abby+reflection+1

This page reflects both the racism that was in America and that that still exists today. The two first paintings by Norman Rockwell are older than the other two paintings at the bottom of the page and they are more blunt in their meanings. The first painting "Moving in" depicts two black kids moving into a neighborhood with two white kids, who obviously don't want to see them there. The second one is the first day Ruby Bridges went to an all white school. In the background of the Ruby Bridges painting there are tomato splatters on the wall and she is surrounded by guards. These two paintings are of very blatant hatred. De Toquevilled comments on the theme of these paintings, by saying that he believes that the two races will never mix, and from these pictures it is fairly obvious that the two races dispise eachother. The two more modern paintings by Robert Mapplethorpe and Franz Kline are a little bit more vague in their meanings. The passage from the book __Brown__ comments on modern racism, and specifically less blatent forms of it, for instance through categories in book stores. The Robert Mapplethorpe photograph shows a contrast between black and white, which is symbolic of the racism still plaguing our world today.The picture of Franz Kline is also a painting about sexuality, one man in this photo is straight while the other gay, one man has his eyes open and the other has his eyes closed. Apart from racism that exists now there is also discrimination against gay people, which was an issue in the 1960's but is a bigger issue now. The final painting by Franz Kline is a very abstract painting from a particular time and theme of painting. A lot of modern abstract art from this particular time period doesn't have a particular meaning, but acts as a mirror. Whatever you see in yourself is projected in the artwork that you look at. So, if America has oppression inside of itself, looking at a painting like this would bring those feelings out. There is also a deep contrast between light and dark in this painting. The common theme throughout these paintings is oppression, hatred, and discrimination.