I think that DuBois uses the concept of "the veil" to make
the distinction that there is a line or border that demarcates the world of White
America from that of Black America. While the theoretical conditions of the
Constitution might say differently, DuBois is very much animated by the idea of a world
being "veiled" from White Americans, and one that is fully understood by being Black in
America. The veil is an interesting image because it implies that there are individuals
who are inside of it, able to perceive and see the world with some filter, while there
are those outside of it who are unable to perceive little, if anything, about those
inside of the veil. In this light, the veil is something that separates both realities,
feeding his idea that the fundamental point of division is that of color in
America:
'How does it feel to be a problem?'
asks DuBois, referring to the conundrum of black identity. DuBois’ first encounter with
his status as a “problem” takes place in school when a little girl refuses a card he has
offered her as part of a class-wide card exchange. He realizes that the Negro has been
taught to view himself through the eyes of others and lacks another source upon which to
base identity. This results in a “veil” between the black man’s world, where identity is
constructed for him, and the white world, where there are more opportunities and
possibilities.
It
is the veil and being on the inside of it and looking out that feeds into what DuBois
calls "the double consciousness" of Blacks in America, as they are
aware of what happens to them inside the veil, but are also trapped in that they know
another world, probably one with more advantages, exists outside of it and there is
little they can do about it. It is interesting to also note that the use of "veil" also
means that the outside world is left to not wonder that much about what is happening
inside "the veil," reflecting another unequal reality in the modern
setting.
No comments:
Post a Comment