Essay about English: W. E. B. Du bois and Double Consciousness

Submitted By cecelia96
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4.) “Shadowed world” is the term the author uses to describe a person that functions between two world lives. How is author’s term similar or different to W.E.B DuBois’ notion of double consciousness (see pp.16-17)?

Cecelia Frederick
300198236
8/31/14
ENC 1101
Mrs. Cohen Author, Thomas Chatterson Williams describes a “shadowed world” as to be a person that functions differently between two world and lives. Basically this statement describes Thomas’ earlier life of him trying to portray an image he felt he had to be because of the fiery African blood that pounces through his veins. However still resembling a nice, wholesome young man who is respectable at all times and has a true love for learning and reading books; W.E.B DuBois would call this “double consciousness.” Both nations are basically ideas where African-Americans females and males feel as is their identity is distorted. An example of having a duel identity would be me going off to college and having a roommate. My roommate asks where I’m from and I respond “Belle Glade, FL.” I sit and wait for her to response in which I know is going to be a “Huh, Where’s that?” So I politely giggle and say it’s a small city known as the “Muck”. Ok, so there you have this decent looking clean female who seems to be presumably smart and has a good head on her shoulders. Due out of respect, my roommate searches up the great Muck City where “Her soil is her fortune.” She sees all the gang related murders, high rates for aids; then looking at the everyday expanding population and wondering well why she seems so nice and clean. I have constructed my own identity in college, transforming from this girl who will without a doubt tie-up her hair and break a nail if she has too but all the while doing so never for once breaking or cutting her sentences short. Coming from a family who’s known for having the prettier off-spring and classier women. But not wanting to be called “stuck-up” or “Bougie” so instead acting out in class to get a laugh but somehow always talking her way out of situations so that the phone call won’t be made. But only to continue these rebellious steps throughout the days. Just an example to set the tone. This example is very much similar to Thomas and his lifestyle. Wanting so badly to be accepting by the black community, but never not once wanting to upset or disappoint pappy or his mother. Being a part of a shadowed world can make you feel like you have a disconnection with both of the worlds you are trying to portray. Never really able to give either lifestyle your full 100% capability. Not only did Thomas have to be worried about the different rules he would play as to wanting to be an educated black male as pappy set out for him to be or the ignorant, baggy pants, baggy clothes, idiot he idolized on BET (a.k.a Black Entertainment Television). He was also faced with the fact that he was interracial and fairly lighter skinned. So he had to act 3 times as hard which means his world was 3 times as shaded and his double consciousness had tripled in pressure. He had no sense of belonging because he was so worked up in pleasing
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