Ta-Nehisi Coates is an American writer and journalist known for his works advocating for black rights in society. One of his more famous works is the book Between the World and Me, a letter to his son about the struggles of growing up in America as a person of color. One of the major themes in this book is the idea of the black body, and how easily it can be destroyed or erased. Throughout the letter, Coates describes his body, the threats to it, and his protective nature for his own, as well as bodies of those around him.
In the letter, Coates describes the black body and all of the threats to it. Coates goes through memories of his childhood and recalls many things that were so common in life, yet so dangerous to his body, and the bodies …show more content…
He says that black parents are more protective because they grew up on the streets and in the schools, and they know the threats to their children’s body. “I think we would like to kill you ourselves before seeing you killed by the streets that America made”(82) . Coates didn’t understand the idea until he was older and had a child of his own and he realized that black children come to their parents endangered, and the parents can control virtually nothing (ibid). Coats understands that there are so many things that can erase the young black body. Young black children and teenagers can be killed for just being black. “Our current politics tell you that should you fall victim to such an assault and lose your body, it must somehow be your fault. Trayvon Martin’s hoodie got him killed. Jordan Davis’s loud music did the same”(130). It is for this reason, the innocent bodies of those erased by American police, that Coates argues that black parents are more protective and would do anything to protect their children from the dreamers that threaten
In the letter, Coates describes the black body and all of the threats to it. Coates goes through memories of his childhood and recalls many things that were so common in life, yet so dangerous to his body, and the bodies …show more content…
He says that black parents are more protective because they grew up on the streets and in the schools, and they know the threats to their children’s body. “I think we would like to kill you ourselves before seeing you killed by the streets that America made”(82) . Coates didn’t understand the idea until he was older and had a child of his own and he realized that black children come to their parents endangered, and the parents can control virtually nothing (ibid). Coats understands that there are so many things that can erase the young black body. Young black children and teenagers can be killed for just being black. “Our current politics tell you that should you fall victim to such an assault and lose your body, it must somehow be your fault. Trayvon Martin’s hoodie got him killed. Jordan Davis’s loud music did the same”(130). It is for this reason, the innocent bodies of those erased by American police, that Coates argues that black parents are more protective and would do anything to protect their children from the dreamers that threaten