James Baldwin's Discovery Of Oppression

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James Baldwin claims that he, “had discovered the weight of white people on the world the year after his father died.” Before his father’s death, Baldwin displayed his acceptance towards the white population through his appreciation towards his teacher. Contrary to Baldwin, his father exhibited much disdain towards the white population through his inability to interact with them. These differences can be explained by the gap in generations- Baldwin being a second generation American and his father being from the first- which influenced their outlooks on society. As Baldwin moved from the south to New Jersey, he experienced the types of racism and hardships his father endured. Baldwin eventually, “discovered the weight of white people in the world.” …show more content…
Initially, Baldwin was blind to the prejudice the black race experiences. Baldwin’s mentions that his childhood was filled with white teachers that taught him critical information about the world. Whereas Baldwin appreciated his white teacher’s efforts, his father did not. Baldwin’s father tried to dismiss the idea of positive white people in his son’s life. These differing perspectives of the white race stemmed from the two different generations each man grew up in. Baldwin’s father experienced violence, verbal abuse, and the denial of opportunities as a first generation free man who lived in New Orleans. The racism his father experienced is the motive behind his cruel and cold behavior.In his early years, Baldwin never understood the hatred his father had towards the white population due to lack of life
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