Individuality
Every person has skills and talents that are useful in society, and they should find confidence in themselves to fulfill their purpose. This theme takes place in multiple texts and films.
In the movie, The Great Debaters, this theme takes place when the debate team begins to create a local buzz about their successes. As their publicity begins to advance, more attention gets shifted towards the debaters than the researcher. As jealousy begins to sink in, the researcher begins to ask why he isn't allowed to debate. When he is told his time will come, he begins to feel very upset and underappreciated, but then his teammates explain to him that he is the best researcher they have, boosting his self confidence. He begins to realize his individual role on the team and how without his specific skills and talents, his team would never be able to compete.
This theme also takes place in the text, "The Color Purple". Celie starts the novel off with a very sheltered personality, fearing men, all while numbing herself from emotions. Throughout the book she goes unnoticed, never truly embracing her talents and finding her purpose in life. As she spends more time with Shug she begins to realize how confident Shug is with herself as a person. Shug is a character of true self dignity who does what she wants and when she wants. With this individuality that Shug holds within herself it begins to rub off on Celie, making her aware that she, too, has talents and skills to offer.
In this text, Celie finds that she is very skilled at making pants. Although these are made for men she begins to wear them, breaking out of her protective shell and becoming noticed. On page 196 Shug Avery says "It's a sin to see the color purple and not notice it." this relates to Celie because she has much to offer the world as an individual and should be noticed. This statement shows how each individual has something unique and priceless within them.
This theme is also used in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use". When Walker refers to the character, Dee, you instantly are introduced to the confidence she has coming back home to her family. She comes off as very eccentric wearing interesting choices of clothing, marrying an odd man, and changing her name from Dee to "Wangero". Dee begins to believe that what she has to offer is much different and better than what her mother and sister can. In this text Dee returns home without embracing her culture. For example, "Maggie can't appreciate these quilts! She'd probably be backward enough to put them in everyday use." Dee doesn't understand how although she thinks differently, Maggie and her mother both are entitled to their opinions. At the end of the text Dee says, "You just don’t understand," and with that Maggie acknowledges Dee's opinion and smiles. Although Dee doesn't understand Maggie and her mother's "backward" ways, Maggie has the wisdom that her and her mother are keeping their culture alive while not letting Dee's opinion alter theirs.
Being treated as an individual is a theme used repeatedly in African American Literature. These authors emphasized the idea that everyone has something to offer this world and have the potential to become successful regardless of race, lifestyle, or gender. These authors describe how the world needs tolerance, being able to accept and understand ones differences while still striving to be successful.