Question

Meanwhile, Wash had arrived at Kelly Ingram Park to watch. “[W]e saw those people willingly turn themselves over to the police . . . ,” he said. His reaction: “Wow, they must be crazy.” Experience had taught Wash that “the police was vicious murderers.” He knew how much pain they could inflict on young black bodies – as Arnetta discovered the next day.

—We’ve Got a Job,
Cynthia Levinson

Write five to six sentences that describe how Arnetta and Wash experienced the same event in different ways.

Answer 1

Arnetta and Wash both witnessed the same moment in Kelly Ingram Park but processed it through vastly different lenses shaped by their personal histories and experiences. While Wash viewed the demonstrators' willingness to surrender to the police as an act of madness, rooted in his understanding of the brutality that authorities could inflict on young black bodies, Arnetta felt a sense of determination and hope as she participated in the movement. For Wash, past encounters had instilled a deep-seated fear and skepticism about law enforcement, labeling them as "vicious murderers" who inflicted pain without hesitation. In contrast, Arnetta's involvement in the protests symbolized a courageous stand against injustice, reflecting her aspirations for change. This divergence underscores how their backgrounds influenced their perceptions; Wash saw potential martyrdom in the masses, while Arnetta saw a collective stride toward equality and civil rights. Consequently, their interpretations of the same event reveal the complexities of the struggle for justice experienced by young black individuals during that era.