Back to the Beginning

"What does she know of humiliation? She's never been down South. Now the humiliation would come. When you must have them judge you, knowing that they never accept your mistakes as your own, but hold it against your whole race--that was humiliation. Yes, and humiliation was when you could never simply be yourself, when you were always a part of this old black ignorant man."

(Ellison 208)

Todd portrays a subtext of racial bias and status within the African American culture. The South proves to be a crude society where African Americans are looked down upon, even during war time. American society has a derogatory stereotype of all African Americans, forcing all of their culture to abide by these downcast opinions and reservations.  The idea of social mobility is so limited for the Black community, that the only way Todd finds a solution for such is by adhering to white society's values and vocations deemed acceptable. There seems to be an enormous social pressure for all African Americans to alienate themselves from their culture and heritage, to accustom themselves to standards of prejudice society. Hence, Todd becomes a pilot, separating himself from the rest of his kind. Ironically, the title for the short story is "Flying Home," bringing the story to a reality that even in such rough condition, even as a pilot, even as a respectable individual of society, Todd is still chastised and seen as an inferior, treated like trash that needs to be removed from Mr. Grave's property. Even in his critical condition, he looks in disgust at Jefferson, treating him with the same contempt and disapproval whites have for him. In the eyes of Todd, Jefferson is in every way and form the reason why his race has not progressed or moved towards a higher status in society. Jefferson is a negative stereotype found within the African American people, a stain that cannot be washed away from the reputation of colored people. The story implies a divide within the state of African Americans, from those who try to move up the societal ladder and those who fall back into old habit. 

Discussion Question: How does Todd's perception of race roles and hierarchy within the African American culture affect the overall message of the story?