Alebrahim 1

Shikah Alebrahim
DEC 6 2015
Professor : j. hymes
English 113B
Angry Black White Boy
Adam Mansbach wrote an interesting novel named Angry Black White Boy. The
novel has a subtitle The Miscegenation of Macon Detornay. The word miscegenation
means sexual relationship or marriage between two different races. Traditionally marriages
between same races or ethnicity or religion have been encouraged but sometimes marriages
takes place between two different races. As the story proceeds the real meaning of the term
miscegenation in context to the story can be understood.
Thesis statement: Racism persists in society but some people are born to raise their
voice against it.
Angry Black White Boy is a novel written by Adam Mansbach who portrays politics
of race. The story starts with a discussion about the hip hop culture and how Macon adopted
the black culture to protest against the White Americans. It has been used as a drama and
quite entertaining. The hybrid of culture has been made in a theatrical way. Macon talks about
himself when he was 13 years old wearing t-shirt of Malcolm X. He studied the life of
Malcolm Little, a Black American who was an activist of human rights. He got inspiration as
Malcolm X fought against racism in America. His school friends asked him about the reason
of wearing a Malcolm X t-shirt and he elaborates how he was inspired to raise his voice
against racism which was gradually spreading like a disease or epidemic. Americans could
not tolerate the black and often misbehaved with them.

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The story portrays him as a young man harvesting anger and strong negative feelings
against his own community that is white Americans. Slavery was seen in the past but
Americans have still enslaved the African and address them as black. There are instances in
the story where we see how law also discriminates between a white citizen and a black
citizen. He stood as a representative of black Americans and spoke in favour of them. He
attacked the white Americans. He seems to be a black man under a white skin. He likes the
hip-hop culture and turns in the radio while he is driving to relax. Hip hop culture
significantly falls under black culture, but being a white American he liked it.
In the novel Angry Black White Boy, Macon suffers from identity crisis. He seems to
be the only person who is irritated by the oppression of the white Americans. He came to
New York City and became a cab driver. The crossfader glided clean across the mixer and
into a classic dancing New York Citys newest cabdriver straight down memory lane. (p23).
Macon chalked out a plan to show his protest against racism. He started to rob the
White Americans as a cabdriver and this was the only way he can show them how the white
Americans ill treated their black counterparts. He abused the white people with words like
asshole and told them, that they must be robbed. This book has discussed the relationship
among black and white Americans in detail. He stole their wallets, ornaments as well as
passport. Then he started a new project named Race Traitor Project. He gained a false
reputation in this way. Macon went out in his first expedition. He caught the police van under
fire. But this did not create any chaos even though the van turned into ashes. He continued
his activities.
Gradually he became a celebrity for his misdeeds in New York. His name was
published in various tabloids. He invited the white Americans in their neighbourhood at New
York. He observed a Day of Apology. On this day, the white people were asked to say sorry

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to the black Americans or Afro-Americans. They were asked to say sorry because they
misbehaved with the Black Americans. The white Americans deprived the black Americans
of their status in society and fundamental rights.
The novel discusses how the rights of the Afro-Americans are deprived. Macon
Detornay is a character who creates sufficient interest among the viewers. He had a grudge
against the white Americans. He wanted to wipe out racism from America in his own style.
In the novel Angry Black White Boy, the language of the Black Americans has been
adopted. The type of words used in the speech has been used here to present a realistic
picture. The term black has been used to express identities of the black American. For e.g.
I wouldnt want Kim and her black friend to think youd stood them up. (citation). Thus
we see how racism is based on skin color. Americans address Africans or other dark skinned
people as black and they regard themselves as white.
Macon is born in a Jewish family in America. He was brought up in Boston. There is
significant racial discrimination in America. The speeches of the characters show
exaggeration in order to create a dramatic effect. The drama is revealed here. In the
backseat, terror turned to anger just as fast. What the fuck? Scott roared, bracing his arms
and legs against the door, the walls, the floor. What are you, some kind of
maniac? (p61 ). This shows the aggressive speech and the scene depicting violence in the
novel.
Also when he robs American at gun point he uses harsh language. He uses slangs and
does not hesitate to take out his gun and point the people of his own colour and ethnicity. He
forcibly asks them to take out their wallets and other belongings. The irony is that in his
speech racism is directed towards white people rather than black. He wagged the gun a
centimeter, pointing. The speech of Macon is rough and abusive showing the hatred towards

