Is the relationship between the ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have Nots’ as simple as it may seem?

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class, family, gender, master, master-slavemorality, morality, nietzsche, oprahwinfrey, oprahwinfreynetwork, OWN, power, race, slave, slavery, thehavesandthehavenots, tylerperry, wealth

One of the main themes of the TV show, The Haves and the Have Nots, which I have not discussed since my first blog post is the master/servant, white/black, employer/employee relationship, or in Tyler Perry’s world the relationship between the Haves and the Have Nots. This is represented through the characters of the black maid, Hanna young and her family, and her white employer, Mrs Katherine Cryer and her family.

Mrs Cryer and Hanna Young in her walk-in wardrobe

 

This relationship between white and black, employer and employee, is reminiscent of the master and slave relationship pre-1865. It is clear that the personality traits that Perry has created for each group are evocative of Friedrich Nietzsche’s notion of the ‘master-slave morality’. According to Nietzsche (1973), slave morality values graciousness, humility, compassion, sympathy, and kindness, morals that are connected to your soul and well-being, which seem to reflect the character of Hanna Young, or the Hanna we have met in the first few episode’s of the show. Whilst contrastingly, master morality values pride, power, and superiority, ideals that are connected with materialistic ambitions, which appears to mirror the principles of the Cryer family, or as with Hanna, the Cryer’s that we have met so far. Nietzsche therefore argued that the establishment of a particular culture, for example black and white culture, is inextricably linked to these two separate moralities. It would seem that Perry is presenting this notion as being very much still alive through the white and black relationship, which was formed back in the era of slavery, in the U.S. South today.

Hanna Young and Candace Young in Mrs Cryer’s walk-in wardrobe

However, in episode 2 of the show, titled Playing in the Deep End, this connection back to the institution of slavery is cruelly exposed by Hanna’s daughter Candace, a supposed ‘Have not’. When Candace is caught snooping around Mrs Cryer’s bedroom, Hanna boldly demands she leaves. At first Candace refuses and threatens to get Hanna fired, but Hanna is persistent in removing her from the bedroom. When Candace finally gives in she spitefully replies, whilst distastefully mimicking the voice of a slave (24:20): “Yes masser, Issa let you get on back ta cleanin’ up naw”. Hanna slaps her daughter in a defiant and disgusted manner. Candace goes to hit her back, but stops herself. Hanna snarls, “I wish you would…I will kill you dead right here” (24:35). This scene depicts a side of Hanna that we had not been exposed to up until this point in the show. Hanna had seemed like the typical representation of a house maid, who is dutiful and obedient, but it is clear that there is a side to her personality which is far more defiant and stronger than first appeared. I look forward to seeing how this contrasting side to her personality plays out in her relationship with her wealthy, white employers in the episodes that follow.

 

Finally, it is clear that Perry is playing with these contrasting notions of ‘Have’ and ‘Have Not’ and ‘master’ and ‘servant’, and what it actually means to be a part of these categories. This is something I am going to discuss in my next blog post, because as the actor who plays Jim Cryer, John Schneider, remarks in regard to Tyler Perry’s creation, “I’m not sure that the wealthy people are the ‘haves’. This is about what’s in your soul. And, I have a feeling that my family is coming out at the short end of that stick”(1:45).

References:

Nietzsche, Friedrich (1887). On the Genealogy of Morals. Reprint ed. 2014. London: Penguin Books.

Resentment & Betrayal: Hanna vs. Veronica

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ancestry, class, community, family, fieldnegro, gender, harringtons, heritage, housenegro, malcolmx, master, oprahwinfrey, oprahwinfreynetwork, OWN, power, race, sex, slave, slavery, thehavesandthehavenots, tylerperry, wealth, youngs

As briefly discussed in my first blog post, Tyler Perry creates an interesting plot twist in the traditional master/servant white/black narrative with the addition of the upper class, extremely wealthy, and powerful black Harrington family, who are very close friends of the white Cryer family. This class tension between the two characters of the same race, the maid Hanna Young and wealthy business-woman Veronica Harrington, is what I will discuss today in this blog post.

While it would be easy to assume that the title of the show, The Haves and the Have Nots, refers simply to the white Cryers’ as the ‘Haves’ and the black Hanna Young and her family as the ‘Have Nots’, the black Harrington family are very much also in the ‘Haves’ category. The division and tension between the upper class Harrington’s and the lower class Young’s is made thoroughly transparent in episode one when Hanna’s remark, “I can’t stand black people like that…who think they’re better than everyone else” (10:03). Her comment does not seem to come from jealousy or resentment of the wealth that Veronica has, but simply Veronica’s attitude and behaviour towards her. She is extremely dismissive, judgemental and it is clear she sees herself as superior. Later on in the series, we find out why Veronica has this attitude towards Hanna. The character of Veronica is something I will focus on in more depth in a future blog post, for now I will discuss Hanna’s issues with her.

