"Would you let me be a member of your church?" In contrast, in Leroi Jones's Dutchman, neither race depended on the other. It ended up as more of a revenge of the races. Clay and Lula began liking each other, but in the end, the relationship evolved to dislike. They disliked each other to the point of abuse on both sides. "Ahh. Shit. But who needs it? I"d rather be a fool. Insane. Safe with my words, and no deaths, and clean, hard thoughts, urging me to new conquests.".
However, throughout many of the plays and movies, some of the characters had to overcome many different obstacles in their lives. One of those obstacles was learning how to read and the feeling of not be able to read. In Ossie Davis's Escape to Freedom Fred was enlightened by the idea of reading. During slavery, whites believed it was not good for blacks to learn how to read. "He's a slave-and to teach a slave to read is not only unlawful, it's unsafe, and I forbid it." They felt if blacks could read it would make them rebel and be more miserable for the way they were being treated. "Listen to me, Sophia-reading's not only no good for a black boy like Fred; it would do him harm, make him discontent, miserable, unhappy with his lot." Unfortunately, it was not that easy for Fred because he had already learned some of the essentials for reading, so in turn when it came to his masters telling him to leave it alone, the desire was stronger than ever. Despite the persecutions against the knowledge of reading for Fred, he was finally able to read through the East Baltimore Improvement Society. "We practiced reading and writing and discussed the news sent to us by the abolitionists. I've learned so much." Drumline held a different meaning of learning how to read. The main character, Devon, was struggling to learn how to read music. Devon was an extraordinary drummer, he had a talent to listen to music and play exactly what he had heard without reading the music.
