In O’Conner’s “The Artificial Nigger” the essences of prejudice and degradation are captured to a great extent. Reality shows us with needless consistency people who need to feel better about themselves and only achieve it by being better than someone else. Mr. Head, the grandfather, is an example of one of these people. He is in competition with seemingly everyone he encounters. Racism is just one of the forms he utilizes to demean …showed first 75 words of 759 total…

…showed last 75 words of 759 total…of denouncing an entire culture placing Nelson right along side with those he dislikes, he’s either not a racist or he is denouncing his own culture as well as himself from being suitable not only from his short be comings but as his cultures. Mr. Head’s racism I not only see as his tool for self-gratification but as a disguise in which he uses to hide feelings of contempt towards all around him.