to what is taking place in the book. Black teachers in our classes generally speak of how the
book reminds them of their own experiences with discrimination and of a pervasive societal
unfairness directed at people like themselves. Whites express sympathy for Melanin, but usu-
ally do not identify racism in his experiences. Class discussion of the name Melanin Sun also
shows the importance of context. Black readers are generally pleased that Melanin’s mother
gave him a name that celebrates his dark pigmentation. Whites tend to be confused by the
name and unaware of color prejudice within the Black community. Black and White students
read the same book, but because of social context they read it very differently.
The dissonance generated by the book, caused by the disparity between the world as
viewed by most White readers and the story told by its Black author and narrator, can either
become a productive force in the classroom or obstruct multicultural understanding. White
readers who are engaged by the novel and class discussion discover that other people expe-
rience the world in ways that they do not. They also learn that they are capable of empathiz-
ing with a character who is always conscious of color and speaks of alienation from White
people. We believe this discovery, by introducing them to new perspectives on reality, ex-
pands their sense of who they are, their ability to work with others, and helps them become
more responsive teachers.
Dissonance can also obstruct multicultural understanding. The revelation that Melanin’s
mother was a lesbian confronted Black and White readers with difference in new ways. In our
classes, readers often distance themselves from her sexuality and focus their concern on Mel-
anin’s turmoil. In this case, the contrast between the response of Black and White readers
tends to be the intensity of their feelings. Readers from both groups express sympathy with
Melanin, but some Blacks communicate deep anger and disappointment with his mother, feel-
ing betrayed by a strong, caring Black woman whom they had admired because of her elo-
quence on the subject of skin color. Neither group of readers is comfortable with this develop-
ment in the novel or anxious to introduce the topic into discussions with adolescents.
In some of our classes, with our encouragement, readers with gay relatives have spoken
out in response to the book and comments by their classmates. This has led to the creation
of a counterdiscourse in class that establishes the legitimacy of Melanin’s mother’s life and
the importance of opening this topic up for discussion with students in their classrooms.
Responses toFrom the Notebooks of Melanin Sunby both Black and White readers demon-
strate the importance of multicultural literature and literacy, and their potential for self-
affirmation and for promoting an appreciation of diversity. However, the novel does not al-
ways generate the productive dissonance that enables readers to reevaluate their views
about racial tension and homophobia. That kind of critical literacy requires that teachers ac-
tively engage readers in examining the dissonance they experience and in the creation of
new experiences for students.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION—MULTICULTURAL LITERATUREQuestions to Consider:- In your opinion, isFrom the Notebooks of Melanin Sunan appropriate book to read
with middle school students? Explain. - Judi Singer and Sally Smith argue that teachers should create dissonance in order to
motivate students to reconsider some of their fundamental beliefs. Do you agree with
this idea? Explain.
3.Respond to the statement: “Multiculturalism is a form of both critical and cultural lit-
eracy.”
LITERACY 191