Black men and public space, staples describes the issues, stereotypes, and criticisms he faces being a black man in public surroundings. In the essay just walk on by, author brent staples shares his experiences of living with the prejudged notion that he is someone to be feared because he is different from his peers. A black man ponders his power to alter public space, brent staples explains how throughout his life, others have discriminated against him because he is a tall, black man who works as a journalist in a predominantly white field. A black man ponders his power to alter public space as he describes in parallel time.
Journalist and author brent staples was born on september, 1951, in chester, pennsylvania. A black man ponders his ability to alter public space, brent takes down a journey of what it is like to walk in a black man s shoes. Brent staples grew up in the small town of chester, pennsylvania where he was an outsider. In his essay just walk on by, brent staples describes how people misperceived him because of his appearance, which in turn prompted him to react and act in conscious attempts to make those around him feel more at ease.
Chemical giant covered up health risks of teflon contamination across globe duration. His publication captures one s interest and makes a person think about the role of prejudice in. Paper on brent staples just walk on by the portrayal of an. Dec 18, 2006 just walk on by by brent staples lecture notes wtuc dec. As i swung onto the avenue behind her, there seemed to be a discreet, inflammatory distance between us. His publication captures one s interest and makes a person think about the role of prejudice in his or her daily interactions. Not only is the essay a high quality literary work, the point the author makes is also highly relevant to. Just walk on by is an essay driven by emotion and resentment. A black man ponders his ability to alter public space my first victim was a womanwhite, well dressed, probably in her early twenties. Solved brent staples, just walk on by my first victim was.
In just walk on by by brent staples, the author describes the reactions of people walking on streets in response to seeing an approaching black man of the authors appearance. Staples can alter public space because of his appearance. Race has always been a topic that is associated with different emotions, views, and thoughts for thousands of years. The oldest son of nine children, staples grew up in chester, but, due to his familys financial problems, moved seven times before finishing junior high school.
Just walk on by was written by brent staples and published in ms. Brent staples, just walk on by my first victim was a womanwhite, well dressed, probably in her early twenties. Black men and public space, by brent staples brent staples b. Staples begins by describing the first time he had noticed a negative reaction to his presence when a young woman ran awa.
Black men and public space brent staples, born in 1951 in chester, pennsylvania, has a. He describes what black men have to go through during this time period. He narrates a personal anecdote about the path he takes to understand the effect his appearance can have on his environment. However, he states that being set apart from the crowd as a possible threat is heartbreaking. Author brent staples uses a lot of different modes throughout just walk on by. Staples explains his thesis throughout the essay through narratives of incidents in his life. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Brent staples just walk on by is the portrayal of an african american mans struggle with his appearance and how he must adapt his own life to accommodate others. To her, the youngish black mana broad six feet two inches with a beard. S is a social commentary, on the cultural climate regarding the american view of black men staples argues that black men will always be perceived as dangerous which, is a hazard in itself staples. Just walk on by black men and public space by brent staples is an interesting and captivating piece of writing. Mayo eng 1011035 30 october 2012 just walk on by in brent staples essay, just walk on by the author describes his experiences, feelings, and reactions towards the discrimination he has faced throughout his life as a black man. In the beginning of the essay, he describes the first encounter of an individual being afraid of him.
An analysis of the book black men and public space by brent staples. The intention of this essay is to illustrate the plight of black men being automatically labeled as criminals and treated as such. I came upon her late one evening on a deserted street in hyde park, a relatively affluent neighborhood in an otherwise mean, impoverished section of chicago. A black man ponders his power to alter public space by brent staples, and a stranger in a strange land by austin clarke.
Magazine in the year of 1986, and argues that he has held the ability to alter public space in ugly ways because the color of his skin falls within the bases of the africanamerican race1. Although staples earned a phd in psychology from the uni. Just walk on by by brent staples lecture notes wtuc dec. Growing up in black and white 1994, brent staples b. The way brent staples starts out his story my first victim was a woman grabs the readers attention and is a memorable passage. Just walk on by is an article by brent staples which describes the racial prejudices african americans must face in american society. In his essay just walk on by, brent staples describes how people misperceived him because of his appearance, which in turn prompted him to react and act in conscious attempts to make those around him. Mar 07, 2018 just walk on by brent staples duration. Analysis of brent staples just walk on by a black man s. Staples initiates his perspective by introducing the audience in to thinking he is committing a crime, but eventually.
Just walk on by by brent staples summary free essays. A black man ponders his power to alter public space in his essay, just walk on by. In the essay, just walk on by, brent staples succeeds greatly in demonstrating the current negative view of black men in america and the fact that racism is still alive today. He writes this from personal experience, has noticed the way people lock their car doors and cross to the opposite side of the street. A black man ponders his power to alter public space is an outstanding piece of minority literature of the twentieth century. Readign selection by brent staples just walk on by. A black man ponders his power to alter public space by brent staples. By using gender theory analysis to compare and contrast both pieces a fuller image of. All white people see is the same stereotypical black man, which staples argues is not the case with all black men. During staples first year away from home, he became familiar with how uncomfortable people became around him. Just walk on by brent staples essay example graduateway. How race, gender, and class affect someones view on you. The segregation stayed for a long time even after the blacks took their freedom.
Staples focuses on how african americans are largely seen as criminals and outsiders, a stereotype that he wishes to break through his writing. Brent staples realizes that people have been attacked before, and that women are most likely to fall victim. Staples own experiences and observations influenced this passage. Black men and public space, by brent staples, shares many similarities with the poem rite of passage, by sharon olds, about the connotations of how violent men appear to be. Brent starts his story with a riferting sentence on how his first victim was a womenwhite, well. Brent starts his story with a riferting sentence on how his first victim was a womenwhite, well dressed, probably in her early twenties. Black men and public space by brent staples posted by aplogosblog on april 12, 2017 may 9, 2017 intention. Rhetorical analysis of black men and public space by brent. Since the beginning of times, people from different racial backgrounds such as africans have always been judged and treated based on. Understanding the meaning of segregation in henry louis gates in the kitchen, alice walkers am i blue, and brent staples just walk on by.
Magazine in 1986, under the title, just walk on by. Brent staples born 1951 in chester, pennsylvania is an author and an editorial writer for the new york times. Brent staples black men and public space brent staples b. Compare and contrast the essays just walk on by by brent. Staples revised it slightly for publication in harpers a year later under the present title. A summary of just walk on by by brent staples 277 words. Clearly, anger fuels staples writing, yet he maintained a calmness throughout the essay and did not point fingers. His books include an american love story and parallel time. Should we act understanding to those who misunderstand us. A victimless crime in brent staples, just walk on by. At the very end of the second paragraph he displays cause and effect by telling us what happens when fear and weapons meet, there will always be death. Chemical giant covered up health risks of teflon contamination across globe. Just walk on by black men and public space by brent staples.
Newman 1 michael newman anthony holsten english 111 february 2011 a summary of just walk on by by brent staples in the essay just walk on by author brent staples remembers his realization of being perceived as dangerous just because of his color, and how this also puts himself in danger. Analysis of brent staples black men and public space. Brent staples describes discrimination of black men. Get an answer for compare and contrast the essays just walk on by by brent staple and how it feels to be colored me by zora hurston. One black male, in particular, author brent staples, wrote just walk on by, published in ms. A black man ponders his power to alter public space brent staples discusses his ability to alter others emotions with his presence. Paper on brent staples just walk on by the portrayal of an african american mans struggle with his appearance. Contentsjust walk on by brent staples analysisjust walk on by brent staples summary just walk on by brent staples analysis the essay just walk on by is talking about the discrimination of white people to black people.