James Baldwin Research Paper

James Baldwin is an African-American writer, whose writings were heavily influenced by the tough childhood in which he endured (“James Baldwin,” Gale). These rough times he experienced, are what make his writings so deep and influential to all who read it. A lot of his work focused around a couple big topics in his life: racial and social issues. Baldwin did not have an easy life growing up. He was born in Harlem in 1924 and was part of a family of 11. In 1927, his mother married a man named David Baldwin, but this man was no noble father figure for young James Baldwin. David Baldwin resented his stepson because he was not of his own flesh and blood. This caused Baldwin to grow up with a lack of emotional affection from either parent. This distance was compensated for at the church where David Baldwin was the preacher. The love that was lacking in their family was shown towards their love for God. Baldwin’s stepdad expected rigorous religious behavior, and that put a lot of pressure on Baldwin and his eight siblings (“James Baldwin,” American). This pressure, along with a few other things, are what inspired many of his best mature writings. …show more content…
One in 1949, titled “Everybody’s Protest Novel,” which addressed the “power of revelation” of an author and how their vast reality must take precedence over other things (“James Baldwin,” The Oxford). In a later essay titled, “The Black Boy Looks at the White Boy,” this idea is put into effect when he states “where there is no vision the people perish.” He wrote to provide a more “meaningful reality” shown in literary works, but even through all of this urgent and powerful writing, his amazing ability to write is never lost (“James Baldwin,” The