How I Became A Jew
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Clark Blaise's short story " How I Became a Jew" follows a racist boy named Gerald Gordon, who is from Georgia. During his first day of school, Gerald learns a life lesson, he begins to view the world from a different perspective, but only after he, himself becomes a victim of racism and discrimination.
The reason Gerald is racist is due to his upbringing. Gerald comes from a very racist and ignorant family from Georgia, where segregation and discrimination is simply a part of daily life. " 'I ain't even been to a baseball game since they got that nigger and I ain't ever going.' " As a result of his parents and their friend's hatred towards the blacks, Gerald becomes greatly influenced by them, and grows some of his own hatred towards the blacks. This is very evident when he gets set up by Squirrel during recess and is knocked out with a baseball. The first words that come to Gerald's mind to describe his frustration are very vulgar and racist ones. " ' That burr-head nigger son-of-a-bitch. That goddam nigger...