Question 4
If it were set in the north… The north is better than the south because there’s more liberate than south. There are not so much racist in the north because in the north, lots of occupation depends on the blacks to do it so the whites are a bit open minded about the race.
If it were set today, perhaps black and white will sit next to each other and wait for the train together. It is because nowadays there is no such thing as racism. Black and white can live with each other. They can even marry each other. Racist became a very sensitive issue to be discussed among them nowadays.
Question 5.
Marge alluding that the black woman should know where she belongs and act like a black woman. At that time, black woman are not allowed to sit together with white. They also can’t even dream to stand as high as the white. In the play, Florence ought to realize that she supposed to go home and forget her dream of being an actress.
Mama can’t go to dine no matter how well she dresses up because she is a black. That’s why she has to buy food before get in the train as in the train she would never been able to dine in the train. other 'situation' is when Mama was not allowed to go to the woman's white bathroom although the coloured woman's bathroom is out of order. she has to go to the colored man's bathroom instead. it is stated at line 98 in the play.
Question 6.
Mrs Carter didn’t think herself as a racist and she tried her best to look like one. But deep down , she is racist. She introduced herself as a New Yorker although she came from the south and she also insisted to not call her ’mam’. This is because she doesn’t want to be seen as racist. But then, when she told Mama about her brother’s book, she started to be racist. She said that a black woman could not work at the same level as the white like in the book, the character named Zelma, should not be a lawyer because she is almost white, not white. The same goes to Florence’s case. Mrs Carter thought that a Negro woman can’t act. They can sing but not act. She suggested that Florence should be a maid which was a more secured work for her as a Negro woman.
Question 10.
The life of Florence herself created the play at the first place. The play is all about her, the Black woman who dares to go out and challenge the discrimination world by herself. Her mother, Mrs Whitney doesn’t have much confidence in her at first but then it makes her think how wonderful Florence is. The absence of Florence and her conversation with Mrs Carter made Mama change her perspective and her thoughts about her daughter, Florence. The play revolves in Florence although she was not in the play.
by : ateeq medina :)
