Comparing W. E. B. Dubois And Gloria Anzaldua '

The two authors, W.E.B. DuBois and Gloria Anzaldua show what double consciousness is in their writings. DuBois depicts it as more abstract while Anzaldua depicts it as a more physical location. Additionally, DuBois states that people only have two social identities while Anzaldua says that people have multiple social identities. Both authors mention how people must switch their social identities depending on the people they are around. Despite both authors writing over eighty years apart they both show that many people in the United States must switch between their social identities unless they are with their own culture. Both authors also show the effects of getting treated poorly by people. But, both authors also show hope that one day all people will …show more content…
DuBois describes double consciousness as, “…two warring ideals in one dark body…” (cite this). This allows the reader to determine what they believe double consciousness is instead DuBois explicitly saying this is what double consciousness is. Granted, DuBois does define double consciousness as the feeling of twoness instead of the feeling as having one social identity. Additionally, DuBois talks about double consciousness being the view of oneself and how others view oneself. DuBois states, “…this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity” (Cite this). The reader sees this as having to view oneself not only in one’s own eyes, but also the eyes of others. A person may think another person as acting out when that person is acting what is normal for their culture. Additionally, people must think not only how their culture views them but also how others view them. This leads to the thinking that one can only be one’s true self when around their own culture. DuBois states, “By the poverty and ignorance of