The Letter

Dear sister,

I hope you are doing well and that work is going alright as well. I am writing this letter to tell you about a book I am reading for my English 115 class titled Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine. I want to tell you about this amazing book, which I highly recommend that you read it as well. When I first heard that I had to read the book, I immediately thought about how I am not a big fan of reading. But when I first started reading the text, I found it very interesting and unique as this book does not compare to any of the books I have read before.

First, let me tell you about Citizen: An American Lyric, published by poet Rankine in 2014. She has modified the text in recent years; therefore, some of the words are different in the most recent version than in the old one. The book contains multiple stories about microaggressions that African Americans have to deal with simply because of their skin color. One thing that caught my attention when reading the text was that the book is written using a second-person point of view, something I had not been familiar with before since this is the first book I read that is structured this way. While reading, Rankine makes the readers feel more connected with the different stories and imagine the scenarios described in the text by using the word “you". It is a bit confusing if I explain it; therefore, it would be best to read the book yourself to experience it. One example is when she writes about a scenario where you have an appointment with a new therapist. You and the therapist have only spoken with each other on a phone call. Then when you arrive at her house for the appointment and “when the door finally opens, the woman standing there yells, at the top of her lungs, Get away from my house! What are you doing in my yard?” (Rankine Section I). It is amazing how you immediately imagine being in that individual’s shoes because of the use of the word “you”. Also, you suddenly feel the emotions they are feeling, like confusion and probably rage, because of being judged based on their appearance.

The book’s structure is fascinating because it is written confusingly to make the reader research and pay attention to every word to get its message. Also, the book itself is very informative to the readers. Some people who decide to read Citizen: An American Lyric might have never experienced such microaggressions; in that case, the book will teach them something new. They will also learn that their words impact other people and that they should be more careful about the comments they make. Sometimes their words might not be offensive to them, but it might not be the same for those around them.

I also want to tell you about how Rankine writes about a person’s past and present. Especially about how she tells the reader to accept their pasts because they make them who they are. One quote from her text that I found interesting was, “The past is a life sentence, a blunt instrument aimed at tomorrow” (Rankine Section V). With this quote, she tells the reader how they have to accept what has happened in the past because it is what is helping shape what will happen in their future days. It is essential for us as human beings to accept it, to accept what we have done or what we have faced in the past because we will learn and form our present with it.

These are just a few examples of what I have learned this past few weeks while reading Citizen: An American Lyric. Sister, I highly recommend this book, give it a read and do lots of research to get its message. As young people, we must make our knowledge broader regarding such things as microaggressions. I hope this has convinced you to spare some time and give this book a chance.

Take care, and I hope to hear back from you soon,

Darlin Cifuentes.

Rankine, Claudia. Citizen: An American Lyric. Penguin Books, 2015

The Scene

You are going on your afternoon walk down the street. After passing a few blocks you suddenly see a mural dedicated to George Floyd. You smell the fresh paint. You stand there and observe the words “Racism needs to end”. You are reminded of the news you watched a few days ago which talked about George Floy, an innocent black man who was murdered by a white police officer. Seeing the image of his face in front of you makes it more surreal, more enraging, and more devastating. The riots happening across the country, the tear gas, and the rubber bullets being thrown at pacifists protestors make you question if you are living in the 21st century. But, seeing people’s unity revives your hope for a better future. “It will get better,” you say to yourself.