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Why must Eddie apologize to Mr. Stiles' neighbor in Buried Onions?
Quick answer:
Eddie must apologize to Mr. Stiles' neighbor due to a misunderstanding rooted in racial bias. A neighbor's child falsely accuses Eddie of using a derogatory term, claiming he said "bitch" instead of "birch." Despite Eddie's clarification, Mr. Stiles trusts the child's word over Eddie's, forcing him to apologize. This incident highlights the racial discrimination Eddie faces, as he is not believed and must endure the consequences of the child's lie.
Eddie must apologize to Mr. Stile's neighbors because of, essentially, racism against Eddie. Eddie is accused of saying "bitch" by the neighbor's young son, when in reality he said "birch." In the moment, Eddie clarified to the young boy that he in fact said "birch," but the boy complains anyways, and Mr. Stiles becomes very angry with Eddie. Eddie is not believed over the word of a young child and must deal with the fallout of the kid's lies. Eddie is constantly having to deal with the effects of racism, and this situation is just another example of how he must deal with the discrimination of white society. Even after he painstakingly explains how he did not curse, he is still marched over to the neighbored house like a young child to apologize.
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