James Baldwin's Relationship With His Father

In the case of the son and his father in James Baldwin’s essay we can observe that despite the distant relationship they both had, and the harsh way in which his father treated him, the son learned about the racial injustice black people suffered from in Harlem, the power of white people over black people and, finally, he learned –from his father- not to lead a life full of hate. This family lived in Harlem during the 1960's, when black people were segregated from white people. The father belonged to the first generation of free men since his mother had been a slave. He was a bitter man and had problems communicating with those around him. Moreover, he had a grueling attitude towards his children. As for his eldest son, he hated his father …show more content…
Moreover, he seemed to be unaware of the racial discrimination white people had on black people. In fact, his father would always tell him about it and even told him that white people were not to be trusted but he did not listen to him. When he moved out to New Jersey, he encountered himself with what his father had always warned him about: racial discrimination. Bars, restaurants, public bathrooms, barber shops, among others public places, were not meant to be shared by black and white people. For instance, as he walked along the street he felt white people looking down on him and got kicked out of a restaurant for being a “negro” too. The son thought that his father had told him these bitter warnings just because he hated white people. However, what his father really wanted was to protect him from the discrimination he -himself- had suffered in the past. Now, he understood what his father had always tried so hard of teaching him. The son learned that he had to be careful when walking on the street, or trusting a white person. Thanks to his father he became conscious about the situation black people were immersed …show more content…
Furthermore, he learned that after all those years his father’s warnings were true and that he only wanted him to be safe and away from the racial injustice black people suffered from. Another lesson he learned from this father was that white people had an immense power over black people, a power which was wielded recklessly. When the son suffered from discrimination for the first time, he wondered why nobody did anything to stop this, not even justice punished those who practiced discrimination against his kind. In fact, he was fired several times because of the color of his skin and was also kicked from places where only white people could go. Furthermore, he remembered that his father had told him once that white people would do anything to keep a “Negro” down. Being in this situation made him realize something that his father wanted him to know: the weight of white people in the world. He had seen how white people had better opportunities, more economic stability in their lives, well-paid jobs and had more chances in life altogether. Now, he felt this inequality and injustice imposed on them and it disgusted him. It disgusted him that life could be so cruel. Moreover, he felt afraid, powerless and helpless towards the discrimination he suffered