Separate Pasts by author Melton McLaurin

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I want to start off this analysis essay of the book, “Separate Pasts,” by author MeltonMcLaurin, That it was really well written account of a world that for me, a 21st century youngwomen from a more open community, is completely foreign, and honestly disconnected. Thevery human connection between the reality of the segregated south and the author did allot forme to come to a better grasp of how racism in the south persisted. The fact that he lived in the eraand gave us the theme of change vs tradition throughout the book, gives me an insight of boththe past and present. The author Melton McLaurin reflects on his pasts by recalling his memoriesof growing up in Wade, North Carolina his hometown. During the time, McLaurin is in thesegregated south working in his grandfather’s store; there he starts to observe how he interactsbetween white community and black community, and how each ones’ lifestyles are worlds apart,even though they live in the same town. In the book, McLaurin also describes the influentialblack people in the community of Wade, North Carolina that influenced his views of racism andsegregation. He is teaching us more about the southern history because he actually lived it, thenmost historians that give facts then what people actually thought and felt in that time. McLaurintakes the reader through his thoughts and emotional journey of his unwilling acceptance ofsegregation.To me the overall theme to the book was change vs tradition. As you can see during hisyounger years McLaurin did not understand how much his skin color played a part of hiseveryday life. He was very noble to the people despite there ethnicity and was able to create arelationship with both black and white people. Themes where used in the book and McLau... ... middle of paper ... ...eir lifehave felt and seen themselves as just that. That’s why as the author grew up in his southerncommunity, which use to in slave the Black’s “Separate Pasts” helps you see a different waywithout using the sense I violence but using words to promote change in one’s mind set. Hedescribed the tension between both communities very well. The way the book was writing in firstperson really helped readers see that these thoughts , and worries and compassion was really felttowards this situation that was going on at the time with different societies. The fact that theMcLaurin was a white person changed the views, that yeah he was considered a superior beingbut to him he saw it different he used words to try to change his peers views and traditionalways. McLaurin try to remove the concept of fear so that both communities could see them selfas people and as equal races.

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