any day when he could personify American primitivism was a good ol' day. It meant that he was still alive, and sometimes even the carnival coon in the dunk tank misses the attention. And this country, the latent high school homosexual that it is, the mulatto passing for white that it is, the Neanderthal incessantly plucking its unibrow that it is, needs people like him. It needs somebody to throw baseballs at, to fag-bash, to nigger-stomp, to invade, to embargo. Excerpt From: Paul Beatty. The Sellout. iBooks.
The passage reflects the author's view on American society, suggesting that it thrives on primitive instincts and the need for scapegoats. He highlights the idea that personifying American primitivism indicates one is still relevant, often invoking the struggle for attention in a society that seeks out targets for disdain. The imagery used illustrates the absurdity of societal behaviors and the deep-seated issues within the culture.
Furthermore, the author critiques the complexities of identity in America, touching on themes of racial and sexual identity. The country is portrayed as filled with contradictions, needing to create adversaries to distract from its own insecurities. This portrayal emphasizes the darker aspects of American culture, suggesting that society often resorts to violence and prejudice as a means of coping with its contradictions.
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