straightened hair as much as God allowed her to, except the “kitchen”. The “kitchen”
had a whole different meaning when it came to the black culture. Gates refers to the
“kitchen” as the “very kinky bit of hair at the back of the head, where our necks meet the
shirt collar ”(Gates 127). He states “If there ever was one part of our African American
past that resisted assimilation, it was the kitchen ……. The kitchen was permanent,
irredeemable, and invincible kink, unassimilably African”(Gates 127). Blacks applied
many chemicals to their hair to try to avoid the kitchen from turning as kinky as it did,
but the kinkiness of the kitchen was inevitable. Gates admits that he would do anything
to have straight hair, and that he tries the impossible to make it straight. Gates, along
with other blacks straightened their hair to look sharp, clean cut, and respectable. They
wanted to look equally important as the white people did, with their naturally straight
hair.
In the essay “Homeboy” Malcolm X discusses his resistance to imitate a lifestyle
that he felt disrespected while betraying his African-American culture. When Malcolm X
arrives to his Aunt Ella’s house in Roxbury, he witnesses what can be referred to as
“untrue or fake,” Negroes breaking their backs trying to imitate white people
(Malcolm X 179); this was not the life that Malcolm X wants to lead. Therefore,
Malcolm X manages to discover the “black ghetto.” He meets Shorty, who refers to him
as “homeboy.” Shorty teaches his homeboy that “everything in the world is a hustle,”
and introduces him to a lifestyle that was just true. As part of his adaptation, Malcolm X
has his kinks straightened. When he sees his thick, smooth sheen of shining red hair as
straight as any white man’s, he feels ridiculous and stupid (Malcolm X 190); he
experienced self-degradation. Malcolm belittles himself to the level of fake
negroes wanting to look “pretty” by white standards ( Malcolm X 179). After
experiencing betrayal, Malcolm X promises himself to never loose touch with his identity, in
order to meet the customs and be accepted by the white people.
In “In the Kitchen,” by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and “Homeboy” by Malcolm X,
similarities as well as differences appear. “In the Kitchen” and “Homeboy” are essays
that incorporate the theme of assimilation. They focus on a minority group, in this case
the blacks, struggling to adapt to the customs of the prevailing culture. Both essays
address a disadvantage of being an African American in a society, which at that
time was dominated and circulated by the white man. Although, both authors speak
about the same disadvantage, their views toward it are so opposing that they seem to
establish an argument. Gates views the hair-straightening process as a way for
American-Americans to enhance their appearance and to be acknowledged. He admits
that he would do anything to have straight hair. Gates, along with other blacks attempt to
hide their background with a stocking cap to cover the kink of the kitchen when it begins
to get ugly. Gates admires the hair of popular African-Americans such as Nat King Cole
and Rudolph Valentino, because it gave them such a sharp clean look. Unlike Gates,
Malcolm X admires any Negro who has never had himself conked or who has had the
sense to get rid of it – as he finally did (Malcolm X 191). Gates was one of the Negros
that Malcolm X would describe as fake. He was one of the many blacks that violated and
mutilated their God- created bodies to try to look appealing to the white culture
(Malcolm X 191). Gates’s and Malcolm X’s feelings toward the straightening process
are particularly contrasting. When Malcolm X conks his red hair he is full of
shame and angry at himself for even acting out such a fallacy. On the other hand, when
Gates straightens his hair he feels accepted, presentable, and dirt-free. Malcolm X
finds his way in to society without having to disown his individuality, he didn’t feel the
need to adapt to the expectations of what was known as the better culture, however Gates
did.
Despite, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Malcolm X distinguishing ideas toward
certain events, they are still African-Americans that wished to be viewed as equally
important as the whites. When Gates straightened his hair, he changed his
appearance, nevertheless he was still African-American. An individual, should not let
another person or culture influence them to modify who they are to be socially and
physically accepted by another culture; you are who you are. When Gates straightened
his hair, he changed his appearance, not who he was, nevertheless still African-American.
Works Cited
Atwan, Robert, and Donald McQuade, eds. The Writer’s Presence A Pool of Readings.
4th ed. Boston , NY: Bedford / St. Martin’s, 2003.
Gates, Henry Louis Jr. “In the Kitchen.” Atwan and McQuade 125-134.
Malcolm X. “Homeboy.” Atwan and McQuade 178-192.