An Analysis of “The C Above C Above High C”

United States of America is a diverse country and there are many races that live here. Race may be defined on the basis of natural and biological origins. Some describe it on the basis of social and cultural values that a group of people adhere to. The African American race descents from the ancient African slaves that lived in America. African Americans make the largest racial minority in the United States (Bryant, p. 18). The current president of United States of America also belongs to this racial minority group. The paper discusses the racism and discrimination against the African Americans in the light of the play The C Above C Above High C, and the book Heart of Darkness. The many studies on African Americans and the racism against them present the African Americans as a commodity and an object for people to study.

In the play The C Above C Above High C, the question arises why does the playright approach the social issue as he does? Perhaps the main reason Ishmael Reed approaches the social issue of racism the way he does in his play is to engage his readers early on in the piece. He intentionally used a recognizable event in American history (including the children that it affected) in his play so that the audience could relate to the issues, regardless of race. “These little school children in Little Rock are gettin' bricks thrown at them. Just for trying to go to school. That little girl, Elisabeth, was attacked by that mob of hyenas. These kids are being spat upon” (Reed, p. 291). When reading this passage of how these children where treated the reader develops a reaction of perhaps disbelief, outrage, sorrow and sympathy, allowing the reader to identify on a personal level with the characters.

Through the events that took place during the Little Rock crisis Reed uses his two main characters Armstrong, a well-known African-American Jazz musician, and Dwight Eisenhower, President of the United States. Armstrong critiques President Eisenhower verbally: “Famed trumpeter Louis Armstrong has said the President Eisenhower should show some guts, go to Little Rock and escort the children into the school” (Reed, p. 298). This was a very bold and daring move for an African-American to make during this period regardless of his position and fame. Here, Reed engaged his audience making them identify with the social issue at hand. Reed uses the word choice of High C throughout his story serving as a living pun. The meaning of this play on word allows the story to portray a different meaning depending on the reader. Reaching the High C signified reaching the ultimate goal, and allowing one to literally see the height of social normative residence in this time period. In Armstrong's case reaching the High C was not signified by how he played is his instrument the Trumpet; it was the struggle of racism and what he could do to make a ...