Color and Individuality: A Close Reading of The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored
Man
by Kang Xiaoting
In two paragraphs, beginning on page 30 and ending page 32, the ex-colored
man describes the triumph of Shiny and how this inspires him to have ambitions
of bringing glory to the Negro race. Whereas Shiny's "noble" victory
here serves to inspire dreams, the ex-colored man seems to suggest that a Negro
can never have true victory, as he then goes on to describe the "phenomenon
of enthusiasm" that followed Shiny's success as the "same" one
that follows any other colored person who has reached "any high standard
of excellence." What he seems to mean is that they have not been applauded
for their true capabilities, but have been judged according to how little white
people think they can do, and how their fellow colored people need to feel that
their race has been glorified. I would say that the ex-colored man seems highly
conscious of this here, and this may be why he does not ultimately choose to
follow his dreams and become a Negro composer. He ultimately chooses to be himself,
and being a Negro, as can be seen here, means that one's victories and failings
will always be seen, as he puts it, through "colored eyes."
Describing Shiny's appearance on the stage, the ex-colored man says he"made
a striking picture, that thin little black boy standing on the platform".
To say that Shiny looked striking would be more complimentary than saying he
"made a striking picture," which makes Shiny seem ridiculous and out
of place. He goes on to say Shiny's clothes "did not fit him too well",
thus evoking sympathy in the reader, for it seems that Shiny needs to prove
that he is much more than what he looks. He notices the "appealing defiance"
in Shiny's voice, but did not explain what he thinks Shiny may be defiant against.
It seems that Shiny is defiant against anyone who attempts to look down upon
him, the irony being the "striking picture" the ex-colored man described
earlier already presents Shiny as somewhat helpless and pathetic. He also describes
Shiny's look as "positively handsome", which seems to imply some surprise
that someone jet black could actually look good. This way of putting it reveals
the bias against Negroes that runs throughout the novel.
It was also surprising that he describes the audience as all white "with
an exception of a score or so that was lost to view". Wouldn't black and
colored people stand out more in the sea of whites? He may be emphasizing the
insignificance of support and thus a feeling of helplessness he thinks Shiny
is experiencing at this point. Although the ex-colored man says that he does
not know what Shiny is feeling, he makes many guesses: he says, "I do not
know, but I fancy…"; "I think there must be.."; and "I
think that..". This shows that what he thinks Shiny feels is probably what
he thinks he would feel if he imagines himself in the same situation. He describes
Shiny as "a gladiator tossed into an arena and bade to fight for his life".
Being "tossed" and "bade to fight" for one's life certainly
makes it seem as if the person has no choice of his own and is forced to fight
to survive. His remark, "that for him to fail meant general defeat,"
also emphasizes my point in the introduction that any opportunity a Negro had
to prove himself ultimately meant that he would not be judged for being himself.
When Shiny "won" in the end, the ex-colored man says:"How so
young an orator could stir so great enthusiasm was to be wondered at."
This implies that Shiny's ability as an orator itself has won the people over.
Here, the word "wondered" appears to be like a sense of awe. yet it
is more likely to have been puzzlement or even skepticism, for he goes on to
explain in the second paragraph that people are always "stirred by the
same emotions" and the "same phenomenon of enthusiasm" follows
any black man's success. This has certainly taken the credibility away from
Shiny's individual success. Shiny becomes "what is so common in his race,
a natural orator". In other words, his success has almost been reduced
to nothing in terms of his abilities. He explains the overwhelming response
Shiny received as whites' "love of fair play" which is "often
dormant" (notice the cynicism here), and that they were "swept by
a wave of sympathy and admiration" as they watch the boy "gallantly
waging with puny, black arms so unequal a battle". The perceived inferiority
of the Negroes has been shown aptly here in a moving way, arousing deep sympathy.
Hence, I would say that the ex-colored man was deeply conscious of this underlying
bias against blacks, for even he himself seems surprised enough to take note
of other blacks who have succeeded somewhat in school, and throughout the novel
he never hesitates to point out other successful black men. Notice too, that
he says they must have felt the emotions which "actuated" Shiny on
the graduation, even though Shiny's emotions were largely a guesswork on his
part that day, showing how, as time passes, impressions become reality within
his mind. Perhaps this colored memory viewed through colored eyes, explains
the ex-colored man's decision not to "be a Negro".
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