The Use of Derogatory Terms

Ozzie is a black sherrif in the county. He approaches the rednecks trying to ask some questions regarding to the rape. As he arrived, the redneck men call him a “nigger”. The White can do everything to the Blacks, including to call the Blacks who is a law officer as nigger. In the Old South, the word is commonly addressed to the Blacks as low race and donot deserve high job. The word “nigger” used by the redneck men more or less reveals the caste of Blacks. The Blacks’ position in the society is still low although he is a sheriff. That the Blacks tend to have a low position still exists. Moreover, in this sentence the Blacks are portrayed to have lower position than in the newer era: “the men drank whiskey and talked about the good timeswhen niggers knew their place.” Grisham, 1989: 16. The redneck views that Blacks do not deserve something high. In some occasion, the Blacks also call themselves as “nigger” too. It is shown by this sentence: Lemme ask you this. If it was your little girl, and if it was two niggers, and you could get your hands on them, what would you do? Grisham, 1989: 7. The sentence is said by Carl Lee Hailey, a black man when he speaks to his lawyer, a white man Jack Brigance. Whenever a black man call himself “nigger” that does not mean that they accept the addressing. This is seen as a means to mock the Whites. Ill say nigger if I wanna say nigger, and there aint a damned thing you can do, replied Rita Mae. Please dont use that word, said Frances McGowan. I find it personally offensive, said Wanda Womack. Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Rita Mae yelled across the table. Come on, said Clyde Sisco. Oh boy, said the foreman. Look, Miss Plunk, lets be honest, okay. Most of us use that word, from time to time. Im sure some of us use it more than others. But its offensive to many people, and I think itd be a good idea not to use it during our deliberations. Weve got enough to worry about as it is. Can we all agree not to use that word?” Grisham, 1989: 263 According to the quotation above, it is common for Whites to say offensive words to Blacks in the south. Even, it happens at the court session. During a meeting of jury in Carl Lee’s trial, Rita Mae says this offensive words. Because of that, she makes the situation between the blacks and the whites becomes serious, as in the session of the jury members there are also some black juries. The jury members however consist of whites and blacks, but mostly whites. Shut up, you wild niggers Stump shrieked back. Shut up, you animals His troops stood facing him, frozen, with their backs to the screaming crowd. Ozzie and six deputies moved between the groups. Grisham, 1989: 181 The quotation above reflects the situation in the south. Stump is a Klan man. Along with the Ku Klux Klan members, they march along the county to gain support. They face some black men in their ways. As a white supremacist group member, Stump begins his provocation. For the Whites, this offensive word is a reflection of their belief that the Blacks are still perceived as inferior. By repeatedly saying that word, the Whites is trying to figure a position, where the Blacks as inferior. Also, this is to show their superiority. Niggers could march and demonstrate all day long and no one cared. But let white folks try and march and it was dangerous. Grisham, 1989: 180 The Blacks are on the street marching to gain support to defend Carl Lee in his trial. However, in the White society, Blacks do not stand any chance to gain supports. The society tends to ignore them, as the society has also their product: the whites who also march on the street wanted Carl Lee to be in the gas chamber. The Whites’ march can be more dangerous, as they march in a white world, the place they think they own.

b. Deployment of Images

Murfin and Ray 2003: 209 said that images are commonly shaped to make a representation of something or a mental picture of some visible things. Images can be used to mean “idea” or “vision”. While according to Cuddon 1999: 413, in a simple way images are treated as media to help people perceive things. Many images are conveyed by figurative language, such as metaphor and simile. In the case of Blacks, Whites usually refer them to portrayals that can make them inferior. The analysis of the deployment of images in this section deals with the situation of the county, as mentioned in Grisham’s work 1989: 1 below. They drove past Lake Chatulla, a large, man-made mud-hole in the far southwest corner of Ford County, looking for a place to throw out their unwanted passenger. At each bridge they approached, they saw blacks fishing in the muddy water. The image that labels Blacks as a passive race is mentioned above. The phrase “fishing in the muddy water” seems to strenghten the idea. With the pressure from the Whites, and also the limited job market, the Blacks prefer to fish in a muddy water. They do not choose to do something else rather than that. That implies the passive qualities from the Blacks. Furthermore, the image of the Blacks is mentioned in Grisham’s work 1989: 3 below. Ozzie Walls was the only black sheriff in Mississippi. He was proud of this, especially since Ford County was 74 percent white and the other black sheriffs had been from much blacker counties. The word “only” shows that there is just a small chance for the Blacks to have a high position in the society. Ozzie Walls is the law officer though he is black. The Blacks are still figured as passive and inferior. More or less this is because of the system created by Whites, where the Blacks do not stand many chances to stand up in a good position in the society or even in job opportunity. She did not move. Willard asked Cobb if he thought she was dead. Cobb opened another beer and explained that she was not dead because niggers generally could not be killed by kicking and beating and raping. It took much more, something like a knife or a gun or a rope to dispose of a nigger. Although he had never taken part in such a killing, he had lived with a bunch of niggers in prison and knew all about them. Some of the whites were beaten and raped, and some of them died. But none of the niggers. Their heads were harder. Willard seemed satisfied. Grisham, 1989: 2 Blacks are portrayed to have good physical appearance. The sentence “it took much more” seems to underline that. Blacks cannot be killed just by kicking, beating or even raping. It takes more than that. The image of the Blacks is to have strong physical power, and the Whites view this as a threat. By slavery, in the Old South, the Whites are able to use Blacks’ physical ability to work in their plantation. The Blacks women are the victims of sexual abuse. By the Whites, Blacks are treated merely as sexual threat. The physical appearance of the blacks makes the Whites become jealous. The Blacks, according to the Whites, have more physical power. The passage from Grisham 1989: 8 below reflects that for the Whites, the Black girl is not only a disgrace, but also a sin. The rednecks believe