July's People Lesson Plan

Why is it important that July says, “I am your boy”?

This line is important because of its double meaning. First, it demonstrates July’s clear understanding of the power dynamics between himself and the Smales family. It has been common in the United States, for instance, for white men to refer to black men as “boys” in order to denigrate them. July’s decision to refer to himself as a boy emphasizes his subservient and second-class status. This is why Maureen protests. She thinks that she has never explicitly denigrated him in that way. Despite her willful ignorance, she does understand the implications of that word. The second meaning is that July is emphasizing his...