Debra Dickerson's "Who Shot Johnny" explains the author's experience with her.
teenage nephew Johnny after an unfortunate incident. Johnny was shot in the back and is.
now paralyzed from the waist down. The man who shot the young adolescent is told to be.
a stereotypical "brother." Throughout "Who Shot Johnny", it can be inferred that.
Dickerson rebuffs stereotypes, yet she succumbs to several herself, therefore.
contradicting herself. "Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory.
beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them." (qtd. in Orwell 120).
These famous words by George Orwell illustrate Dickerson's logic in "Who Shot.
Johnny"; she has committed "doublethink.".
The overwhelming theme of Dickerson's essay is to inform the reader about the.
deception of stereotypes. This theme is evident in several statements made by the author.
"He and his cancerous carbon copies eclipse the vast majority of us who are not.
sociopaths and render us invisible" (383). The quote emphasizes how the public opinion.
of Black America seems to find its source from the man who shot Johnny and the many.
like him. Thus, several positive aspects that characterize Black America are overlooked.
"He is the Siamese twin who has died but cannot be separated from his living, vibrant.
sibling; which of us must attract more notice?" (383). This analogy portrays how.
criminals attract more attention and sway public opinion despite the praiseworthy beings.
who coexist with them. Both of these statements assure that Dickerson is making an.
attempt to inform the reader about the falsehood of stereotypes. The rejection of.
stereotypes is one aspect characterizing Dickerson's "doublethink.".
Contradiction is very commonplace in Dickerson's essay. She exercises the use of.
stereotypes in spite of her major theme to repulse them. "A brother did it. A non-job.
having, middle-of-the-day malt-liquor-drinking, crotch-clutching, loud-talking.
