Dear Martin Curation - a podcast by Shubhan Swamy

[Transcript]

Dear Martin could be seen one of two ways. As a source of propaganda used to further one's political agenda, or a riveting story detailing the struggles that many people of color endure on a daily basis. The way the reader interprets the book is subjective, however from my point of view, I follow the latter interpretation.

Within the first five chapters, action was packed in the beginning. This starts the exposition off by immediately introducing one source of conflict. When Jus faces police brutality, Stone skillfully makes this story reflect situations in real life. She says that Jus looked suspicious, and without any context, it makes sense why officer Castillo did what he did. But at the same time she shows that Castillo did not bother to ask for context from the victim. Rather his reaction to the scene was violence. This parallels countless other instances of police brutality, including the infamous George Floyd- Derek Chauvin case. 

But also to add another layer to the story, she made another character murder the cop. In a real life situation, the conservative media would likely focus on this part of the situation. As Jus pointed out, if it had been him being murdered, the courts would have likely justified Castillos murder. However, the other way around could result in the death penalty for Mannys cousin. The levels of complexity and questioning of ethics is masterfully executed. 

Conservatives in the book like Jared are portrayed exactly like them in real life. They both follow the same sort of claim that black people can escape poverty easily, and it is their own fault that they cannot. In fact, white people are the ones being oppressed, seen with the example of affirmative action. Stone could have created the book to make conservatives look way worse, however instead she highlights covert racism that many often possess. 

Whether you disagree with the message of the book or not, it has clear effort put into it. It perfectly highlights the modern situation; how people of color feel they are treated in the United States.

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