This piece’s rhetorical properties such as the red and overwhelming amount of words on the page already stand out and contribute to the overall meaning. I can infer that this piece of art is relevant to the feeling of not belonging and being discriminated against. The African American little girl in the center of the piece and smiling with all of her teeth adds depth to the tone. The little girl looks so innocent yet all these phrases and words get thrown at her and she is still smiling and getting through. For some reason, with all the words filling up the piece, what pops out is the black and white image of the young girl. I wonder if the artist intentionally did that. This piece resonates with the social concerns of the present because it shows that in the society we live in today, young African American kids are growing up thinking that they are in the wrong and that the moment they were born, this is the reality they live in. It sets this norm that indifference in humankind and race is not okay. In political aspects, this shows that even though there are reforms made, there are not enough because the education system and younger generations still experience this. I can conclude through this piece that there are a ton of reinforcements and laws that still need to be passed to ensure that equality is served. Discrimination, hatred, racism still exist today and through art, people can express topics like these in a much easier way to grasp. This is the power of art.
Spring 2022
