Essay on James Baldwin - 1907 Words

Gage Krakower History 228: African American History Dr. Jennifer Oast MWF 2:00-2:50 February 10, 2012 James A. Baldwin James A. Baldwin, a homosexual African-American novelist, was once quoted saying that the most dangerous creation of any society is the man who has nothing to lose. What it means is that society’s chief concern should be a person who has absolutely nothing to lose by always sticking to their beliefs, yet everything to gain. James Baldwin embodies that quote to the absolute fullest. Not only did he push the boundaries with his works in novels and articles on racial and sexual matters, but he also was a key component in the civil rights movement and that’s why James Baldwin was important in†¦show more content†¦The novel resembles Baldwin’s childhood a lot based on the fact that the novels central theme is about a young man named John Grimes who is the innocent victim of his father, a religious man steeped in disgust and narrowness. It relates to Baldwin’s childhood because he was the innocent victim of a father whom was religious and had a lot of hatred as well. It’s a milestone in the development of American literature because it is the first novel and/or short story about Negroes to be written from a non-racial point of view. Shortly after publishing his first novel, Baldwin would go on to receive a Guggenheim fellowship. In 1956 he would publish his second novel Giovanni’s Room. Giovanni’s Room fired up a lot of controversy because of the explicit amount of homoerotic content. It also was controversial because he explored interracial relationships, a very touchy topic at the time. â€Å"The plot of the novel itself stems from Baldwin’s analysis of the nature and character of homosexuality.† Also, Baldwin was able to connect with a wider audience because too much of the public’s surprise Giovanni’s Room was primarily about white people, not African-Americans. He was also making references to himself in this novel because the main character was living in Paris. Baldwin’s next two novels, Another Country and Tell Me How Long the Train’s BeenShow MoreRelatedSonny s Blues By James Baldwin827 Words   |  4 PagesSonny’s Blues In James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† it is only when a brother loses his child that he realizes how easy it can be to lose his brother. The narrator’s little brother, Sonny, was left in his charge when their parents passed away. He neglects Sonny and leaves him to work through hard decisions on his own which leads to Sonny being picked up by the police for using and selling drugs. When the narrator’s daughter, Grace, passes he sees how suffering can affect people and reaches outRead MoreGiovanni s Room By James Baldwin1723 Words   |  7 PagesThe two novels Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin published in 1956 and Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith published in 1956 share the interest of both the main characters having trouble publicizing their sexual orientation due to the way society would view them. There location of living have a big impact on their actions of expressing their sexuality towards other people or themselves. During the 1950’s, homosexual activity was prohibited. People who were found having an affair with the same sexRead MoreEssay on Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin1316 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Sonny’s Blues† revolves around the narrator as he learns who his drug-hooked, piano-playing baby brother, Sonny, really is. The author, James Baldwin, paints views on racism, misery and art and suffering in this story. His written canvas portrays a dark and continual scene pertaining to each topic. As the story unfolds, similarities in each generation can be observed. The two African American brothers share a life similar to that of their father and his brother. The father’s brother had a thirstRead MoreExpectations in Sonnys Blues, by James Baldwin Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pagesa grim existence beneath the dispassionate stare of narrow-minded bigots. Soon, the Civil Rights Movement would gain momentum and drastically alter such social exclusion, but James Baldwin writes his story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† before this transformation has occurred. In the style of other Post-Modernist writers of his day, Baldwin invents two brothers, Sonny and the narrator, who seem to have given up on finding meaning in their lives: escape, not purpose, is the solution for suffering. Although marginalizedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Sonny s Blues By James Baldwin1481 Words   |  6 PagesIn reading the story Sonny s Blues by James Baldwin, we learn of two brothers and their lives growing up in Harlem. The narrator, who is the older brother in the story, narrates the trials and tribulations he and his younger brother (Sonny) had to endure growing up in such a harsh environment in Harlem (due to the drugs, violence, and Black s being looked down upon in general in the mid-1950s). We start in the future (present), with the narrator having a somewhat successful future being a teacherRead MoreJames Baldwin s Influence On Society And Relationships With Other People1249 Words   |  5 PagesJames Arthur Baldwin was a prominent author in the 1900s. He did not let his homosexuality or skin color put him down or get in the way of being himself. Baldwin wrote essays, novels, plays, and poetry inspired from his environment and relationships with other people. Although he was poor, it did not stop James Baldwin from becoming a successful author that wrote about his experiences of being homosexual and African American in a troubled society. In Baldwin’s early life, he had to work hard andRead MoreLight and Dark in the Book Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin Essay788 Words   |  4 PagesIn James Baldwin’s short story, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† there is a constant contrast between light and dark. Baldwin uses this theme to highlight the struggles that the Narrator and his younger brother, Sonny, both face. Light represents all of the positive aspects of life. Meanwhile, the darkness represents the constant struggle that threatens the characters in the story. Light and dark has a presence in both characters. The narrator lives his life in the â€Å"light†. He is a teacher, middleclass man, a manRead MoreJames Baldwin738 Words   |  3 PagesQuestions on A Talk to Teachers by James Baldwin 1. In the opening paragraph, Baldwin establishes his ethos by connecting himself to his audience as a fellow citizen and fellow American, someone who loves his country and wants it to be whole and healthy. Though he identifies the chief fear of his audience as the fear of Communist, he proposes that the ore fearful aspect of American society of the early 1960s is the â€Å"bad faith and cruelty† of generations. Baldwin builds credibility with his audienceRead MoreSonny s Blues By James Baldwin2300 Words   |  10 PagesIn the short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, by James Baldwin there is the notion or a reoccurring theme of a conflict between light and dark between the characters. The notion is carried throughout the story of two brothers finding their own lights and trying to work towards a greater life. In the late 50’s, after the Harlem Renaissance, adolescents are faced with drug sales everywhere and crime sprees around every corner, this is one examp le of the darkness in the story. Kids began to form bad habits thatRead More James Baldwin Essay1485 Words   |  6 Pages For The World to See James Baldwin was a man who wrote an exceptional amount of essays. He enticed audiences differing in race, sexuality, ethnic background, government preference and so much more. Each piece is a circulation of emotions and a teeter-totter on where he balances personal experiences and worldly events to the way you feel. Not only did he have the ability to catch readers’ attention through writing, but he also appeared on television a few times. Boston’s