This short piece by James Baldwin portrays the struggles of America’s black community through the use of a father-son dynamic. Though Baldwin does not exactly use this technique, elements of a fatherly figure are given to the narrator to help exhibit greater clarity on themes such as black resistance and injustice. His view on these issues portrays Baldwin as a trailblazer for his time.
The text starts with “Dear James”. The use of a letter text type gives a personal feel to the message that Baldwin is conveying. This underscores how Baldwin is trying to connect with the wider African-american community. Under the guise of an uncle, Baldwin explores the father-son dynamic – prevalent in African-american culture – to again connect with the wider African-american community about tough issues. In his words to James, Baldwin expresses his memories where he sees “your [James’] face, which is also the face of your father and my [Baldwin’s] brother”. This is referenced to highlight the historical problems that blacks have faced and have not been solved for generations. Additionally, Baldwin uses this opportunity to explore wider themes in pop culture. On the second page Baldwin addresses America’s racist history, “this is the crime which I accuse my country…history will [never] forgive them”. Baldwin not only addresses this grim fact but introduces the underreported issue of the vilification of black males in American media and the control of the black population by the state.
Likewise, the text gives several perspectives on the issue at hand, using literary techniques to convey them. “You must survive (pg 3)” highlights the perilous predicament that many African-Americans are in. When a typical American hears this, it invokes horror at the fact that this is reality for many Americans. The controlling nature of the state is reinforced with the use of invasive verbs, “set you down”, “you have been told where you could go” to describe the country’s policies. Baldwin’s letter is also in the form of a second-person narrative, making us feel like a black experiencing injustice. Simultaneously, the text addresses sensitive issues present in the black community. On page four, Baldwin encourages James – and all young African Americans – to embrace their ‘blackness’, “There is no reason for you to try to become like white men”, addressing the whitewashing of black culture. Much like activists such as MLK, Baldwin preaches, “show[ing] love”, at a time of racial tensions in the 60s. Finally, Baldwin refers back to his view on white society’s control of blacks, commenting that whites are “trapped in history”, implying that a prominent sect of whites wish to continue the oppressive policies of their forefathers in fear of losing power. To show the resilience of the black community, Baldwin alludes to Homer to show the long, powerful history of blacks. Baldwin addresses heartfelt issues of the black community by directly communicating with his readers – a technique used by contemporary producers such as P&G to raise awareness about racial injustice.