Notes Of A Native Son Essay

The issue of race has plagued American society since the beginnings of the slave trade, this carried through to the 1950s leaving a distinct hatred against white people in the african american communities. In Notes of a Native Son, James Baldwin’s essay explores his past growing up in New Jersey during the 1950s, where he deals with the death of his father, the oppression from whites, and understanding the rage that he contracted.

In the essay James Baldwin draws comparison between himself, his father, and Harlem building a theme of illness to represents the effects of racism. While it is important to read this piece under that light, however you do not fully grasp the idea without understanding the cyclical relationship of illness and its …show more content…
In the first section it deals with the death of Baldwin's father and the initial contraction of the disease. This is the first step in the cycle, the initial contraction, detailing were the sickness stems from. The first of these illness is a disease that once “contracted, one can never be carefree . . . can recur at any moment . . . . living with it consciously or surrendering to it.” This disease being referred to is the rage that all “Negro” have, something buried deep inside as the result of the oppression that they have dealt with at the hands of the whites. This initial contraction of this disease began with Baldwin's father, as he grew up in New …show more content…
He was the first generation of free men, meaning that his children would be the first of his ancestor who did not have to be born into slavery, they could grow up in a world where they knew not the rage inside them. Baldwin’s father attempted to shield his family and break the cycle of hatred. In order to do that he devoted his life to gospel hoping to pass on his faith to his children rather than rage. During the childhood of Baldwin, his father attempted to distance him from any white people in fear that they would discriminate against Baldwin and he would have to suffer as he had suffered. This is most prevalent with Baldwin's white teacher, “my father took me aside to ask why she was coming, what interest she could possibly have in our house.” Baldwin's father was afraid of the ill effects that may come with this new white teacher, and how she might take Baldwin away from him. The more powerful line in the passage is Baldwin's father willinging to protect Baldwin against the white teacher, “And I understood that my father was waiting for me to say something . . . perhaps that I wanted his protection against this teacher.” Baldwin’s father wanted his son to need him, but more importantly trust him as no