Final answer:
Faith Ringgold's artwork features a figure that appears patriotic yet is presented within the confines of an American flag-turned-prison cell, symbolizing the unfulfilled promise of freedom and justice for minorities in the U.S.
Step-by-step explanation:
The figure in Faith Ringgold's "God Bless America" is contradictory because it presents a woman whose stance and body language traditionally would convey a sense of patriotism and freedom, standing earnestly with her hand over her heart.
However, this image starkly contrasts with the reality that she is confined within the stripes of an American flag, turned into a symbolic prison cell. This not only highlights the restrictions on individual liberties but also comments on the historical and ongoing treatment of minorities in the United States, particularly African Americans, a theme prevalent in Ringgold's work.
The woman's expression and posture are expectant of liberty and justice, yet her actual situation reveals her entrapment and suggests the unfulfilled promises of the American flag to all its citizens.