Racism In James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time

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A brilliant book of the great civil rights movement through the most retching of subjects- segregation in America. The moral of the book is to galvanize the injustices in Harlem during the civil rights movement. James Baldwin , the author of The Fire Next time , tells of a real life, disturbing experience of inherent maltreatment of the Negroes citizens of America. James Baldwin’s inspirational book addresses the ongoing racial tensions between the white and black citizens of America. However , instead of through the eyes of a white man – he tells the story from a black mans perspective.
Overall, I appreciated the books critic analysis of common problem sin society that affect black peoples lives including but not limited to: religion , government, …show more content…

However, the glorification of one race being greater than another is a recipe for pure disaster in modern times. Therefore, the book had a quote that could be commonly misunderstood if not truly understood. Baldwin quotes,” He is the key figure in his nation, and the country , and the American future is precisely as bright or as dark as his h( Baldwin ,pg. 94). The quotes speak to the idea the white America needs black America in order to survive. America needs to accept them for who they are instead of hoping to be a pure white nation. America most look at itself as a diverse nation made up of a myriad of people. Every person in society has a purpose and shall be used to further enhance society. Baldwin isn’t saying he believes color of skin adds more value, but that Americans need to see value in all colors. Even though put down in the past , African Americans have single handedly achieved some great achievements by …show more content…

The African American race being at the forefront of most of them. However, if anything can be said , it is that African Americans are not sitting down. The Fire Next Time serves as a book to help explain to the white man what it means to be a black man. The white man understands different feeling and themes that are present in daily lives of African Americans including religion, school , etc. James Baldwin uses the letter to explain to his fourteen-year-old nephew the realities of race in American history. While the second essays serves to describe the idea of race and religion. The overwhelming congruence suggested was one must abandon Christian teaching in order to find themselves. America will be handicapped as long as they keep thinking narrow. One thing is made clear during the novel- the resilience of African American. I believe this quote by Titus Lucretius Carus is ideal to close this reaction paper. Carus proclaims, “So it is more useful to watch a man in times of peril, and in adversity to discern what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off, reality remains.” This is the story of African Americans in

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