Maslow 's Theory Of Self Actualization

The idea of relating public and private events in Baldwin’s own experiences is instituted later in the essay in order to transition from narrative to analysis. Baldwin started telling a story about when he lived in New Jersey before the time of his father’s death. He talked about his personal treatment by white people in the south, a first hand account of the racism of that particular era. He learned of the hostility of the Jim Crow Laws inflicted on African Americans during that time period. His story was analogous to nearly all African Americans at that point. When Baldwin lived in New Jersey, he became exposed to the racism of the south that occurred in restaurants and diners. During one of those experiences he wrote, “I

The plot in the story is mainly about personal expression. It attempts to illustrate the ability and freedom of personal expression in an environment and circumstances that degrade the entire pursuit to achieve personal freedom. The author is able to exploit English language, the language of black oppression and use these techniques to tell a true story of African-American experiences. Baldwin carefully controls the intensity of his story to harness acceptance across

In this quote Baldwin presents the main idea of this chapter. The purpose of presenting this main idea is to give readers insight into what they are about to read. He begins this chapter by stating that he wrote novels as a child. Baldwin then goes on to talk about his childhood, and how his father was not always proud of him, while his mother was often delighted with his writings. He also writes about the hardships that he faced as a negro writer. One of his problems was that many

Baldwin determines that violence and racial separatism are not acceptable solutions for achieving “power”. Baldwin believes that black people will only be able to achieve lasting influence in America if they love and accept white people. In contrast, writing 52 years after Baldwin, Coats tells his own son to “struggle” but not

Personal stories and descriptions of major events are narrated throughout James Baldwin’s works as he analyzes the nature of the relationship between white and black America. The marriage of narration and analysis are especially evident in Baldwin’s essay, “Notes of a Native Son.” As Baldwin describes his father and their relationship until his father’s death, he simultaneously comments about the relationship between white and black America. Baldwin compares the events of his experience with concurrent American events to conclude about the nature of his personal relationships and the relationship between races; namely, that one must come to accept the

Growing up in Harlem, New York during the 1920’s and 30’s, James Baldwin was a young Black man desperate for a place of acceptance. Surrounded by drugs and prostitution Baldwin saw a change in his neighborhood and his friends as they got older. With his friends beginning to drink and smoke Baldwin knew times were changing. He became very aware of the body development of the girls and the boys; and to his surprise he was even more enticed by the changes in the boys (Baldwin 17). During this time, Baldwin and his friends would begin to experience the racism that White America had to offer. No longer shielded by their age or naivety they had to face the fact that they were not accepted because of their skin color. With this realization, Baldwin would begin his search to be part of something bigger then him. During a similar time period, Abraham Maslow, a Psychologist and Professor at numerous universities over his career, including Brandeis and Columbia, published a theory called “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” (Boeree). In this theory, Maslow describes the four most important needs for a human to be self actualized. The self actualized person is not one of perfection but one who is on a search to understand and discover why their life is the way it is, from why “their feet hurt” to if “they do not like eggplant”. They take responsibility for their actions and try to be honest people on their search to figuring out their purpose in life. Surrounded by hate and anger, Baldwin is

1) From the last paragraph in the biographical section on page 51 that starts with “In ‘Notes of a Native Son,’” was most useful to my understanding of this essay because it gives a brief summary of Baldwin’s essay. However, the first couple of sentences on page 49 gave me an idea of what kind of writer Baldwin is: “took on the responsibility of speaking as a black American about the ‘Negro problems in America.’”

The year was 1964 and James Baldwin watches in excitement as President Lindon B. Johnson signs into law the civil rights act of 1964. Baldwin watched with a mix of joy and remorse as he remembers the friends he lost along the way. James Baldwin was the voice of a movement a movement that changed the history of America, and like any life changing movements lives were lost. In this story, Baldwin’s the hero, and like many heroes he’s lost key allies along the way. James Baldwin stood for an America many believed in, and many other’s opposed.

