Chapter 1: If He Hollers Let Him Go

In the Novel If He Hollers Let Him Go, by Chester Himes, Himes starts the novel with a setting in which many people can relate to. He uses this scene to introduce a topic, racism, which is very important, in a casual tone to show how frequent and accustomed the main character is to it. In this opening scene Bob (the main character) wakes up from a dream he had with a very unpleasant and lazy attitude toward his day. I found this introduction to the novel interesting because racism is a sensitive topic and by incorporating this tone to the scene. Himes creates a sufficient level of comfort with the topic since the beginning of the book. Also with this scene he also helps the audience connect with how the character feels by making Bob’s reaction t in not wanting to face racism similar to those of the everyday Joe not wanting to go to work.

Throughout this whole chapter, Bob constantly shows that he is a proud and aware colored man. In the dream his response to the lieutenant’s unfair assumptions:”’Oh, you gonna keep ‘em running upstairs until you find out what one’s crippled. ‘Suddenly it struck me as funny, and I began laughing” (Himes 5), shows that Bob has accepted his racial background and is comfortable with expressing it. I don’t think that the racism based dream was a sign of self discomfort but instead discomfort with the society that has been created because of the war. Bob explains that he felt confidence before the war but then during the war the racism got worse. I believe that Bob is like everyone else because he sees that what causes his problems is his social position but he still decides to stay in the occupation he has. He talks about his girlfriend and explains that she is successful and pushes him to improve but he doesn’t try to.  This chapter was interesting and important to me because many the people that live near me have this same feeling. They are treated as inferior and less experienced just because they are minorities.

 

Works Cited

Himes, Chester B. If He Hollers Let Him Go. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 2002. Print.