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American culture. The abusive words of Macon can be seen here: Because youre a typical
ignorant white devil asshole, and you and everybody like you deserves to be robbed everyday
of your life. (p90 ) It shows the racial hatred clearly. It shows how a Jewish kid has shown
miscegenation in behavior. Macon is white and Jewish; he adopts the behavior of African
Americans and misbehaves or show hatred against Americans. This is a mark of protest in
order to support the black Americans and help them gain prestige and power in America.
Macon is seen communicating with other characters as well. Andre and Macon met
each other and became good friends. Andre introduced Nique who is a drug dealer and soon
the trio was created. Andre, Macon and Nique became good friends. When policeman grab
hold of Macon and dragged him to police station, these friends ran for him and proved their
friendship. The cops stuffed Macon, not urgently, into the backseat of a squad car parked on
114th Street. As they were pulling out, Andre ran up to the window. Roommate loyalty had
kicked in about fifty seconds after Macons departure.(p126)
Macon organized a group, which included gangsters. He wanted them to join Day of
Apology. This is for the white people. This oppression has been going on for 400 years. There
is a rhythm in the words of Angry Black White Boy. The vocabulary of hip hop culture has
been adopted wisely throughout the novel. The racial reconciliation is the main issue of this
novel. The reader can get a good idea of the racial discrimination. In post racial America, the
way Macon Detornay chased his goal, it is unlikely he will get any supporters.
Miscegenation means mixing of two races and here we have seen its existence. Because
Macon is a white boy but he seems to behave like a black man and does not hesitate to harm
or threaten his own race because he believes that white Americans are wrong because they
dont believe in equality and discriminates them and try to aloof them from the world. Thus

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we can say Macon exhibit hybrid identity. He is seen abusing Americans by addressing them
as white devil assholes.
After comparing the personalities we can say that Malcom X and Macon were both similar in
some ways as they both stood against racism. They both were courageous and didnt hesitate
to take any steps in life and they never thought what consequences they had to face
afterwards. During their struggles as an activist they both were sent to prison and this didnt
stop them from proceeding further in life. Macon was highly inspired by Malcolm X and in
spite of being born as a white American he choose to be a black activist.
If the novel is analyzed based on racial discrimination, neither the dialogues are
completely stereotypical nor subverted or exaggerated. I see a balance between the portrayals
of two races. At some place we see discrimination against the black but at other places we see
racism in the speeches and behaviour of Macon which is ironically against the white
Americans. I dont see that the racism against any particular caste, color or creed has been
exaggerated; instead it has been presented in a realistic manner.
Society has created the concept of race. It causes debilitation. Stratification in society
is due to race. Apart from racism we observe other elements too that is apology, identity
formation etc. Macon wants the Americans to apologize to the black and also he is trying to
build his identity as a black and he forgets that he is a white guy. The radicalism of black
Americans has been shown directly through speeches, actions, and references of Black
culture. Macon showed himself to be an admirer of hip-hop culture. Macon is closely related
hip-hop culture as compared to his original Jewish culture and also feels humiliated when
black community is treated badly by Americans.
The most astonishing fact of this story is Macon is a white boy and he is fighting for
the rights of black. Thus we observe that racism persists in society and hurts only a selected

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community. One community remains favoured while the other is deprived. When this racism
increase in society few people step forward to fight against this discrimination and here
Macon is the perfect example because being a white American he felt teh pain of other
community that is black.