The play GRAY MATTER brings out the inherent racist attitudes that exist in the minds of the Americans. The play touches upon the subject of racial stereotyping and profiling. Racism has been a major issue in the United states since the colonial era and even in modern U.S.., many African Americans are living in the margins.
Jeanette has taken this theme as the background of the play, THE GRAY MATTER. The play is set in a police station, where Marge, an old white woman is found sitting in a chair with her purse in the chair next to her. When she finds Russell, an African American enter, she tucks the purse close to her instinctively which makes Russsell angry. This act of Marge sets the tone of the play. As soon as Marge sees a black man who is not so well dressed enter, she assumes him to be a criminal and take care of her purse feeling insecure.
Russell questions her as to why she thought of him as a criminal even as she disagrees at first. She then confessed that she just followed her instinct which said that he is a criminal. She completely ignores his conventional non- verbal behaviour of signing in and instead hurts him when he is about to initiate a conversation about her lost bag.
Russell points out to Marge that she would have exchanged recipes if there had been an old white woman near her, but having a black man near her made her feel insecure as she had a preconceived notion that blacks were dangerous. Later in the play, Marge comes to know that Russell has come to the station to handover Marge's lost purse which he found on the streets. It was Russell who makes her realise that she is racist even though she does not openly agree. In the place of a criminal, as Marge expected, was a kind and honest man who sought the help of law to restore a lost purse to its owner.
Russell turned out to be an upright citizen who uncovered the racist attitude of Marge leaving her embarrased and humbled. Marge's fixed wrong notions filled her with deep misgivings about his intended good deeds.
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Racism is the bitter truth which still exists not just in America but in many countries. Would love to see this show. But it's high time that people show grow up and see humans just as humans.
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