The maid Hanna Young with Veronica Harrington and Mrs Cryer

 

Although Veronica has an obvious superiority complex, Hanna is not left without fault in her negative attitude towards her. When told that Veronica is worth $20 million, Hanna scoffs that she must have married into the money by marrying a white man. This assumption turns out to be completely untrue and she is, in fact, a self-made black woman. Here it is apparent that even Hanna is buying into the idea that a black person could not be self-sufficient and successful without the help of a white person. However, Veronica is the founder of Higher Hope, which is an extremely successful rehabilitation facility. When Celia (the other maid) explains this to Hanna, she rolls her eyes in distaste and sneers, “The black Betty Ford”, with an unimpressed look on her face.

Once again, Hanna is referring to Veronica in terms of her connection to a white woman. While one could argue it is jealously that creates Hanna’s negative attitude, it would in fact seem that it is because she sees Veronica as betraying the black community. She believes that Veronica has turned her back on her own people and has chosen the side of the white society, a society who has a long history of mistreating (to say the least!) black communities in the U.S. This idea could be connected to Malcolm X’s concept of the ‘Field Negro’ and the ‘House Negro’. The ‘House Negro’, according to Malcolm, loved his white

Veronica Harrington and Mrs Cryer

master and would do anything for them (Malcolm X, 1963). In modern day, this is the black person who loves the white society more than their black community. They want to be the white person. Malcolm claimed that if a black person acts like this then they are not to be trusted.

 

It would seem that this is how Hanna sees Veronica; she is trying to act white rather than embracing her race and its heritage. This is why Hanna constantly refers to Veronica in regard to her relationship or connection with white people with resentment and hostility, because she sees it as a betrayal of the African American community and ancestry.

I am looking forward to seeing how this relationship and tension between the two characters develops in further episodes. Especially as we learn more about Veronica and her background and upbringing.

References:

X, Malcolm, (23 January 1963), “The Race Problem”, African Students Association and NAACP Campus Chapter. Michigan State University: East Lansing, Michigan.

“Jungle Love”: Slavery’s legacy on black female sexuality

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blackfemalesexuality, gender, jezebel, junglelove, master, power, race, sex, sexuality, slave, slavery

As expected, the second episode of the TV drama the Haves and the Have Nots packs just as much drama into its 40 minute slot as the first episode did. Titled, “Playing in the Deep End”, this episode has scenes which depict overt racism, the revelation that a male character may be gay, and a development in the relationship between employer and servant which contradicts the traditional narrative. However, this blog post will focus on a scene between the black, escort, friend of Amanda’s and daughter of the maid, Candace Young, and white, wealthy, son of Jim Cryer, Wyatt. This scene is a clear portrayal of slavery’s haunting legacy on the stereotyping of black female sexuality.

In the first episode of the show, Wyatt Cryer happens to hear his father, Jim, late at night discussing his paying escort, and friend to his daughter, Candace Young for sex and threatening her if she did not leave and keep it a secret. Wyatt is also a recovering alcoholic and that night he had fallen prey to his demons and drunk two glasses of champagne behind his sober companions (Veronica Harrington’s son Jeffrey’s) back. Needless to say in the second episode of the show, which carries on as if it is the following morning, Wyatt’s attitude and behaviour is derisive, discourteous and uncouth, not just towards Candace because of her affair with his father, but also towards his sponsor and his sister. Whilst to begin with it is easy to forgive Wyatt’s short temper as he battles his inner demons, one scathing remark towards Candace brings to light a disturbing racial, gender and sexual stereotype.

Candace Young in her escort attire

During the groups conversation, Amanda Cryer cooingly observes that she thinks that Candace and Jeffrey would make a good couple and should go out (it does not seem like this is just because they are both black, but it could be the case). Whilst Wyatt initially makes crude comments about Candace liking “older men”, he takes his anger a step too far when he makes the racist and derogatory statement, “You can take him out and give him some of that jungle love” (7:28). Quite rightly so, the rest of the group is taken aback.

