The Back of the Bus by Mebane presents the American South during the era of racial segregation and complex black-white interactions. She depicts a little girl riding a bus through the white side of the town while she experiences dread, anxiety, and other powerful emotions (Mebane, 1971). The author provides the historical background and her personal experiences with prejudice and segregation to give the impact greater weight (Mebane, 1971). For instance, she conveys that “historically, my lifetime is important because I was part of the last generation born into a world of total legal segregation1 in the Southern United States” (Mebane, 1971, p. 167). Using this literary device, the author can establish a specific mood and identify the leading cause of the little girl’s concerns. Moreover, her statement that “most Americans have never had to live with terror” sets an emotional context by sharing personal concerns with the audience and letting them compassioning for her (Mebane, 1971, p. 168). It is also essential to comprehend the story’s association of a seemingly uncomplicated event—a trip on the bus—with several problems caused by the complexity and unfairness of the universe.
One of my most vivid memories involving a bus would come from the period when I was in the sixth grade. When I finally left for the summer holidays, my brother and I set out to the village to visit my grandmother. Our village was 3 hours from our city, and only one bus went there. We decided to take the bus although it was not in the best condition and looked old. It was a large blue bus with a long body and 40 seating areas for passengers. When we hit the road, the bus rocked slightly from time to time, as there were many hilly roads along the way. The most interesting, and at that moment the most terrible, I was afraid that the bus would roll over and we might die. I looked at the other passengers, of which there were too many. Some were young and cheerful, while others were old and kind, but none looked as scared as I did. Although their jokes and kind faces dispelled my fear, I promised myself never to take that old bus again when I arrived in the village.
Reference
Mebane, M. (1971).The back of the bus[E-book].