Week 7 Reading Diary: Brer Rabbit

This week, I read the Brer Rabbit unit from the African folklore section in the Un-Textbook.

The description of the unit in the Un-Textbook said the stories are "told in dialect." I did not understand what this meant until I actually started reading. It was certainly a very unique way to write out a story (although it makes sense that it is transcribed just like it would be told; oral communication was the most prevalent method of storytelling in that setting). It took me a little while to get used to the style, but I found that if I read out loud, it helped me to comprehend the reading a little better.

My favorite story in this unit was the Wonderful Tar Baby. In this, Brer Rabbit encounters a doll made of tar, constructed by Brer Fox as a trick. When Brer Rabbit attempts to make conversation with the figure, it doesn't respond. Brer Rabbit gets frustrated, thinking it rude, and tries to beat the tar baby but gets stuck. The ending is somewhat ambiguous as the reader doesn't know if Brer Rabbit ever gets out of his trap ("Some say Judge B'ar come 'long en loosed 'im—some say he didn't.").

In How Mr. Rabbit was too Sharp for Mr. Fox, Brer Rabbit gets back at Brer Fox for the tar baby trick. Here, the reader truly sees Mr. Rabbit's cunning. Whereas in previous stories, he didn't seem too bright (after all, he did try to beat an inanimate object), he now proves his wits by acting humble when Brer Fox reveals his trick, asking him not to throw him into the brier patch. In reality, this is where rabbits thrive (he was born and bred in a brier-patch), and Mr. Fox takes the bait. Once Mr. Rabbit is in the field, he easily disentangles himself and runs free.

It is interesting to me that pride is a common theme in this story. A character--usually Brer Fox or Brer Rabbit--gets prideful, becomes the butt of a joke played by another character, and meets embarrassment and humility, but only for a short time until the next trick. This is prevalent in stories like Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman and Mr. Rabbit Meets His Match. This goes with one of my favorite quotes, "Modesty and unselfishness--these are traits which men praise--and pass by." Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox could certainly use some lessons in modesty.