Mae Giovanni's Room Essay

If one were to conduct a survey and ask the question, “Does the version of yourself that you present to others align with what you see as true to yourself?” fewer than half of the participants would say yes. Those who responded yes should be immensely proud of themselves, as they have achieved something that the main character of Giovanni’s Room, David, could not. Throughout the novel, David is portrayed as an internally tumultuous character, often seen battling contrasting elements of his own personality to try to satisfy others. This separation in David’s identity, as stated by scholar Mae G. Henderson, can be attributed to, “Baldwin's idea of identity, based as it is on a model of depth psychology and the accompanying notion of interiority,

Baldwin predominantly uses Hella to represent David’s attempt at fitting into the world. One of the ways that Baldwin does so is through the usage of arms as symbolism of what satisfies someone. David saying that his arms are “home” and that Hella “fitted” in them is a principal example of Hella bringing comfort to David. By calling them “empty” while she is not present, Baldwin insinuates that Hella fills a certain part of David that he needs to feel satisfied with. David’s craving to feel accepted through changing how he presents himself is the primary issue that Baldwin emphasizes. If David hadn’t made such a valiant attempt to fit what the world wanted of him, he could have experienced a more resolute ending, rather than one that resulted in heartbreak and emotional disarray for both parties. While David’s conformity to the world’s standards is by remaining with Hella, Baldwin’s conformity was to the persona that he created in his first novel, Go Tell it on the

This uneasiness is showcased in an interaction with Jacques soon after meeting Giovanni for the first time: “‘He is very fond of you,’ he said, ‘already. But this doesn’t make you happy or proud, as it should. It makes you frightened and ashamed. Why?’ ‘I don’t understand him,’ I said. ‘I don’t know what his friendship means; I don’t know what he means by friendship’” (Baldwin 56). In this interaction, David is portrayed as indecisive, unwilling to accept Giovanni’s friendship at face value. This indecision primarily harms David, leaving him with a plight that leads both of his relationships to terminate on the worst of terms. In David’s uncertainty, Baldwin leaves a solution for the reader. In order to break down the divides in one’s identity, one has to know what they want. He warns that, without having priorities, there is no hope in striving for inner reconciliation. In the Giovanni’s Room following passage, Baldwin connects Giovanni to his room and highlights how David perceives the two. Initially, Baldwin used Giovanni’s Room as a symbol for a place where David could truly be