Connection Between LAS 201 and World Literature Class Regarding the Theme of Social Justice

         Coming to the end of semester, I recognize that there is a connection between the liberal arts class LAS 201 and the world literature class. The reason for this is that both classes focus on several themes such as creation, cultural exchange, and social justice. In this piece of wiring, I want to emphasize the theme of social justice.
      First of all, in liberal art class, I learned a lot about the concepts of prejudice and racial and ethnic discrimination. These issues began with the importation of African Slaves in the 17^th century.  The Civil War and 14th amendment ended American slavery, but the prejudice and discrimination it created still exist in the modern world. I also learned that these issues usually form in very early life; they are shaped by family, school, and society.
       In world literature class, I continue to learn about social justice, not in documents and articles, but in stories, plays, and poems. I have come to believe that literature has the ability to reflect the issues of society. The evidence for saying that is the novel The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyem. This is one of books we read in class. The author of the book talks about how the girl, Jess, was born in Nigeria in 1984 to a Nigerian mother and an English father. They lived in London since their daughter was a little girl.  In this novel, the author mentions Jess’s experience of discrimination in an educational environment. She was treated in a different way because of her color and race.
       I also learned about these sensitive issues in another book in class is called July’s People by Nadine Gordimer. This book was a rewarded Nobel Prize in 1991. In her book, the author talks about anti-apartheid struggle, racism, prejudice, gender, and domination of people in South Africa. To achieve this goal, the author uses the comparisons between white families and black families. The white family has very good living conditions. They have room for every different living function (Gordimer 19). On the other hand, the black family has a single room, and everyone must sleep together on the single floor and use the restroom outdoors.
      The author also gives some examples of the economic inequalities that come from racial differences. During apartheid, black people had very few opportunities for jobs. The black men had to leave families behind to go to the city to find jobs. White men and women had greater access education and jobs.
       There are inequalities that are noticed in July’s People, as well. The first relationship is between husband and wife in the white family. This is a type of patriarchal household (Gordimer 11). The second relationship is July and his wife. They are likely a more matriarchal family because the woman has to take care of the family while the man goes far from home for work. Even though there is an opportunity for equality between July and his wife, it seems like July is still very much in charge, and July is a person who makes made final decisions. (Gordimer 22)
        In conclusion, both classes give me an opportunity to learn and understand the concepts of prejudice, racial and ethnic discrimination, and social justice. I would like to borrow an idea from Henry David Thoreau; “it is never too late to give up prejudice, discrimination in any way.” These concepts have a “strong energy” to bring hurt, stress, and pain to people who are victims of discrimination and create “dark color” in a beautiful picture of our society. In contrast, to make this picture more attractive, we need to think and act not just by our minds but also by our hearts. To do that is not easy for many people, but this is a mission that the Creator gave to each person who is living and working as a human being.