Imagine being in a society where the color of individual’s skin makes another person fear for their own well-being. Picture a place where people are judged because of their race, before even taking a look a one’s heart. This place is America. Every day, African-American men attempt to appear as normal as possible to make their lives easier, but stereotypes makes them stick out like a sore thumb. In “Black Men in Public Space” and “Black Men Quietly Combating Stereotypes”, these sources analyze the plight of African-American men in society. Although, these pieces of literature focus more on certain rhetorical strategies than others, both passages are effective in influencing the audience to break down racial barriers.
On a daily basis, black men are charged with crimes they did not even commit because individuals have pre-conceived notions that African American men are angry criminals. A perfect example of this instance would be in the essay “Black Men in Public Space”. In this story, Brent Staples is taking his daily walk in his neighborhood and as he is walking down the street, a white woman turns around a spots a …show more content…
In “Black Men in Public Space”, Brent Staples describes his background and illustrates his rough upbringing. For example, he states that in his hometown of Chester, Pennsylvania that he scarcely stood out because of the numerous reports of “gang warfare, street knifings, and murders”. After this he says that he grew up a good-boy and that he had only been in six fights, and he attributed this to his shyness toward violence. All the facts listed served as a juxtaposition to highlight the character of the author, which is effective in setting him apart from the stereotype. In turn, the audience can understand that the typical background of African Americans is not the norm actually, and stereotypes define people
On a daily basis, black men are charged with crimes they did not even commit because individuals have pre-conceived notions that African American men are angry criminals. A perfect example of this instance would be in the essay “Black Men in Public Space”. In this story, Brent Staples is taking his daily walk in his neighborhood and as he is walking down the street, a white woman turns around a spots a …show more content…
In “Black Men in Public Space”, Brent Staples describes his background and illustrates his rough upbringing. For example, he states that in his hometown of Chester, Pennsylvania that he scarcely stood out because of the numerous reports of “gang warfare, street knifings, and murders”. After this he says that he grew up a good-boy and that he had only been in six fights, and he attributed this to his shyness toward violence. All the facts listed served as a juxtaposition to highlight the character of the author, which is effective in setting him apart from the stereotype. In turn, the audience can understand that the typical background of African Americans is not the norm actually, and stereotypes define people