Reading Response to Za'Tasja Baker's "A Racist Cry"

  So when first reading the title, I was very interested in what the story was going to be about, and I did enjoy the story. I think, to me, what set the story to work were was the integration of the poem and the reaction we got from the teacher and the speaker. The idea of this story is a very good one. You have a set up for readers to see a change in perception, not necessarily for the characters in the story but the reader themselves.

  And while I think this is a great idea and I can see it happening the story falls short in a few aspects and in turn it takes away from what the story can do and tell. The biggest thing to me was the initial complaint that the speaker has with Jimmy. I feel that if you had let him continue his racist remarks, and maybe even have a them go into more detail, and let the teacher make a fool of himself it outlast would be much more better. I can't really argue for me being a privileged white individual, but I understand the meaning you meant by his comments and how they were racist but I feel it was just too short of a discussion on his part.

  Another the that I was confused by was where this taking place. You describe the past setting but nothing about the classroom and nothing about the main characters. You give a lot on emphasis on the discussion of the characters but nothing really about where they are or who they are.