Discrimination In Little Bees

Words: 418
Pages: 2

One cannot form long lasting bonds with someone from another culture because prejudices are so ingrained. People scowl at anyone who is a different color than their own. People are labeled. There are so many different stereotypes: “All white Americans are obese and dim-witted,” “All Arabs and Muslims are terrorists,” “All black people are thieves.” The discrimination between those of different races is surreal. One example of discrimination is shown within the novel, Little Bee. Refugees have come to England in which they are clearly a different skin color than those who live in England. They are black while those in England are white. In order to leave the detention center, four refugees got into a taxi cab. Little Bee, one of the refugees, was trying to make small talk with the driver while on their trip to their new destination. The …show more content…
Moreover, within the same novel, a man in Nigeria explained to Englanders, “White man been giving me this finger all my life” (Cleave 113) while referring to the middle finger. As we all know, sticking up the middle finger is a hand gesture used to describe anger/hatred towards another person. Because the whites stuck up their middle fingers to the Nigerians, it is clear that the whites felt no respect towards the Nigerians, and one cannot have a friend that they do not respect. On this same beach, Englanders Sarah and Charlie were present in order to help defend previously stated refugee, Little Bee. On this same beach, Little Bee convinced Charlie to take off his batman costume: a costume that he refused to take off because it made him feel safe. The text states, “Charlie pulled off the mask first, and the local children gasped when they saw his blond hair….they said, Weh! Because such a child had never before been seen in that place” (Cleave 266). Even the young Nigerian children were discriminating against young Charlie. They were confused at the sight of him. They were shocked that he was