The purpose for writing the book was to provide the readers an inside look to the inner workings of society in the 1950’s. He wanted to take a blindfold off the Americans eyes and try to unify a nation divided by color. He wanted to make segregation a United States thing instead of it being a southern thing. The book was written in first person. It is written almost like a diary and has 208 pages. He wrote the date at the top of the pages and wrote about his observations for that given date. This style of writing made the book easier to read and his syntax helps the reader feel like they are in his mind. He is successful in helping the reader travel back in time and experience the south in the 1950’s by provided descriptive imagery. You can almost see what he sees and smell what he smells by reading his words. Throughout the book you see how race meant more then any character traits someone had. To provide us with an understanding of life in the south he gives examples of segregation he experienced. His first real experience was when he could not find a restroom because restrooms were segregated. Restrooms were sparsely scattered for those of color. “Sometimes you’ll find you’ve got to walk half-way across town to find a place” . He could not understand how something so common like a restroom was denied because of the color of the skin. Another incident that showed segregation occurred when he was on the bus to Mississippi and the bus stopped for a bathroom break. What he did not know and what the other colored people didn’t know was that they would not be allowed to get off to use the facilities. Only the whites were allowed to get off. “I can’t be bothered rounding up all you people when we get ready to go” . Another review of Black Like Me written by Bruce Watson for Smithsonian.com, talks about the changes the book and Griffin made in the United States 50 years later. …show more content…
The review gives more background information on Griffin that the book doesn’t give. The background information helps the readers understand where griffin is coming from when he decided to embark in his journey. The review gives a synopsis of the book as well as further explanation of Griffin’s thoughts and feelings toward segregation, and experiences as a black man. The review explains how Griffin’s faith was a big motivating factor on Griffin doing his social experiment “…Griffin’s theological studies had convinced him that racism was a human problem.” Saying that even if your not being affected directly by segregation doesn’t mean that it is not affecting you. The author of the review Bryce Watson talks about how now we can look back at the book as “an ugly snapshot of America’s past.” We are no longer segregated and people of color now hold important places in the country that ones condemned them. At the end of the review you could tell that the author of the review agreed and …show more content…
“…men in uniform…rarely descend to show discrimination, perhaps because of the integration of the armed forces”. The textbook talks about the Buffalo Soldiers who were African Americans who fought side by side with whites during war. Even though there was integration in the military there was still prejudice in the minds of some white soldiers and officers. They continued to stick to the old traditions of the south. “Many white officers refused to serve with black