Klippenstein 1

Brooke Klippenstein
Professor Jackie
English 114B
16 March 2015
The Road to Change
Miscegenation is the interbreeding of people considered to be of different racial types. In
Adam Mansbachs novel Angry Black White Boy the ideas of miscegenation are explored
through hip-hop and black culture in a white community. Macon Detornay is a twenty-year-old
white college student who associates himself with the black community. He rejects his whiteness
and tries to represent a hybrid identity. He goes to great lengths to get his point across to the
public. Macons new found identity conflicts with the rest of the world. After all the chaos he
created both blacks and whites reject Macon through criticism and violence. As a result, Macon
creates a separate identity where his whiteness is tested. Based on his experiences Macons racial
standing is constantly tested: his cultural appropriation, privilege, racism, guilt and blame all
play a part in who Macon wants to be.
Cultural appropriation is the adoption of elements of one culture by members of a
different cultural group. Macon is a white boy who associates himself with the black community.
He takes on the ideas and action of the African American culture. For instance, He was a
thirteen-year-old white boy in a Malcolm X t-shirt and baggy pants (Mansbach 17). Macon
doesnt like being white and removes himself from his own culture by dressing like an African
American teenager. He also has a controversial tattoo on his arm that is not considered
appropriate for his religion. For instance, his Jewish heritage prohibited him from tattooing
numbers on his body Tattooed on Macons biceps in small green characters was 4-29-92. It was

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the day the verdict had been handed down, the say Los Angeles has burned (Mansbach 48).
Macon does things in order to prove to others that he is different than the whiteness he was born
with. By doing this Macon is performing for the public using cultural appropriation. He is trying
to change himself from what he came from. Macon realizes a lot of the other problems in society
and does his best to try and make change.
Privilege is a special right or advantage particularly in a group of people. One of the most
prominent forms of privilege deals with race and in a lot of cases the advantages are not earned.
In this society white people are given the most privilege. It puts them ahead of others in certain
situations simply based off the color of their skin. Macon is aware of his privilege and dislikes
everything about it. He tries to ignore his privilege and get the attention of the community in
hopes of ending the racism and discrimination of the society he lives in. Macon makes it his goal
to get rid of the privilege and make everyone equal.
Racism has always been an issue in society and still continues to be. The society Macon
lives in is extremely racist. The black community is looked down upon by members of the white
community. In the novel the white citizens associate all the crimes and criminal activities with
the black people living there. Macon drives a cab and in several occasions he robbed some of the
white passengers. Word got out and the rumor was that it was black cab driver. When Macon
hears this he becomes outraged and decided to prove the people wrong. While robbing a white
woman he asks her to identify the color of his skin, Its not a trick question! Take a good look.
What fucking color am I (Mansback 112). Macon is upset by the fact that just because a violent
act takes place society assumes it was a black man without even making sure. The society has
created their stereotypes and beliefs that make them act the way they do. Macons goal it to make
white people realize that racism still exists and there needs to be something done to change it.

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For example, The funny thing is, though, who am I exposing White people to? It aint news to
Black folks that Whites are still racist. I guess Im exposing White people to themselves. Weve
gotten so good at pretending were not racist that weve started to believe it (Mansback 141).
Macons point is that white people dont even realize the racism that is going on. White people
think that racism was eliminated a long time ago. They dont realize the fact that it is still going
on and it has become normal. Racism is a huge part of everything that Macon stands for and the
change he wants to make. The problem of racism causes Macon to acquire a lot of shame or guilt
for the things going on.
The guilt and blame Macon feels comes from the unearned white privilege that he
possess. This comes to the surface once Macon becomes a public figure. He feels guilty for the
privilege he has and blames all white people for the racism that is still taking place in society.
Macon insists the public take part in the day of apology. For example, I herby declare this
Friday to be the first Annual Day of Apology in the city of New York. It might be good for white
folks to humble themselves to black folks (Mansbach 2014). This specific incident Macon is
putting all the blame on the white people. He wants them to apologize to all black people even if
they havent done anything directly to them. He thinks it will help settles some of the issues
present in the society. Unfortunately, the Day of Apology does not go as planned for Macon. The
city breaks out in riots with a lot of violent acts. After the chaos Macon has a public appearance
and makes it clear that society could not handle the things he was asking of them and decides to
leave and go back to his whiteness. Macon says, Im getting the fuck out of here. As far away as
possible. Im sure as hell not going to jail. Ten years of getting raped for what I dont really
believe in when push comes to shove? Ill pass (Mansbach 262). Macon decided to escape the
blame. He also feels so guilty for what he has done that he decided to give up his idea of

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changing society. Macon has gone back to being white and planned to forget all that he has just
created. Macons wanted change but went the wrong way about it. He forced it upon people and
asked them to do things that he didnt even know much about.
Adam Mansbachs novel exposes the racism in society while demonstrating the troubles
that come along with a hybrid personality. Macon embodies both blackness and whiteness
simultaneously. He takes on the appearance and personality of a black man with the goal of
changing the racist society. The challenges he faces start to unravel when he is faced with guilt
and blame. He feels guilty for the privileges he has of being white and wants to change the
perception that white people have some sort of advantage. When his plans go haywire he blames
himself for thinking that society could ever change. The blame and guilt eventually drive him to
leave his pluristic identity behind.