From all the essays of James Baldwin, Notes of a Native Son reflects the experiences of his own life. Being African American not only made it difficult to deal with society, but with his relationship with his father as well. In the essay, Baldwin relates his relationship with his father to the relationship between black and white America.
Throughout the essay, Baldwin explains how he and his father did not have a close relationship. Since his father passed away, Baldwin begins to reminisce of all his negative memories with his father and the actions he had done. Baldwin does not take the time to realize all the good things his father has accomplished or at least attempted to. This results in a love and hate relationship.
Therefore, Baldwin did not take the time to recognize his own father as a good person because of society. Society was very cruel to his father and it lead for Baldwin to take out his bitterness and hatred toward his father. Just how his relationship with his father was revolved with hatred, this is how it relates to the relationship between blacks and whites of America during 1943. Blacks and whites only think of each other based on the wrong actions they have done onto each other and do not realize the good that is within both cultures. At the end of the novel, Baldwin discovered his father’s thoughts. The thought of acceptance of life and men as they are, and the idea of equal power to everyone in society. This is how the relationship between Baldwin and his father relate to the blacks and whites of America.
1 comment:
It is interesting how you had the whole concept down when it came to Baldwin's relationship with his father, and how Black people perceived White people. When you wrote about how he wasn't able to love his father because of how his father was raised is true. Baldwin wasn't able to realized that until the end. You gave great examples and understood the whole concept of what Baldwin was trying to make the readers understand.
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