BLACKOUT- by Roger Mais This short story was set in a Caribbean island, most like Jamaica since the author hails from that country. It was set during World War II. The title, “Blackout” is given, referring to two things. It could be literal, referring to the city being in darkness due to the policy of conserving electricity during the war. It could also be referring to the woman being in a figurative darkness, that is, that she cannot she the truth or the “light” of all people being equal. The story is written from the third-person limited omniscient point of view. This means that the narrator is not a character, but is narrating the story as if from the outside. The narrator can only see into the mind of one character- the American woman- hence the term, “limited”. By showing us the woman’s thoughts, we can see into the mind of a racist and understand what she thinks of the man- just because he is black. We can see her change in emotion and opinion as the interaction continues. The American woman was waiting at the bus stop. She was calm despite the recent attacks by “hooligans” on unprotected young women. She was positive and proud of her American heritage, up keeping the tradition of not being easily scared. WHAT HAPPENED She saw the shadow. She was approached by the black man.
OPINION/EMOTION Slightly curious Intrigued thinking that there was novelty in it She was so convinced of her superiority that she considered it new or unusual She found it- something that should have been normal- intriguing The man asked for a light for She reveals her racism his cigarette and he steadily She didn’t have a match but wonders whether he looked at her with pride, would believe her challenge and quiet She was uneasy about giving him a light from the amusement. He could sense cigarette she was smoking feeling that it was too that she was racial but he intimate with a black man was proud of his ethnic background and wanted to see what she would do. She finally offered her She had meant for him to collect the cigarette and cigarette and he bent over to light his light his own. She was a bit appalled and slightly disgusted that
He was smoking only half a cigarette which he was conserving on
The man’s expression changed to cold and speculating.
a black man had come so close to her After smoking the cigarette with much enjoyment, she flicked it away unthinkingly The cigarette was no longer appealing after a black man used it for a light She casually threw away almost a whole cigarette as she could easily replace it She was unnerved but not frightened She felt uncomfortable as the black man looked at her in that way and she realised she revealed her racist behaviour She began to feel that he was contemptuous of her and felt that it was very rude
The man sarcastically Her idea of superiority is shown again as she apologised for “making” her mentions that she feels indecent to be “jawing” waste a whole cigarette and with a black man at a street corner commented that it was She further thinks that he should leave despite the nothing for her to buy fact that the road was a public facility and therefore she had nothing to do with it She says that she should snub him quietly, “the way she should have properly done from the start”. Her superior thinking is further shown as she believes that the proper thing for white people to do is to snub the black people He threatens he, saying that She thinks that he should be lynched as in if she were a man, he would America, he would be lynched for doing a lot less give her something to think She felt exasperated and then decided to humour about him as her incident would be something to “talk about” back in America She saw the man’s encounter with her and his pride as something funny that she could mock with her friends She further asks him if he really thinks that all men are equal as if no one should possibly think that She left for the bus as he Her confidence, however, was shaken stood aloof and strong. His She felt challenged and disturbed as it was pride had not been shaken probably the first time that a black person had by her treating him as not behaved submissively towards her
inferior. IRONY: The white American woman felt that the black man was insolent for supposedly looking at her in a “contemptuous” and “speculating” way. This is ironic as she is the one actually being rude. She threw away almost an entire cigarette because a black man used it for a light. Because he disliked that treatment, she felt that he was being insolent. SATIRE: As the American woman left on the bus, the man picked up the cigarette that she had thrown away. His pride, evident just moments before, had suddenly disappeared as he submitted to his need for a cigarette. His action was described as “hungrily”. What she considered easily dispensable, he considered of great importance. He is suddenly made to look ridiculous after his show of pride and strength.
CONFLICT: 1. MAN VS. HIMSELF- The woman thinks that she is not a racist, but she is. 2. MAN VS. HIMSELF- The man fights between his pride and his need for a cigarette that allows him to pick up one she has thrown away 3. MAN VS. MAN- The man’s personal dignity and freedom are in conflict with the woman’s racist assumptions about black people 4. MAN VS. MAN- The man’s innocent motives are in conflict with the deep fear the woman has of black people
