Ignorance In Coates's Between The World And Me

There have been many novels written about the experience of being born black in America but only so few have been able to give the reader a vivid point of view of what African Americans have gone through for generations. The book “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a very sympathetic letter to his fifth teen year old son Samori. Coates explains his experiences in the past on how being born into the world as a “Black Body” is considered as a disadvantage in America. Coates grew up with strict parents that were consistently keeping a keen eye on him always having his father constantly beating him and an always anxious mother. But as he grew older and had a son of his own he then realized the reasons behind his parent’s actions.

Coates’s appeal to pathos by using his experiences as a parent effectively allows his intended audience to experience his own feelings

The US is appealing in the eyes of other countries, and even ourselves, because of the “free” and “equal” characteristics we claim ourselves to have, such as: freedom of religion, freedom to own private property, and freedom of equal justice. However, in the eyes of an African America, Atlantic Monthly Journalist, we see that all of these freedoms find a loophole when it comes to the black community. In Ta-Nehisi Coates’ book Between the World and Me, he writes from a political, yet deeply personal standpoint to analyze today’s version of racism. Coates strays away from his usual journalist works to a more deeper and personal view. His book is devoted to his fifteen-year-old son, Samori, and provides him with guidance through the struggle of racism; all while letting Samori fend for himself. Coates’ lets his son know all this through history, and heritage; of his own and of America’s.

In part one of “Between the World and Me,” Coates gives constant examples on how the black community deals with the loss of their bodies and violence on the daily. He makes his argument by being brutally honest. He does not hold back when talking on the subject, making the reader feel somewhat convicted after reading. He uses the element of right timing throughout part one to show how intense racism still is.

“And though I could never, myself, be a native of any of these worlds, I knew that nothing so essentialist as race stood between us. I had read too much by then. And my eyes—my beautiful, precious eyes—were growing stronger each day. And I saw that what divided me from the world was not anything intrinsic to us... ” (Coates 154) Coates understands that seeing the world from different perspectives humbles the mind. He no longer had to live with the stigma of being a black man in America.

Ta-Nehisi Coates’, Between the World and Me, articulates an important and meaningful message that is both provocative and insightful. The book starts off in a way that might seem unorthodox, by addressing the book as if it were a letter to his son. This has a more figurative meaning as it is not literally meant for him to read, rather more of the idea that a father must communicate the injustice of race in the United States of America. Coates’ book is not only influential because it expresses views that are not often accepted or said, but compares events and real life scenarios that had impacted him enough to write a book about it. This theme of concern for not only the country, but to all the young black Americans living in today's society

Ta- Nehisi Coates between the world and me was my personal choice for the novel for my final paper because of the way it boldly and freely explores the thought of what it is like to black in America and how that thought relates to the concept Coates calls the “dream”. Coates uses the lens of the American dream to show how people who believe in it are only dreamers and that leads him to believe that white supremacy is the one reality in America and he uses his experiences as an African American child growing up all the way to having a son of his own. Writing the book to his fifteen year old son Coates sums up the general consensus of his thoughts by saying “I tell you now that the question of how one should live within a black body, within a country lost in the dream, is the question of my life, is the question of my life the pursuit of this question, I have found, ultimately answers itself.”(pg12) In this Coates lays out the most critical sentence to

One of the things that made this book incredible was the way Coates wove the theme of protecting his body

Between the World and Me written by Ta-Nehish Coates is a compelling book about the white supremacy in America and how hard it is being black in America. Coates using this book as a measure to discuss the issues of race within this critical time of multiple hostile incidents. Just as James Baldwin did in his book The Fire Next Time, with his letter address to his nephew at the height of the civil rights movement, Coates models after his method. Coats and Baldwin write these books as guides during these critical moments in history not to aspire to any larger themes of overcoming or transcending “race” as a way to defeat racism but about the ways of survival and remembering. Coates is a realist who yet still find the beauty within the unequal disparities in America. How it is so apparent to see the devalue of black American live. Through out this novel Coasts examines the deeper meaning and values of black bodies he brings it together by describing his own personal experiences as a child in Baltimore, as a student as Howard, as a writer, and importantly as a parent. All these experience allow Coates to see the large overview of America’s history of brutality to black bodies, and the invention of race as form of social hierarchy. Coats uses of the quote “they made us a race, we made ourselves the people” he wants us to understand that while whites created the race for black as a social hierarchy with them as the dominant race, although he feels they are truly

In Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates discusses the brutal racism and prejudice that he has experienced, in the form of the letter. This format permits him to provide the audience with personal anecdotes in which he was the victim, as well as stories of friends and colleagues being victimized. Each example provides insight into the question of whether or not one can be free as an African American. More importantly, he outlines what it means to be free in America. Coates provides a pessimistic outlook on this question in the form of a letter addressed to his son, Samori. This allows the audience to feel sympathy towards Samori as well as others trapped in the same skin. This was a new experience for me, being that I am neither male

Between the World and Me, is a framework of the American history and current crisis of racial ideals. The author, Ta-Nehisi Coates, discusses the damaging falsehoods race has caused on black men and woman throughout history and in current situations. Coates’ writes this book as an open letter to his son, with the intention of helping him understand what it is like to live in a “black body” within this world. As well as answering the question of how black men and woman can free themselves from history’s burden.

“My mother always talks about how white people have the “perfect” life, but then we (black people) aren’t apart of that “perfect” life, we are suppose to help labor for them so they can get the life they want without us included.” In the novel, Between The World And Me, Ta-nehisi Coates grew up in the streets of Baltimore, where the streets transform every ordinary day into a series of trick questions, and every incorrect answer risks a beatdown, a shooting, or pregnancy. This is the everyday norm of having struggles in Baltimore. But, one day Coates saw on television and media all-around how whites have wonderful and stress free lives. That is the life everyone wants, but whites are the most ones privilege to be able to achieve this goal, or dream. Coates message about the “Dream” and the “Dreamers” is that the “Dream” is an middle class suburban neighborhood, where you don’t have to worry about crime and violence, and “The Dreamers” are white people who created and believe the American dream.

Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me talks about large portions of the issues confronting today's general public. Coates ponders his own particular life and voices his worries through his narrating. There were numerous takeaways from the novel and is an unquestionable obligation perused for everybody, not simply African Americans.

In his letter, Coates tells his son about his childhood, the hardships he had to face, and his reflection on the subject. He transitions from his criticism of society and slides into storytelling by declaring, "When I was your age…" He paints a picture of his past and embodies them with adult emotions, "I think back on those boys

Coates presents Between the World and Me as an open letter to his son, Samori. Throughout the novel, he poses several questions about his experiences as a black male in America. Although this is addressed to his son, I took away many personal messages that made me think about my status in America as a black female. One of the most prominent points he made is in reference to the American Dream. Lessons like the recognizing the fear placed on black lives, the death of Prince Jones and why Howard University is the Mecca stayed with me long after putting this book down.