The poem “You Are in the Dark, in the Car…” by Claudia Rankine is a heartbreaking collection of stories that show how pervasive racism is in society. Rankine tells about five events connected by one theme – how exhausting and constant racist behavior seems to be. I think the poet wants to show that people who throw out racist remarks or behave in a way that degrades black people are ignorant of their offenses.
They do not see a problem, which makes them think that any negative response is overblown. The last story makes me particularly sad – Rankine describes a therapist who “specializes in trauma counseling.” However, when the narrator approaches the therapist’s house, she is met with an aggressive and suspicious scream from a doctor who usually sees people at their most vulnerable.