Done by Choo Chang-U (3), Joses Ho (8) and Lee Zhi Quan (13).
Two short stories that share themes are "The Gold Cadillac" and "Poinsettias". One of these themes is that of racial prejudice and its effects. The other is power and authority.
In "The Gold Cadillac", this is clearly shown when Wilbert, the author’s father, wants to drive their pricey Gold Cadillac down to racist Mississippi. All their relatives object to him doing so as "those white folks down south’ll lynch" him. Being Afro-American, they understand very well the implications of driving such an expensive car down south. It is like "putting a loaded gun" to his head. The Afro-Americans who are victims of prejudice are seen here to know this harsh fact.
When they finally start to enter the Deep South, the author sees signs that read WHITE ONLY, COLOURED NOT ALLOWED all over the place. This is clear evidence of the deeply harboured resentment against blacks. Again, racism comes sharply into focus.
Racist undertones re-surface when two policemen catch Wilbert. They call him "a liar" and claim he "stole this car", flatly contradicting his words that he owned the car. We can see here how the whites stereotype the blacks as fibbers and thieves, and thus as inferior. They eventually dismiss Wilbert’s claims and detain him under the charge of speeding. If this act is not done out of racial superiority, what else could have motivated it?
Wilbert’s actions later on also indicate the effect of racism in some of its most ugliest forms: violence. He "turned the Cadillac north, not south" so as to switch cars with their relatives. Driving such a fancy car, to him, all the way down to Mississippi with his family was "just not worth the risk". He clearly feared for their safety if they continued as they were. It all goes to show what they would probably face as a result of racism.
This very same theme also runs through "Poinsettias". This can be observed mainly when Veronica, the protagonist, attempts to plunder some oranges from Jan Venter’s farm as part of a dare. As she does this she encounters Meneer Venter punishing a black servant of his, no older than her, for the very same crime she is about to perpetrate.
Then, when Meneer Venter finally catches glimpse of her, he does not even notice that she has stolen from him, looking at her with eyes that were "odd, glazing, as if not seeing anything".
This is symbolic of the situation in where the story was set: South Africa. The white minority there have much of the power and the discriminate against the lower-class blacks, while they are blind to their own crimes and atrocities, just like Meneer Venter is to Veronica’s crimes. The author uses parallelism to bring this point about apartheid in South Africa.
Also, Veronica’s relationship with her black maid Rebecca also brings out racism. "It was Rebecca…to whom Veronica confided," when her parents were unable to be at home. Despite having chores to do around the house, she "was always prepared to chat" with Veronica. Yet, "she never came to the farm with them".
Rebecca herself tells Veronica to keep the fact that she had visited her in the servants’ quarters a secret, "not to tell your ma or pa!" How come she cannot enjoy a holiday with them even though she is a benign, friendly and willing maid of theirs? Why does their friendship has to be a clandestine one? Could it be due to her skin colour? Indeed, as one can see, discrimination against the blacks is a major theme of "Poinsettias".
The idea of power and its abuse is a strong underlying theme in "The Gold Cadillac". When all their relatives tried to dissuade him from driving the Cadillac up to Mississippi, Wilbert stated his reasons for wanting to do so clearly. He was tired of being "heedful of what white folks thought", and that having earned the Cadillac himself, he deserved to drive it anywhere, even though the white people would think that he was "trying to lord his fine car over them".
From here, we can see who wields power in Southern America. With this, comes their status and wealth. Someone who didn’t wield influence like a black man wouldn’t be able to get such a fantastic car like Wilbert’s. The author provokes questions about power and its wielder: does he really deserve to get all he has?
The abuse of power, here in the context of "The Gold Cadillac", is bound firmly to racism. Segregation laws, like whites only being able to use amenities, is an example brought up in this story. The signs that read COLOURED NOT ALLOWED reveal to us the abuse of status by the whites to their own advantages. They allow themselves several privileges while denying the blacks any.
The policemen misuse the power given to them because of their racial prejudices. Abusing their capability to arrest criminals to detain innocent Wilbert, they express their displeasure at a black man having such a magnificent car.
The same theme is evident too in "Poinsettias", albeit in a different context and form. Here, it involves the children on the farm. In the past, well before her tenth birthday, it is said, Veronica "used to bring all her dolls" to the farm and play ‘house’ with Marika. She "had enjoyed saying which dolls could be played with", despite "Marika’s envy". Veronica had enjoyed some power and control over Marika in the past. Yet now, "things were different". How?
Well, for one thing, Marika is seen to have started a newly-found hobby: a bottle collection of preserved bugs. This sudden turn to a boyish and gruesome interest is no doubt a far cry from the girl Veronica once played ‘house’ with and once had power over. Now, it seems, Marika is slowly shaking off the hold Veronica once had over her, leaving Veronica alone to her donga and dolls.
Note that she had always harboured a certain resentment for Veronica’s domination over her. Thus, one can conclude with much certainty that Marika is showing signs of rebellion against the old ways of Veronica. This is a show of power from Marika and it results in both of them drifting apart, with Marika playing more often with her brothers.
These brothers of her also possess some power over Marika. Marika’s the only girl on the farm and has no other juvenile female like her to play with. Thus, she is probably the sole subject of their taunting and ostracision. This probably forces her to rely upon them for emotional dependence. As one can see, her brothers do wield some control over her.
When they hurl jeers and mockings at both Veronica and Marika for going to the donga, Veronica does not retaliate, she only "glared at him" and tried to "hold back her tears", but Marika reacts "furiously", storming out of their presence. She, unconsciously is under their influence.
The theme of power in "Poinsettias" is vastly different from that of "The Gold Cadillac", as it deals with the type of allegiance and loyalty between maturing youths, while the latter has to racism.