Claudia Rankine's Citizen: Race, Racism, and Modern America
This paper reviews and analyzes Claudia Rankine's poetry collection Citizen: An American Lyric, exploring its treatment of racial bias, systemic racism, and the lived experiences of Black Americans in the contemporary United States. The analysis covers Rankine's use of real-world events—including the Trayvon Martin case and the Jena Six—as evidence of ongoing racial disparities in how Black people are perceived and treated. The paper also examines the concept of "John Henryism," the psychological stress caused by racism, and reflects on the book's potential to educate readers. It concludes by assessing both the strengths and limitations of Rankine's approach as a vehicle for social change.
- Introduction: Historical context of U.S. race relations and Rankine's purpose
- The Trayvon Martin Case and Everyday Racial Bias: Zimmerman case, racial perception, and real-world bias examples
- John Henryism and the Psychological Toll of Racism: Stress caused by racism and its mental health consequences
- The Book's Reception and the Limits of Persuasion: Reader responses and challenges of changing entrenched attitudes
- Conclusion: Rankine's strengths and balanced approach to racial education
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its literary analysis in concrete real-world events—the Trayvon Martin case and the Jena Six—giving the discussion immediate social relevance and context.
- It introduces and explains the concept of "John Henryism," demonstrating the student's engagement with Rankine's text beyond surface-level summary.
- The conclusion strikes a balanced tone, acknowledging both the power and the limits of Rankine's work, avoiding simple praise or condemnation.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses a text-to-world analytical approach: it reads specific passages and examples from Citizen alongside documented current events to argue that Rankine's themes are not merely poetic but socially urgent. This technique—connecting literary evidence to empirical and historical context—is a foundational skill in literary and cultural analysis.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a historical overview of race relations in the U.S. as context, then moves into a sustained analysis section covering racial bias, the Trayvon Martin case, John Henryism, and the book's reception. A brief conclusion evaluates Rankine's rhetorical approach and its social value. The structure is relatively informal—more review than academic essay—but the argument progresses logically from context to analysis to evaluation.
Introduction
It is without question that race relations and the treatment of minorities—Black people in particular—have progressed significantly over the existence of the United States. Slavery was abolished nearly a century into the nation's founding in 1865, and the Jim Crow era came to a halt in light of events like Brown v. Board of Education in the 1950s and the Civil Rights laws passed in the 1960s. However, even though many of the most abhorrent behaviors that typified those earlier eras are now outlawed, what has instead emerged is a rather underground yet perceptible pattern of Black people being treated in ways that are clearly different—more negative and more violent—than is the case with white people or even other minority groups.
While some may disagree or downplay what is happening in today's society, Claudia Rankine, by her own words and as is evident in her poetry collection Citizen, is trying to shine a light on this remaining stain within the United States and its cultural and societal fabric—an era defined by events like the killing of Trayvon Martin and the Jena Six.
The Trayvon Martin Case and Everyday Racial Bias
Apologists for what supposedly occurred during the confrontation between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, just prior to Martin being shot and killed, point out that forensic evidence suggests Martin was leaning over Zimmerman and striking him. Beyond that, Zimmerman was indeed injured, and some have argued that he may have had reason to feel threatened. However, Zimmerman's actions and behavior since his acquittal on charges of manslaughter and murder—as well as the lack of definitive proof as to who instigated the confrontation, why Zimmerman felt compelled to approach Martin in the first place, and what occurred just before the gun was drawn—all lend credence to the idea that Zimmerman, acquitted or not, could have and should have handled things differently. Staying at a distance and calling the police, if he genuinely believed Martin was acting suspiciously, would have been the more prudent course. Furthermore, Martin's race was likely a factor in Zimmerman's decision-making (Walden).
Since that event, and earlier incidents such as the Jena Six, there has been a litany of other cases that have illuminated how police and broader society treat Black suspects and civilians differently. There is a widespread perception that the police—and society as a whole—view Black people through a different and more suspicious lens based on race alone, even when nothing else is known about the individual involved.
A real-world illustration of this dynamic is the image of an elderly white woman walking down the street and instinctively clutching her purse more tightly when a Black man passes by. Certainly, certain behaviors or demeanors can trigger alarm in people regardless of race. However, as Claudia Rankine and others assert—rightly—some people are conditioned to perceive and treat Black people in ways that are unjust and bigoted, based on nothing more than race. A pointed example from Rankine's text involves a real estate agent who repeatedly tells a Black couple viewing a home that she is completely "comfortable" around them, despite no apparent reason having been given for her to feel otherwise (Rankine).
John Henryism and the Psychological Toll of Racism
Another concept Rankine addresses in the text is what is known as "John Henryism"—the idea that people experience significant psychological stress as a direct result of racism. In a world where Black people are routinely treated as less than human, as criminals, or as otherwise deficient compared to others—even when there is no tangible evidence of wrongdoing or poor character—it is entirely understandable that such treatment would cause profound mental and emotional harm. One might compare this to the experiences of people with gender dysphoria: much of the mental suffering that such individuals endure is caused, in large part if not entirely, by the bigoted treatment they receive from others (Love). As Rankine makes clear, Black people face a comparable reality. Simply by virtue of their race, Black people inhabit an entirely different social paradigm, and they are acutely aware of it.
It is true that not all non-Black people think or behave in prejudiced ways. Nevertheless, it makes complete sense that a glance from a police officer or a stranger can trigger apprehension, fear, or even anger in a Black person who has been conditioned by repeated experiences of bias. The poem includes, as part of its treatment of Henryism, the aspiration of "bucking the trend." As with many forms of mental suffering, however, that is far easier said than done (Rankine).
Conclusion
Something that Rankine does exceedingly well is make clever, well-chosen points and provide compelling examples of how Black people can come to feel belittled or regarded as "less than." The common habit—regardless of intent—of treating it as remarkable or noteworthy that a Black man or woman is articulate or intelligent reflects a subtle but real form of bias that deserves to be called out gently and thoughtfully. By contrast, someone using a racial slur toward a Black person or likening Michelle Obama to a primate is a far more overt offense that warrants an entirely different and more forceful response.
Rankine gets this distinction right. Rather than preaching or condemning all white people categorically, she tells the story of what Black people continue to endure in contemporary America. This approach allows non-Black readers to learn through examples and to reflect on their own behaviors and perceptions. By educating rather than alienating, Rankine creates the conditions for genuine understanding—and that is precisely what makes Citizen such a powerful and necessary work.
Works Cited
Amazon. "Amazon.com: Citizen: An American Lyric (9781555976903): Claudia Rankine: Books." Amazon.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 23 Feb. 2017.
Love, Shayla. "Transgender Identity Is Considered a Mental Illness by WHO. But That May Soon Change." chicagotribune.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Feb. 2017.
Rankine, Claudia. Citizen. 1st ed. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2014. Print.
Walden, Tiffany. "George Zimmerman Shooting Suspect Has 'Fixation,' Other Problems, Report Says." OrlandoSentinel.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 23 Feb. 2017.
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