Racism in the Novel between the World and me

Ta-Nehisi Coates’ novel is a racist analysis of the happenings in the United States, and the place of a black person in society. Written as a letter to his son, the novel addresses various aspects of the minorities in the population, while all the while comparing the situation in the 80s to the current situation. The author is currently an author at Atlantic, a weekly newspaper in the United States, and takes on the same format as the reason behind the book; the 1963 James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time. Coates effectively uses his language skills to come up with a definitive book that analyses the situation and offers step-by-step guidance of the black person in the United States.

The purpose of the novel is to inform of the feelings, symbolism, and realities associated with being Black. He achieves this by employing covert methods that focus more on the various facts that surround the African-Americans in the United States. “Here is what I would like for you to know: in America, it is traditional to destroy the black body- it is heritage.” This summarizes the standing of the author since it shows how the civil rights movements are misplaced by focusing on the minute details of society. The body of the black person should only be destroyed as the whites flourish in all they do.

One example of Coate's position is the use of surrounding evidence of the various incidences that have happened to the blacks in the United States. He speaks of the killing of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, John Crawford, and Tamir Rice. These are all black people, and he evokes logos by linking their deaths to the color of their skin. Regardless of all that may be said, his use of evidence provides a line of thought that will make the audience agree to his sentiments.

Coates is a political writer at Atlantic, with his forte being American politics. The inspiration for the novel was due to his meeting with President Barack Obama, and their agreement on various issues affecting the Black population. his job gives him an opportunity to review history, and link it to the happenings of today. As a direct influence, he focuses on the novel by James Baldwin and copies its author style to appeal to the population and focus on increasing the knowledge of the various people in the society.

Another example of Coate's position is his use of satire to speak of how the host asks how he has been. He says that the host was indirect in her approach to the issue since she did not mention the nature of his skin directly. By inadvertently not focusing on the specific words used, Coates evokes pathos in the audience, since he seeks to make them amplify their emotions in relation to the situation at hand.

“But at the end of the segment, the host shared a widely shared picture of a 12-year-old black boy tearfully hugging a white police officer.” This passage appeals to the emotions of the audience since it shows hope. However, it is also an indication of the betrayal suffered in the community and how this will affect society and what it stands for. He seeks to appeal to the audience that this should not be an extraordinary occurrence but should be an everyday activity of the people.

The position of the Black person in the United States is shadowed by white prevalence and dominance, and how this applies to the general way of life. All the activities associated with life are not focused on the other factors but are an appeal to the Black person to focus on themselves and embrace the pain as it approaches.

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