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  • Essay / Literary Analysis of James Baldwin's Notes of a Native Son

    Introduction: There is a fine line between adoration and hatred in James Baldwin's article "Notes of a Native Son." Throughout this article, James Baldwin constantly references life and death, black and white, love and hate. He uses his small experiences to clarify a much larger and increasingly confusing picture of life. Context: From the first passage of the article to the last section, Baldwin constantly draws connections about his perspective on life; from the day his father died, to the time his father was laid to rest. Thesis Statement: James Baldwin is an exceptional writer, who innovatively displays his ability to weave representation and inquiry throughout his exhibitions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout the article, Baldwin's range seems to continue to expand, explicitly in passages where Baldwin is indicated with extraordinary bias. Evidence and Quote: This is especially evident when he walks into a cafe with a friend to get something to eat. The man at the counter inconsiderately asks them what they need. Baldwin replies forcefully that they need a hamburger and an espresso. With this, the man expresses that they do not serve Negroes. After some equally ridiculous remarks, Baldwin and his companion leave the café. Baldwin would mostly go to another restaurant and sit there until the waiter came (Margolies, Edward.). Comment: He depicts his anger towards white people by describing the waiter. He says: “I hated her for her white face and her extraordinarily stunned and alarmed eyes. I felt that if she found a black man so terrifying, I would value her concern.” The waiter, looking almost apologetic, revealed to him that black people were not served in this café. This statement made Baldwin feel "colder and more dangerous than ever in recent memory." He needed to wrap his hands around her neck and gag her. After realizing that she could never get close enough to do that, Baldwin throws a cup of water at her head. The breaking of the cup wakes Baldwin from his stupor and he rushes towards the entrance. Comment: Most of his pent-up annoyance exploded. Baldwin submitted a good demonstration. He later understands the seriousness of his actions. Topic Sentence: James Baldwin is an exceptionally prestigious African-American author who is best known for his ability to blend narrative and controversy in short, elegantly composed articles. Evidence and Citation: His first book was published when he was 19 and published puzzling writings in the midst of the season of activism for social equality. He managed to rise from his need to become a stunning author through his self-confidence and strength. In “Notes of a Native Son,” Baldwin works admirably using pairs and redundancy of words and phrases, while switching back and forth from narrative to critique. At one point in his story, Baldwin did not explicitly call attention to these clever parallels and repetition of words; however, they can easily be generated by the discerning reader. These doubles and Baldwin's deliberate use of word repetition are then discovered through Baldwin's story composed near the end of his exposition. Baldwin's composition will, in general, be very thematic, which, once again, is achieved by rehashing slogans and phrases. Baldwin will use words like fear, abhorrence, dread and disloyalty to paint a picture of thisthat his father felt towards the “white world”. Baldwin paints a picture of how his father saw the world and, furthermore, to differentiate how it was more likely than not when his family was so close to you, white population (Baldwin, James.). Later in the exposition, Baldwin lets us know how vigilant his father was in giving a white teacher the chance to take his child to see a theater production; something that was not generally allowed in the Baldwin family. In order for Baldwin to see the play, his mother had to make it clear to her husband that the reason for releasing James to the auditorium was for him to study. Baldwin tells us how the educational conflict placed a heavy burden on his father. We see that Baldwin will use the expression "bitter" when referring to a side of his father as a power brought to blacks by the white man. Topic Sentence: James Baldwin is known to be one of the best article scholars of the 20th century who composed on a few subjects including race, segregation, sexuality and especially his encounters. In “Notes of a Native Son,” he uses two main methodologies to express what he thinks. For starters, he appreciates the ability to tell a story in a report. Here is generally his analysis of the event. He describes the event and then gives his hypothesis on the matter. In doing so, it gives the reader the opportunity to translate its meaning. His understanding may not be the same as that of the reader. He takes pleasure in having the opportunity to fight and gives the premises of his assertion in “Notes of a Native Son”. Throughout the story he talks about himself and his father. There are stories he joins in to emphasize this point. In the center, we move to an increasingly conceited narrative. He tells his story in New Jersey where he thought he could murder someone. He shares some of his thoughts on why people acted the way they did towards him and others. It’s a compelling way he uses to describe and break it down to work towards the reader’s understanding. The article outlines his association with his father. He portrays his father as brutal, unpleasant and handsome. He mentions his father several times. On the other hand, it also reveals to us some of the big ones (Seresin, Indiana). Throughout his story, the reader gets a glimpse of his life and how he feels. His feelings advance throughout the article. In the stories he tells, the word hate appears most of the time. His father sometimes used it. "I didn't see anything beyond doubt in any respect, but I saw this: that my life, my reality, was in danger, and not because of what other people might do, but rather because because of the contempt that I transmitted in my own heart." he said. This contempt he speaks of exists towards his father. Different elements also contribute; however, they are not mentioned as often. The disappearance sparked a feeling in Baldwin that he thought he needed to get out. His contempt for his father continues to run through the vast majority of the diary. James Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son" exposes his bewildering and fascinating association with his father. Baldwin's association with his father is fundamentally the same as most father-child relationships; however, the impact of racial separation on the lives of both makes them distinctive. At first, Baldwin acknowledges the way his father tried to care for him, but where it counts, he wants to feel that his father was imposing his thoughts and experiences on him. Baldwin's description of his association with his father, during his lifetime, is charged with disgust and hatred for him and his systems of..