley stick together again. Here the racial discrimination is gone. Although the two boys were classified differently, in the book, they come out with a happy ending.

     In today’s society, a happy ending does not always happen. While the “perfect society” is dreamt about where there is no crime and discrimination, it’s not ideal. People are discriminated in so many different ways. For example, some jobs or careers are still increasing their pay for men and decreasing the pay levels for women. While men and women are doing the exact same tasks, women are getting paid a significant less amount. Professional soccer can speak for that. If you compare two of the top players from both the men’s programs and the women’s there is a tremendous difference. Alex Morgan is the highest paid American female soccer player. Her salary for the Portland Thorns is $450,000 and takes home about one million dollars in endorsements from different companies. A top male player is Landon Donovan, which earned two million dollars from his team alone (Close, 2016). The difference is tremendous, especially when the women’s program is more competitive. Although both players are white, there is still discrimination based on gender. People also run into job stereotypes for jobs such as: teachers, nurses, doctors, and secretaries. Many people think that teachers, nurses, and secretaries should be women. While in today’s society more men are becoming teachers and nurses. Doctors are often thought to be men, when in today’s hospitals there are many women doctors. This discrimination is something that happens all around the world.

     In conclusion, discrimination and inequality is happening all around the world; not just in the United States. This discrimination includes racial discrimination, gender discrimination; among others. No matter the type of discrimination it is bad and should be stopped right away. Although discrimination has come a long way over the years, there is still much improvement to be made. Blacks, whites, asians, mexicans, etc., should all feel comfortable in their own skin and it is our job as Americans to make sure that they do. The same applies for men and women. A person should be able to do the job they want without feeling stereotyped or discriminated against. The novel Holes by Louis Sachar, helps the reader to see that discrimination is not necessary towards the end of the book. The family bonds and relationships that they build is far more important than the color of their skin.

Works Cited:

Anderson, Norman B. "Racial and Ethnic Identification, Official Classifications, and Health Disparities." Critical Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in Late Life. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK25522/>.

California Newsreel. "Race- The Power of an Illusion." California Newsreel. California Newsreel, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. <http://newsreel.org/guides/race/whiteadv.htm>.

Close, Kerry. "U.S. Women's Soccer: How Big Is Wage Gap Between Sexes? | Money." Time. Time, 31 Mar. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.

Ken-meyer. "Ben Carson Blames the Media for ‘Manipulating’ and ‘Taking Advantage’ of Black People." Mediaite. Mediaite, 29 Sept. 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.

"Slave Narratives and Uncle Tom's Cabin." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2958.html>.

Wade, Lisa , Ph.D. "Race and Censuses from Around the World - Sociological Images." Sociological Images Race and Censuses from Around the World Comments. The Society Pages, 29 Mar. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2017. <https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2010/03/29/race-and-censuses-from-around-the-world/>.