In James Baldwin's “Notes of a Native Son,” which was written during the 1940s and 1950s, gives readers an idea on the social environment in the United States in the era of the Civil Rights Movement. It shows the conditions of being an African American living in a society that is grappling with the consequences of racial discrimination. The subjects of this essay vary as Baldwin ponders his own reactions to the significance of the so called protest novel to the circumstances that led many African-American writers of his time to become experts.
The introduction paragraph describes a kind of sickness that took over his body. He describes “…a kind of blind fever, a pounding in the skull and fire in the bowels,” a sickness that is sure to ruin someone’s life. At first, it is clear that he is talking about a physical sickness that he has gotten, but as the story progresses we see that he is talking about a figurative sickness. “There is not a Negro alive who does not have this rage in his blood, one has the choice, merely living with it consciously or surrendering to it.” As the story goes on, Baldwin describes how his “sickness” had destroyed his mental ability to stop …show more content…
He wants the waitress to feel the way that she thinks she feels when she sees a black man, that if there is going to be a stereotype, then he is going to act the way the stereotype says he is going to. This is shown by Baldwin’s mature and matter of fact word choice. And finally “…that my life, my real life, was in danger, and not from anything other people might do but from the hatred I carried in my own heart.” The last sentence of this essay describes that his temper is what is his true problem. Regardless of how harsh and horrible racism was, his life would not be harmed on account of others, but by the way he handles his own thoughts, and temper. This shows just how emotional and relatable all these emotions can
The introduction paragraph describes a kind of sickness that took over his body. He describes “…a kind of blind fever, a pounding in the skull and fire in the bowels,” a sickness that is sure to ruin someone’s life. At first, it is clear that he is talking about a physical sickness that he has gotten, but as the story progresses we see that he is talking about a figurative sickness. “There is not a Negro alive who does not have this rage in his blood, one has the choice, merely living with it consciously or surrendering to it.” As the story goes on, Baldwin describes how his “sickness” had destroyed his mental ability to stop …show more content…
He wants the waitress to feel the way that she thinks she feels when she sees a black man, that if there is going to be a stereotype, then he is going to act the way the stereotype says he is going to. This is shown by Baldwin’s mature and matter of fact word choice. And finally “…that my life, my real life, was in danger, and not from anything other people might do but from the hatred I carried in my own heart.” The last sentence of this essay describes that his temper is what is his true problem. Regardless of how harsh and horrible racism was, his life would not be harmed on account of others, but by the way he handles his own thoughts, and temper. This shows just how emotional and relatable all these emotions can