Discourse And The Wider World

"The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by", says an American educator by the name of Felix Adler. Traditionally, the typical hero has been portrayed as a handsome, young white male. This tradition has been altered significantly, giving birth to a coloured hero fighting for the injustices of racial discrimination.

The movie, "Cry Freedom", written by John Briley and Donald Woods in 1987, and the poem named, "A poem for black hearts", written by Le Roi Jones in April 1965, are texts which open people's eyes to the injustices of this world and the responses to these injustices given by the black communities. These responses were governed by the actions of two coloured hero's. This message of what the texts do can be seen throughout both of these texts by looking at two areas. Firstly, that all humans should have empathy for one another, no matter what race they belong to, however this is not always the case. And secondly, that these texts represent and defend those who are treated unjustly and two men who were victims of this injustice by standing up for their human rights.

The fact that both texts were written as a contribution to two great men of their respected nations, A poem for black hearts about Malcolm X in America and Cry Freedom about Steve Biko in South Africa, make them very similar in some ways, as both men were killed for what they believed in and for being a hero to thousands of people. Both of these texts show the beginning or the foregrounds to issues which are discussed and stood up for in the more contemporary times. Even though many countries have laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, long held beliefs are difficult to legislate away. So, even though today people are not discriminate against as much as they were when these texts were created, society still labels people according to their race or culture.

A poem for black hearts explains that the black community is still standing up against the racism of the whites. It positions the reader to see that the black people are still standing up for Malcolm's leading, by use of strong descriptions of what Malcolm did for the people when he was alive and his inspiration of this now he has passed.

"For all of him, and all of yourself, look up, black man, quit stuttering and shuffling, look up, black man, quit whining and stooping, for all of him".

This passage is describing that there are those who are still trying to lead as Malcolm once did and that the black people still are helped in life, because of the voice which spoke out for them, fighting for their rights.

"For Malcolm's words fire darts", is a well used metaphor explaining the ferociousness of his work. The term 'darts' is explaining his words as short, sharp and to the point. It is also a word describing that Malcolm's words were firing questions to the authorities which hurt them because they couldn't handle how strong his actions were, and how much disaster it was actually causing. This is further explained in the passage, "For Malcolm's eyes, when they broke the face of some dumb white man". This term 'dumb' is referring to the authorities and how they were speechless to the result of Malcolm leading the black community against all the racism they have had to put up with. It could also perhaps position the reader to believe that the white men were in the wrong, because they were shattered and unable to respond strongly to Malcolm.

"For Malcolm's heart, raising us above our filthy cities, for his stride, and his beat, and his address to the grey monsters of the world". The use of imagery of his heart rising above the discrimination and the racism of the cities and of his movements addressing those monsters, who are the discriminators, adds to the element of him fighting for the injustices which affect him, as well as the whole black community. Malcolm showed his greatness through his leadership, which probably inspired many others across the globe to do the same.

Cry Freedom, made in 1987, displays the life and death of a legendary man, Steve Biko. Biko was a young black leader who has founded a school and a clinic for his people and continues to hold out hope that blacks and whites can work together to change South Africa. However Biko is murdered through the movie by the police of South Africa. The scene which outlines that Biko was a hero standing up for his beliefs is strongly seen in scene of his funeral. Thousands upon thousands of black South African's are present at his funeral. Each of them are trying to embrace his greatness, by simply touching his coffin or by praying in the presence of him, as he had given them more than hope of a free South Africa. "We are here to mourn the great man of Africa.