From The Souls Of Black Folk Sparknotes

From The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B Du bois is lauded in American history and sociology for its symbolic importance. Du Bois uses style, Tone, imagery, metaphors and similes as well as many other literary devices to discuss socially constructed and self-determined identities. Throughout this analysis I plan to discuss three chapters out of From The souls of Black Folk. Those chapters are chapter one of our spiritual striving, chapter three of Mr. Booker T. Washington and others and last chapter 14 of the sorrow songs. W.E.B Du Bois book anticipates many of the central questions of the twentieth century and makes the reader aware that current problems have their roots in the failed effort to bring equality and justice to African Americans

Those two main themes are what Du Bois terms double conciseness and the other theme is that African Americans grow up living behind a veil. Du Bois explains that he first became aware of this veil growing up as a child in Massachusetts. One day all the children in Du Bois class at school exchanged greeting cards, and one girl refused to accept Du Bois’ card. It was this experience that helped him realize he was different and was excluded from the world of white people by a vast veil. However Du Bois didn’t immediately feel the need to destroy the veil. He instead dedicated himself to working hard in the hope that in his future he could become a doctor, lawyer, or writer. Du Bois notes that his reaction is different from that of other young black boys, many of whom grew bitter at the idea that god made them outsiders within their own

Although they may inhabit the same community which is the case in Du Bois integrated school, the reality is that they are divided by an invisible yet immensely powerful force, which Du Bois characterizes as a veil. This veil represents the psychosocial force of racism that prevents black people from accessing the same chances, resources, treatment and quality of life as white people. Du Bois argues that the veil makes black people feel like outsiders in their own country. Children are not born with knowledge of the veil, but black children discover it at an early age. “After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second sight in this American world- a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world”(308). This quote suggest that African Americans are treated as outsiders in their own country. Witch creates a painfully split subjectivity that Du Bois calls “double consciousness”. Double consciousness is one of Du Bois most influential concepts in his book. Du Bois explains that double consciousness is a painful burden because it creates a constant feeling of alienation, self-hatred, and doubt. Du Bois emphasizes that African-Americans are so torn apart by the identities and