There is a multitude of themes that are present in James Baldwin’s book, The Fire Next Time. However, there was one theme that decisively stood out. This theme that stood out was, the idea that Baldwin thinks racism in America must end sooner rather than later. Baldwin addresses this issue many different times throughout the entirety of his book. Additionally, Baldwin use stories from his past to give the reader a more realistic idea of what it’s like to deal with racism on a daily basis. Therefore, strengthening his claims about the racial injustices being committed by white Americans. Additionally, Baldwin’s use of the word “must” instead of “should” finely illustrates how passionately he feels about America needing to change its racist
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Baldwin thought white Americans had to stop seeing black Americans as less. Additionally, Baldwin thought that the black Americans themselves had to stop believing that they were inferior to white people. For example, he uses a conversation between his father and himself to display how this mentality had been ingrained into his dad’s head, “The fear that I heard in my father’s voice, for example, when he realized I really believed I could do anything a white boy could do, and had every intention of proving it, was not at all like the fear I heard when one of us was ill or had fallen down the stairs...”(26-27). Baldwin is showing that he believes, if black Americans ever wish to become equal, they must not have such a negative attitude toward themselves and their …show more content…
Subsequently, Baldwin attacks American history by claiming that it has been revised, in order to present white Americans as marvelous individuals. “The American Negro has the great advantage of having never believed that collection of myths to which white Americans cling...”(101). Thus, Baldwin shows that he believes white Americans are not as innocent as they see themselves, and that they have altered their history to seem like better people than they really are. However, instead of hating white Americans for their injustices towards blacks, Baldwin does almost the exact opposite. Baldwin seems to feel remorse for how clouded white people’s judgment has become, “ The tendency has really been, insofar as this was possible, to dismiss white people as the slightly mad victims of their own brainwashing”(102). Thus, Baldwin verifies that he realizes whites have been raised to believe that they are superior to blacks. However, Baldwin’s main point he is making about American history is that it is contributing factor to the lack of equality for black Americans because of its bias towards
Baldwin thought white Americans had to stop seeing black Americans as less. Additionally, Baldwin thought that the black Americans themselves had to stop believing that they were inferior to white people. For example, he uses a conversation between his father and himself to display how this mentality had been ingrained into his dad’s head, “The fear that I heard in my father’s voice, for example, when he realized I really believed I could do anything a white boy could do, and had every intention of proving it, was not at all like the fear I heard when one of us was ill or had fallen down the stairs...”(26-27). Baldwin is showing that he believes, if black Americans ever wish to become equal, they must not have such a negative attitude toward themselves and their …show more content…
Subsequently, Baldwin attacks American history by claiming that it has been revised, in order to present white Americans as marvelous individuals. “The American Negro has the great advantage of having never believed that collection of myths to which white Americans cling...”(101). Thus, Baldwin shows that he believes white Americans are not as innocent as they see themselves, and that they have altered their history to seem like better people than they really are. However, instead of hating white Americans for their injustices towards blacks, Baldwin does almost the exact opposite. Baldwin seems to feel remorse for how clouded white people’s judgment has become, “ The tendency has really been, insofar as this was possible, to dismiss white people as the slightly mad victims of their own brainwashing”(102). Thus, Baldwin verifies that he realizes whites have been raised to believe that they are superior to blacks. However, Baldwin’s main point he is making about American history is that it is contributing factor to the lack of equality for black Americans because of its bias towards