James Baldwin's works, both "Sonny's Blues" and The Fire Next Time, weave the themes of black identity, family , and religion more elegantly than I have ever witnessed by any other writer. When reading The Fire Next Time readers witness the disharmony and miscommunication that wedges itself between a father and son. Baldwin, a teenager at the time, acts as many teenagers do, hoping to find various ways to spite his father-- first by joining a church and becoming saved, but not his father's church; then by insulting his father's beliefs and rules by inviting a non-christian into the family home, although he already anticipates his father's reaction to such an act; and finally by joining the pulpit, although he is not a true believer. Baldwin

In The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin addressed the problem of racism that existed in the early 1960s. He gives very powerful accounts of his life growing up in Harlem in the 1930s and 40s. Throughout the book he gives accounts of how whites, blacks, Christians, and Muslims all can be blamed for the racial tensions that existed in the early 1960s. While Baldwin spends much of the criticism on whites, Christians, and Jews, and their inability to give up their hold on the political, financial, and religions power of the country, he also holds the Black and Muslim communities responsible for not working harder to make things better. Baldwin does not feel that the Whites are totally accountable for the racial situation that exists in the

During the summer while surrounded by gangs and pimps, Baldwin quickly found himself diving into the Christian faith in order to find safety. Every day walking down the streets of Harlem, Baldwin found himself fighting off the pressures of succumbing to the terrible conditions around him. Everyday he sees someone new disappearing and going off to prison; he refused to be another Black prison story. One day, his friend takes him to church because of his fears for Baldwin’s salvation. Immediately Baldwin is caught off guard by the female Pastor and all of her power in the community. She asks him, “Whose little boy are you?” (Baldwin 28). This simple question gives Baldwin flashbacks to all the pimps and racketeers who have accosted him in the past. Baldwin, feeling a spiritual seduction replies with “Why, yours”. It appears they all knew that Baldwin wanted to desperately to be “somebody’s little boy” (28). Although he had a family he never felt comfortable or accepted; he wanted and felt that the world could offer more than his family did. The deeper Baldwin got into Christianity, he realized that the religion was not one for him. This was Baldwin’s first step in Maslow’s self actualization, he was asking himself questions like, how his life got to this hateful place?

Baldwin suggests that the way to overcome the Negro problem is for both Negro and white America to transcend what they think they know, believe, understand and fear. He suggests that America, as both a country and an ideal, is handicapped by a narrowness of thinking.

Abraham Maslow theorized the concept of self-actualization which is the term used to describe the state of self-fulfillment in which people realize their highest potentials in their own unique way. Maslow’s theory includes sublevels that must be achieved before reaching self-actualization. In this paper, I will explain how each of his previous levels have affected my life, and give an idea of when I may hope to achieve self-actualization. Self-actualization is the term that Abraham Maslow used to describe the state of self-fulfillment in which people realize their highest potentials in their own unique way. The personal reflections accommodate to my perspective of the Maslow’s Theory.

The following are my reflections on The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin’s (1963) two autobiographical essays, a compelling precursor to many of the components of the Civil Rights movement, with resounding motifs of power/politics, religion/morality, racial injustice, and freedom. Baldwin lived in Europe for a number of years and felt compelled to return to America to get involved in the Civil Rights movement ("James Baldwin Biography - life, children, name, school, son, old, information, born, movie, time," n.d.). The Fire Next Time was his plea for blacks and whites who profoundly need each other here if to really to develop a nation.

James Baldwin is a renowned and celebrated African American writer who came to prominence during the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. The Fire Next Time is often regarded as one of his best works and cemented his role as a leading spokesman for the African American community. Baldwin spoke out against all kinds of discrimination. Baldwin’s ultimate message was that the redeeming power of love, understanding and self-determination would free African Americans of the “Negro Problem” (a euphemism for racial tension at the time) and the mythical idea of white racial superiority (often held by whites). In The Fire Next Time, Baldwin dives deep into the African American experience with a bold,