Analysis Of Roxane Gay’S Short Story Motherfuckers
Roxane Gay is the writer of the novel “Ayiti” which was published in 2011 by Artistically Declined Press. “Motherfuckers” is one of the many short stories in her novel Ayiti. Gay argues that in America, it's difficult for Haitians to adapt to a country that is entirely different from what they are used to. It's also really challenging for Haitians or even immigrants in general on trying to fit in with a crowd they feel isn't accepting of their culture or where they originate from. Gay adopts an exasperated tone in order to persuade her American audience of not giving others who don't share the same background a fair chance.
The purpose of this short story is to show no matter where a person may come from, everyone should be accepted and treated with respect. Gay begins building her credibility with specific reasoning, effectiveness of the using ones experience, and successfully applying emotional appeals. In Gay’s story “Motherfuckers,” it tells a story of a 14-year old boy named Gerard who makes a big move from Haiti to America. Gerard constantly thinks about the reasons he hates America. Gerard lives with his parents in a two bedroom apartment and shares his bedroom with his sister and their cousin Edy. Gerard's father used to be a journalist back home in Haiti and now is a deli clerk for 8 hours a day and pretends not to speak English fluently. Gerard finds out that the kids at his school present him with the nickname HBO. His cousin Edy lies and says its a channel that stands for Home Box Office and shows the famous actor Bruce Willis. As time went on, Gerard notices a bag full of “cheap colognes” in his locker. He takes it home and shows it to his cousin Edy and he replies with “Those motherfuckers.” HBO stands for horrible body odor and Gerard becomes infuriated when he finds out. The next day, he drenches himself with the cheap cologne enough that it makes his classmates eyes water.
The first appeal the author addresses is the appeal to logos which gives the reader reasoning on why Gay’s character Gerard seems to have such a negative outlook on America. Gerard quickly decides that he dislikes everything that his new home has to offer. “Gerard spends his days thinking about the many reasons he hates America that include but are not limited to the people, the weather, especially the cold, and having to drive everywhere and having to go to school everyday. He is fourteen. He hates lots of things”. The reader may be aware that America’s way of life is unquestionably different from Gerards old life in Haiti. By providing the reasons mentioned above, the reader is able to understand where the character’s struggles begin.
Gay’s uses strong appeals to ethos on Gerard’s own personal experience with not being accepted by Americans. He is ridiculed based on the fact that he has a certain smell. Gay uses Gerards personal experience because readers may have experience the same thing in some point of their lives. “... Then edy explains what HBO means. Gerard clenches his fist. He decides he hates every motherfucker he goes to school with… The next morning, he applies cologne so liberally that it makes his classmates eyes water. When they call him HBO he adds a little something extra to his yippee-ki-yay”.
Along with using strong ethos, Gay adequately uses appeals to pathos in order for her audience to express a feeling of disgust or bitterness. Towards the end of the story, Gerard’s anger rises even more which draws the reader's even deeper in the story. Gerard is introduced with a bag of cheap colognes from school with big block lettering written on it. He finds out the meaning behind the word and is incensed. “.....Gerard finds a bad of cheap colognes in his locker. “For HBO” is written on the front of the bag in large block letters. It is a strange gift, he thinks, and he takes it home…Then edy explains what HBO means. Gerard clenches his fist. He decides he hates each and every motherfucker he goes to school with”. Gay uses specific words to show the emotion or frustration of Gerards feelings such as “hate,” “clenches,” and “motherfucker.” Gay was very successful in using certain words that her readers are very familiar with. These words help the reader understand where the characters frustration comes from.
In all parts, Gay makes an excellent argument specifying reasons on how difficult it is of change and trying to fit in with a new crowd. Readers can see the challenges that Gay’s character Gerards has to face. She successfully uses rhetorical devices to help build her credibility with specific reasoning, effectiveness of one's experience, and the usage of emotional appeals.
