The World's Fair?

It appears I have been neglectful in my duties. Instead of writing I have been internalizing – quite a bit. Perhaps part of that is all the solitary time here in Dallas. Another reason: I have a tendency to go into my head; always have. So, when I see my kids do the same thing, I try to draw them out. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with focusing in; balance is key. And sometimes my scales can get a little wonky.

So what’s been up? The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition – the Chicago World’s Fair. I’m in a humanities course centered on “the Fair that changed America.” At first, I thought, what the hell? But this fair shows up in literature, everywhere. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Devil in the White City, Against the Day, Sister Carrie, The Conjure Woman and Sweet Clover, just to name a miniscule few. Everybody was there except Samuel Clemens; he made it to Chicago but spent the time in his hotel room because he became ill. What a spin he would have put on the experience of the fair.

Turns out the fair did quite a bit in the shaping of America. It gave us the Ferris wheel (much larger than today’s version), shredded wheat (sans frosting), and crackerjacks (not sure about the toy). It gave birth to the midway. And only three decades after the Civil War, it fostered a distorted view of race relations in America, to America and the world. Find The Reason Why the Colored American is Not in the World’s Columbian Exposition for commentary (read the pamphlet before reading Rydell’s introduction) and White City Recollections (which has a disturbing picture included that makes my head burn). “In the fishing tackle display was a funny figure of a Negro. The model was entitled ‘Still Fishing,’ the Negro being asleep and a fish on his line” (120-1). The tag on the display actually reads “The Ideal, Still Fish…” which is all that can be seen in the photo. Seems the Fair propelled the term ‘lazy nigger’ heard around the world along with the image of Aunt Jemima (played by a real woman) being about the only African-American presence as far as exhibits go.

Kind of went off on a tangent there. Sorry about that. Too much solitary time on my hands. Actually, I’m stalling as usual. I have a presentation in this class Wednesday, a presentation that I still need to write. I also have a short presentation and much reading for my class tomorrow – Psychoanalysis and Literature, probably the real reason I’m in my head so much of late.

Actually, this purge has helped me clear my head. I’ll make my bed, get something light for breakfast (a bowl of anything but shredded wheat) and then get to work.

Quote for the day: Who said it has to be fair?