John Griffin's Black Like Me
All men are created equal... or are they? John Griffin's "Black Like Me"
shows how racism is nothing more then the foolish misunderstanding of man.
White's current superiority hangs in the balance as Blacks become tired of being
the minority, in the late 1950's. Even though this struggle isn't as dreadful
as it was then, it still exists. The certainty of racism can't be ignored but
it will soon disappear as generations mix. Racial discrepancies challenge the
unity of human civilization.
John Griffin had a biting curiosity which he could no longer stand. What
was life truly like, for a black man in the deep south? He sought the real
answer to this by darkening his skin with extreme amounts of medication. A new
skin color determines everything and John is now thrown into a new world that he
was in no way prepared for. He was no longer John, an average but respected
white novelist, he was a black man and that is all that mattered. Simple
pleasers like a drink of water or the use of a restroom become near impossible.
John, at first was puzzled by this, but soon realized that it was not his
personality, his age, but his blackness that made him a disgrace in the eyes of
an average white person. If he were white, a white store owner would have not
hesitated in the slightest to allow such privileges. How could these people be
so blind as to not see that a black person breathes the same air, eats the same
food, and has the same internal functions as themselves? This misunderstanding
stares them in the face and they can't see it. Their selfishness and fear is
completely unnecessary but it remains because the whites have never been exposed
to any other way of life. This is why the whites can not allow such common
privileges to Mr. Griffin or any other black person. To treat a black as an
equal was absolutely unheard of.
Fatigued from rejection and many actions which would be declared
unconstitutional, the blacks must do something so their future generations do
not suffer the same. This desire for action only stirs a greater terror within
the (racist) white community. People like, Martin Luther King Jr. begin to
surface. He and many others aspire to show the blacks that they are equal human
beings. Its strange to think that most blacks thought a white was better just
because that is what they were brought up to believe. This new realization
that he is a brave man. As soon as his wife is accused, John quickly
In John Howard Griffin's novel Black Like Me, Griffin travels through many Southern American states, including Mississippi. While in Mississippi Griffin experiences racial tension to a degree that he did not expect. It is in Mississippi that he encounters racial stereotypical views directed towards him, which causes him to realize the extent of the racial prejudices that exist. Mississippi is where he is finally able to understand the fellowship shared by many of the Negroes of the 50's, because of their shared experiences. Although Griffin travels throughout the Southern States, the state of
John is isolated from birth and through all of his life until Bernard brings him
He demonstrated how life was for African Americans in the southern states like South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Georgia. He achieved his goal by dying his skin to become black man, spending several months in 1959 living as an African American as they were living at that time . For example, one of the greatest discrimination the Griffin lived was the deprivation of public services such as the use of a toilet, restaurant, library, education. He said " … this year of freedom any man could deprive another of anything so basic as the need to quench thirst or use the restroom” (61). In my opinion, this is a true example of how Negroes were deprived of physical needs and excessive abuse of whites. Although the president Lincoln had proclaimed the freedom for the Negroes hundred years ago; however, in 1950’s they still have not enjoyed it. Personally, the climax of the book is when the author start to feel the discrimination from white people to him as an African American. He said that when he was in the restroom was the only place that he felt safe, isolated and owns the space around him (132). At this point, I imagine that he was desperate, angry, and disappointed. I guess most of the black people could feel in the same way. Also he said, “… nothing but the color of skin. My experience proved that. They judged me by no other quality. My skin dark. That was sufficient reason for [white people] to deny me those rights and freedoms without which life loses its significance and becomes a matter of little more than animal survival” (115). This is the clearest way that he can prove that because of his pigmentation, he was being discriminated, he was living with a fear of people with the different skin color of him. Therefore, I believe that Griffin
the black man in the South in the early 1900's. This story deals partly with racial
Griffin feels it is necessary to understand the hardship of blacks in the United States of America. Through medications, bleaching and ultraviolet light, Griffin is able to temporarily change his skin color so that he can walk through the streets and understand the injustices faced by African Americans. Later on, the author moves farther south where he is faced with even more racism and begins to switch between white and black skin, understanding the different expressions given by society of both races. While white, Griffin finds that white people treat him with respect and black people fear him. But while black, Griffin is despised and neglected by whites and is welcomed warmly by blacks (Griffin, 1962).
With all of these facts, the author tries to prove that racial differences and privileges appear exaggerated and unrealistic. The privileged and less privileged exist at all levels of society. Duke wants white people to understand that they are in the same position as all other races. The awareness of “white privilege” is only a fallacy that causes feel of guilt without foundation.
...ial norms and laws - it is to help save someone’s mom, someone’s daughter, someone’s sister.
" Dear John! He loves me very dearly, and hates to have me sick. I tried to have a real earnest talk with him the other day, and tell him how I wished he would let me go and make a visit to Cousin Henry and Julia. But he said I wasn't able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there" (474). John doesn't know how his wife
Eating, drinking, sleeping is part of any daily life. But sometime it doesn’t mean to
Researchers agree on the fact that while there is no credible evidence that learning styles exist, neither is there evidence to the contrary (Reiner & Willingham, 2010). Different people have different preferences for learning, a fact that all researchers agree on. These preferences can be affected by an individual’s interests, abilities, and background knowledge (Reiner & Willingham, 2010). Studies show that while students have a preferred style of learning, if material is presented in another method, the learning is equivalent.
Honey, P. & Mumford, A. (2006). The Learning Style Questionnaire 80-item Version. London: Pearson Assessment.
While reading Kolb 's Learning Styles Model and Experiential Learning Theory, I have identified myself as an accommodating learner. At first I was somewhat surprised, but the more I read about the learning styles, particularly after I completed Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory it made more sense. I have a very hands-on style, which matches perfectly with my enjoyment of performing tests to find the root cause of behavior that I’m investigating. However, sometimes I rush to make decisions on the impulse of having the task at hand finished, failing to analyze all the options that are available. Another element of the accommodate learning style that identifies me is the fact that I enjoy a good challenge. I found very interesting to solve difficult
In this essay I will be describing various types of learning styles and stating the advantages and disadvantages of these learning styles. I will also inform you of the most commonly used method of finding out your own learning style, and I will inform you of the man who made this method. Finally, I will write about my own preferred learning styles and the strengths and weaknesses of the different learning styles.
Accounting is a very important term to our modern society. It is the career for men and women who at the start have their eyes set on top positions in industry, management, government, and general business. Accounting is a basic need of every businessman, from the operator of a filling station to the government of the United States. It's so important to our society. None of the business organization can operate without is. They are there-somewhere-in every business. In small business, people use pen, ink and skill keep the records. In large business, modern accounting machines are used to operate. Men and women are directing these machines in the accounting process. Wise businessmen enter business must have some accounting knowledge.