Understanding Multiculturalism through Lucille Clifton’s “Wednesday”
Primary Faculty Mentor’s Name
Dr. Anastasia Lin
Proposal Track
Student
Session Format
Paper Presentation
Abstract
Madeline Millard
University of North Georgia
Understanding Multiculturalism through Lucille Clifton’s “Wednesday”
Diverse literature is not always taught in the classroom because there is a lack of understanding on how multicultural literature should be introduced. As James Banks explores in his work An Introduction to Multicultural Education, many schools still retain the “Heroes and Holidays” approach, where “content about ethnic and cultural groups are limited primarily to holidays and celebrations” (24). This absence of appreciation for different cultures can be detrimental to our society and becomes especially an issue with a tragic event like 9/11. In the days following 9/11, chaos broke out across the United States. Americans of Arab ancestry in the US went from being Arab Americans, to being stereotyped as terrorists and attacked because of their culture and faith. The view of Arab Americans after 9/11 can be documented through literature; poems like “Wednesday” by Lucille Clifton showcase the transformation of EuroAmericans’ perception of Arab Americans. However, depending of the lens used to read this literature, different conclusions can be drawn. For example, Clifton’s work is often taught in multicultural classrooms. Multiculturalism is a concept that can be separated into two distinct types: liberal and critical. Understanding the difference between the two is crucial to understanding how multiple cultures can co-exist with each other. Yet often, even in the multicultural classroom, critical multiculturalism is not utilized.
My goal in this presentation is to explain the importance of multiculturalism and why it should be taught, by using socio-historical evidence and theoretical frame work. Using Lucille Clifton’s poem, I will analyze how she utilizes multiculturalism to explore the difference between critical and liberal multiculturalism and how it can change the interpretation of literature and our reaction even amidst tragic events like 9/11. By applying these examples of liberal and critical multiculturalism attention is drawn to the events that transpired after 9/11 and point out their hypocritical nature. She uses critical and liberal multiculturalism as a more accurate representation of what multiculturalism is, while forcing readers to be critical of what she is saying. Rereading Clifton’s work through this lens offers a way to ensure students critically engage multiculturalism. Teaching multiculturalism in our schools is imperative to understanding other cultures and accepting them rather than merely tolerating them.
Keywords
Multiculturalism, Lucille Clifton, Wednesday
Location
Room 2908
Presentation Year
2015
Start Date
11-7-2015 9:00 AM
End Date
11-7-2015 10:00 AM
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Millard, Madeline L., "Understanding Multiculturalism through Lucille Clifton’s “Wednesday”" (2015). Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (2014-2015). 6.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gurc/2015/2015/6
Understanding Multiculturalism through Lucille Clifton’s “Wednesday”
Room 2908
Madeline Millard
University of North Georgia
Understanding Multiculturalism through Lucille Clifton’s “Wednesday”
Diverse literature is not always taught in the classroom because there is a lack of understanding on how multicultural literature should be introduced. As James Banks explores in his work An Introduction to Multicultural Education, many schools still retain the “Heroes and Holidays” approach, where “content about ethnic and cultural groups are limited primarily to holidays and celebrations” (24). This absence of appreciation for different cultures can be detrimental to our society and becomes especially an issue with a tragic event like 9/11. In the days following 9/11, chaos broke out across the United States. Americans of Arab ancestry in the US went from being Arab Americans, to being stereotyped as terrorists and attacked because of their culture and faith. The view of Arab Americans after 9/11 can be documented through literature; poems like “Wednesday” by Lucille Clifton showcase the transformation of EuroAmericans’ perception of Arab Americans. However, depending of the lens used to read this literature, different conclusions can be drawn. For example, Clifton’s work is often taught in multicultural classrooms. Multiculturalism is a concept that can be separated into two distinct types: liberal and critical. Understanding the difference between the two is crucial to understanding how multiple cultures can co-exist with each other. Yet often, even in the multicultural classroom, critical multiculturalism is not utilized.
My goal in this presentation is to explain the importance of multiculturalism and why it should be taught, by using socio-historical evidence and theoretical frame work. Using Lucille Clifton’s poem, I will analyze how she utilizes multiculturalism to explore the difference between critical and liberal multiculturalism and how it can change the interpretation of literature and our reaction even amidst tragic events like 9/11. By applying these examples of liberal and critical multiculturalism attention is drawn to the events that transpired after 9/11 and point out their hypocritical nature. She uses critical and liberal multiculturalism as a more accurate representation of what multiculturalism is, while forcing readers to be critical of what she is saying. Rereading Clifton’s work through this lens offers a way to ensure students critically engage multiculturalism. Teaching multiculturalism in our schools is imperative to understanding other cultures and accepting them rather than merely tolerating them.
