Did you laugh or cry (or both) at the experiments run by the narrator's psychologist/social scientist dad? Does your experience of the world support his three-stage Theory of Quintessential Blackness, summarized in Fiske's closing monologue?
Created: 01/18/17
Replies: 25
Join Date: 10/15/10
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Did you laugh or cry (or both) at the experiments run by the narrator's psychologist/social scientist dad? Does your experience of the world support his three-stage Theory of Quintessential Blackness, summarized in Fiske's closing monologue?
Join Date: 06/13/11
Posts: 37
Mostly laughed because they were enough over the top to keep me from sympathizing with the narrator and some of the dialogue was hilarious
I do,however, have to admit that as not only a white person but as a white bread white person the frequent use of the "N" word -- I can't even type it -- made me uncomfortable. I read a definition of black (dark) humor was that you would laugh but you would feel bad about it. Guess that was my overall response to this book.
Join Date: 06/19/12
Posts: 408
A bit of both. Beatty's satire here is not only racial. He takes down experimental psychology as well - and quite effectively. I think dorothym's comment hits the mark. The three-stage theory is interesting to me, but since I'm not black the only way for me to check it out is by observation of others. Based on Beatty's work, I've seen a lot more of Stages One and Two than I have of Stage Three, Although I do think Congressman John Lewis is pretty nearly there.
Join Date: 06/11/11
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Join Date: 08/30/14
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Join Date: 10/27/15
Posts: 146
I didn't cry but I found myself feeling sad at the thought of the experiments. I was relieved that I was reading satire but at the same time aware of & saddened by the cruelty underlying the satire.
Join Date: 05/16/12
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Join Date: 03/13/12
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Join Date: 09/07/12
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Join Date: 04/21/11
Posts: 73
I was a psych major and familiar with most of the original experiments and I'm a bit too literal at times to cry or laugh at the experiments. Some of the original experiments, such as the shocking, didn't make sense with just one person. I appreciated the "craziness" and satire but was not emotionally bothered by it.
Join Date: 06/13/11
Posts: 102
I both laughed and cried. Some of the experiments were so outlandish but the punishments were masochistic and certainly severe child abuse.
I have very little day to day experience with black people as I live in a small rural community. I taught three black children in forty years of teaching. One boy became a part of the school community until cousins arrived and mocked him for his whiteness.
Join Date: 12/01/16
Posts: 292
I was angered by the cruelty of it. It was child abuse, and there is nothing funny about that. As far as the three-stage theory, in my experience of living in the south and being part of the military it would support the theory of three stages.
Join Date: 06/01/11
Posts: 78
The narrator's relationship with his father was certainly tragic. Isn't the best comedy based on tragedy?
Join Date: 06/03/15
Posts: 42
I think this is a throwback to the actual psychological studies done in the 1940's which were later included in the Brown vs Board of Ed bell weather case re segregation and its perverse effects. Kenneth and Mamie Clark designed a series of experiments known as "the doll tests" in which children from ages 3-7 were asked which color doll they preferred. The psychologists concluded that color does have a deleterious effect on children's self esteem.
Join Date: 06/16/11
Posts: 410
I was totally appalled by these experiments. The shock value of reading about them sort of set the tone for how I read the rest of the book. I realized there was a reason for all the craziness being portrayed as it was and was able to enjoy the rest of the story.
Join Date: 11/30/16
Posts: 6
The experiments performed on him make me upset because I feel so bad for him and having to be subjected to that rather than live like a child. He does turn around his experiences and make them humorous but I still can't get past how awful that was of his father to do that.
Join Date: 03/20/16
Posts: 27
Join Date: 06/29/15
Posts: 143
I also cringed when reading about the dad's experiments on his son. I was surprised how well the son had grown up and became a functioning member of society. He has some interesting ideas on improving his community but can take care of himself and help others along the way.
Join Date: 01/31/17
Posts: 2
I neither laughed nor cried; rather I shuddered. Children's impressions from birth are important and imprint themselves onto that life. Therefore, I find it careless to do experimentation with a child. Love should be the primary guide in raising a child and this dad seemed to treat this child more as a scientific exercise.
Join Date: 03/22/12
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Join Date: 05/31/11
Posts: 166
The descriptions of the experiments were HIGH satire and have so many tentacles to other stuff that there was no sympathy or empathy (on my part) while reading the story.
Join Date: 03/13/14
Posts: 51
I was trying to understand what the author wanted us to take from the experiments. They were well described and cruel, but I felt like I was missing the point. I felt drawn in and upset with his father and I couldn't fully get the satire. What did people think the satirical purpose was of the experiments?
Join Date: 02/06/17
Posts: 459
I guess I did not understand the satire. One would think black people have suffered enough under white oppression. Why do they need to do it to themselves?
Join Date: 02/06/17
Posts: 459
Point made. It made me very uncomfortable that any father would expect his son to participate in these type of "experiments"
Join Date: 04/14/11
Posts: 109
i was quite sadden - almost stopped reading this book. I did not like the fact that a black person was doing it to his own flesh and blood. Have they not suffered enough under white people oppression????
Join Date: 08/12/16
Posts: 259
So far removed from the way I grew up! I wouldn't say that I cried but I felt it was really disturbing! I thought it was one of those "funny not funny" episodes..
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