Analysis Of The Poem ' Double Consciousness And The Veil ' Du Bois
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“To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.” -W.E.B. Du Bois (pg. 166).
A well known philosopher, poet, sociologist, and historian, W.E.B. Du Bois has made many contributions to society and affected many lives. Theses marks Du Bois left on this world were not only monumental because of his progressive beliefs, but because he belonged to a group enveloped in prejudice, racism and second-rate social location. In his essay, Double Consciousness and the Veil, Du Bois discusses what it is like to be a Negro in the early 1900s (Du Bois). Using poetry, personal accounts, and historical facts to support what it is like to be a problem in America or a Negro, Du Bois constructs a solid…show more content…
164). In recent events, there has been a lot of mistrust between many racial groups because of the election. Moreover, there has been an increase in distrust between African Americans and the police, more specifically white police officers. In my opinion, this tension has renewed this “silent hatred, mocking and distrust of everything white” for many people in the black community. In fact, in Du Bois’ essay, I believe there is a line that can be interpreted to coincide with today’s racial tension. When describing the veil, Du Bois states “The shades of the prison-house closed round about us all: walls strait and stubborn to the whitest, but relentlessly narrow, tall, and unscalable to sons of night who must plod darkly on in resignation, or beat unavailing palms against stone, or steadily, half hopelessly, watch the streak of blue above.” In my opinion, one could argue that the prison-house that is stubborn to the whitest refers to our prison systems today, where most people incarcerated are black men. He describes this system as being “unscalable” meaning it is impossible to escape the fate. Which is unfortunately how many minorities feel about prison from my experience. Concurrently, the “blue light that streaks above” is the flashing lights of a police car from above while black men such as Alton Sterling, Trayvon Martin, and other unfortunate souls lay on the ground dead. Of course, Du Bois’ quote can be interpreted many different ways. Just
164). In recent events, there has been a lot of mistrust between many racial groups because of the election. Moreover, there has been an increase in distrust between African Americans and the police, more specifically white police officers. In my opinion, this tension has renewed this “silent hatred, mocking and distrust of everything white” for many people in the black community. In fact, in Du Bois’ essay, I believe there is a line that can be interpreted to coincide with today’s racial tension. When describing the veil, Du Bois states “The shades of the prison-house closed round about us all: walls strait and stubborn to the whitest, but relentlessly narrow, tall, and unscalable to sons of night who must plod darkly on in resignation, or beat unavailing palms against stone, or steadily, half hopelessly, watch the streak of blue above.” In my opinion, one could argue that the prison-house that is stubborn to the whitest refers to our prison systems today, where most people incarcerated are black men. He describes this system as being “unscalable” meaning it is impossible to escape the fate. Which is unfortunately how many minorities feel about prison from my experience. Concurrently, the “blue light that streaks above” is the flashing lights of a police car from above while black men such as Alton Sterling, Trayvon Martin, and other unfortunate souls lay on the ground dead. Of course, Du Bois’ quote can be interpreted many different ways. Just
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