Introduction

The genre" Citizen," written by Claudia, provides an insight into the themes of racism by employing literary techniques to emphasize the seriousness of the issue. In The Genre, Claudia uses various literary techniques to draw attention to the lives of black Americans and the challenges they go through because of their race. The title "Citizen" is very significant as it shows the pervasiveness of being a citizen where racism is accepted. Issues related to racism have, for the longest been present in America despite the efforts of our ancestors to end them. Life as a black American is not easy. Such people face all kinds of challenges in the hands of white people. Claudia's genre "Citizen tackles institutional racism and issues of race and identity through the use of literary techniques such as second-person perspective, metaphor and simile, commentary transitions, and arguments to delve into significant racial issues such as racial prejudice and stereotypes, the theme of bigotry, implicit bias, and legitimacy, racial invisibility.

Analysis

One of the major literary elements used in the genre is lyrical prose. The author makes comments about the continuation of racism in contemporary society via poetic prose. An early passage in the book quotes the narrator as saying, "You and your friend decided that "yes, and" attested to a life with no turn-off, no alternative routes" (Rankine 8). Saying "yes, and" is a declaration of acceptance of the current quo, which is racist. Rankine makes commentary on racism in modern culture by incorporating several works of art within the narrative. Although these works push the boundaries of lyric writing, they also provide vital background information for the points made throughout Citizen's poetry and prose. Also, Rankine makes reference to the Middle Passage and the slave trade that carried slaves from Africa to the Americas in her commentary on how the past of a people group is mirrored in their current circumstances.

Turner's painting complements Claudia Rankine's lyrical lyrics, giving the reader a picture to help them understand the poet's concepts.

Another literary technique used by the author to emphasize themes in the genre is commentary transitions and argument. In Citizen, Rankine makes the case that black people must follow certain rules in order to go about their everyday lives without encountering racism's consequences. Serena Williams, a tennis player, is the focus of this discussion. Rankine uses lyrical language to explain how Williams faced ridicule for calling attention to what she believed to be racist actions by authorities and other athletes. Because "no one was saying anything explicitly about Serena's black body," the storyteller makes it clear that "you are not the only viewer who thought it was getting in the way of [the umpire's] sight line" (Rankine 27).

Rankine's argument, which is masterfully written, is that the white majority does not see the experiences of Black people in society as a rationale for their feelings. Williams is not anticipated to become irritated in spite of this event or any more like it in the future. The narrator's exhortation would have caused "you" to give in to your sentiments, which would have brought up memories of previous injustices against a people as a whole.

The universality of Citizen's themes implies that the events described may really apply to all Black Americans, even if it is never made explicit whether or not the narrator actually experienced them (Cantero 92). Rankine's usage of the pronoun "you," in particular, compels readers of all races and ethnicities to imagine themselves in the described situation and think about the consequences it may have for different racial groups. Rankine uses the instance of a man who disparaged a gathering of young people using a racial slur. "Now there you go" is the other character's response to the protagonist expressing dissatisfaction with the language (Rankine 16). The use of the word "you" conjures up a racist stereotype of a brazen and aggressive Black person while highlighting the man's conviction that the person who spoke up is at fault. The issue of why the person would have expected it is raised by the fact that this "you" refers to all readers. Like in many other locations, the usage of the second person lends credibility to the topics being discussed and facilitates the understanding that they affect all Black Americans.

Conclusion

Claudia Rankine's "Citizen" serves as a good example of the effects of racism in contemporary society. Today, most people think that racism has ended because there are rules that have been set against racism, but the fact is racism still exists in the United States of America. The reason why people think that there is no racism is because they think racism is depicted in the form of acts. However, there are so many ways through which racism is expressed, such as through implicit bias, stereotypes, and bigotry. Claudia, in his genre, delves into how racism is still a challenge by employing literary techniques. This is shown by the feelings of the characters in "Citizen". To eliminate deep-rooted racism, we should unveil direct and indirect things that reveal racism, just like Claudia did. We should consider that we all come from different racism and backgrounds for us to fight racism.