Tyler Perry’s inclusion of this racist and derogatory insult is a clear connection to the stereotypes of black female sexuality that have been presented by white society, and particularly white men, since the era of slavery. “Jungle love” refers to the imagery that was created of the black race during the 18th and 19th century by white society to present the enslaved as animalistic, savage and uncivilised. As if an animal from the jungle of Africa. The inclusion of “love” is a reference to the stereotype that black female slaves were highly sexual beings, a stereotype often used to justify the rape of female slaves by their masters. This also brings to light the stereotype of the Jezebel.

“The Jezebel Spirit”

A Jezebel was portrayed as a sexually promiscuous black girl who uses her sexual appeal to seduce and mesmerize white men into her bed, either without a reason or for her own gain (Yarbrough, 2000). Once again, a slave master would use this stereotype to justify his sexual relations with a black female slave, reasoning that she wanted the sexual relationship.

It is therefore clear that Perry’s intention when writing this insult into the script was to address the damaging stereotypes surrounding black female sexuality that were created during the era of slavery and remain present up to today.

References:

Marilyn Yarbrough (with Crystal Bennett), (2000). “Mammy Jezebel and Sistahs” in Cassandra and the “Sistahs”: the Peculiar Treatment of African American Women in the Myth of Women as Liars Journal of Gender, Race and Justice. Online at: http://www.racism.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1277:aawomen01a&catid=72&Itemid=215

The dichotomy: To Have or Not To Have

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class, family, gender, oprahwinfrey, oprahwinfreynetwork, OWN, power, race, sex, thehavesandthehavenots, tylerperry, wealth

Tyler Perry’s TV drama The Haves and the Have Nots seems to at first be the portrayal of the typical narrative of the master/servant white/black relationship that has been presented many times before by the entertainment industry. The show revolves around the lives of the rich, powerful and white Southern Cryer family (the Haves) who live in an opulent mansion in Savannah, Georgia, and the family’s black hired help Hanna Young and her family (the Have Nots).

Characters left to right: Jim Cryer, Amanda Cryer, Wyatt Cryer, Kathryn Cryer, Candace Young, Hanna Young, Benny Young, Veronica Harrington, David Harrington, Jeffrey Harrington and Celine Gonzales

 

Produced by the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), it is clear from the first episode of the series, which is aptly titled ‘The Big Surprise’, that Tyler Perry intends this show to be a dramatic portrayal of race, gender, sex, class and power through the stories of these two dysfunctional families. The many skeletons hiding in the two families closets that are revealed throughout the first episode alone, such as the Cryer family patriarch, Jim, having sexual affairs with escorts, and then his most recent escort being revealed as not only his daughter’s friend from college, but also the maid Hanna Young’s daughter, emphasises the extreme levels of drama that Perry will be packing into this series.

Tyler Perry once commented in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that the inspiration for this TV drama has come from his own lived experiences as both a young, black boy from a poor background, and his adult life since finding fame and success. He has been both a ‘Have’ and a ‘ Have Not’, and it is highly apparent that he is making a clear dichotomy between these two class groups through the Cryer family and the Young family. The first episode depicts the white Cryer family as powerful, secretive and corrupt, whereas Hanna Young, the newly employed maid, is presented as honest, hardworking and an exceedingly pious woman. This relationship between white and black, employer and employee, is almost reminiscent of master and slave. The personality traits that Perry has created for each group are also evocative of Friedrich Nietzsche’s notion of the ‘master-slave morality’ (Nietzsche, 1887). This is a concept that I will discuss in a future blog post, comparing Hanna Young and the Cryer family.

Left to right: The wealthy Veronica Harrington with the help Hanna Young and mistress of the house Kathryn Cryer.

 

However, Perry does create a contradicting element to this traditional white employer/black servant concept with the addition of the Harrington’s, a black, wealthy and powerful family, who are close friends with the Cryer’s. The division between the upper class Harrington’s and the lower class Young’s is made thoroughly transparent with Hanna Young’s remark, “I can’t stand black people like that…who think they’re better than everyone else” (10:03). This class tension between the two characters of the same race is an interesting addition to the storyline, and hopefully a notion that Perry develops and explores further in the upcoming episodes.

As someone who does not know a lot about either Tyler Perry or Oprah Winfrey, except that they are globally known African American’s who have risen out of their poor black backgrounds to find fame and success, I chose to blog about this TV show to see and experience the views and themes that are important to both Perry as the writer, and Winfrey whose network produces the show. While it is yet to be seen for the quality of the script and acting in this TV drama, it is evident that Tyler Perry’s ideas and views on race, gender, sex, class and power are abundant and bursting to be revealed in the episodes that follow.

References:

Nietzsche, Friedrich (1887). On the Genealogy of Morals. Reprint ed. 2014. London: Penguin Books.