Page 107 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

it
ua
d
y s
urn a corner in
w
tion, or cr
turn a corner into a dicey situation, or crowd street rather than pass me. Then there were the 4
o a dice
t
t
o
some frightened, armed person in a foyer some-
some frightened, armed person in a foyer some- standard unpleasantries with police, doormen,
where, or make an errant move after being bouncers, cabdrivers, and others whose busi- chapter 4
where, or make an errant move after being
pulled over by a policeman. Where fear and
pulled over by a policeman. Where fear and ness is to screen out troublesome individuals
weapons meet—and they often do in urban
weapons meet — and they often do in urban before there is any nastiness.
America — there is always the possibility of death.
America—there is always the possibility of death. I moved to New York nearly two years ago
In that first year, my first away from my and I have remained an avid night walker. In Other Voices / Brent Staples
hometown, I was to become thoroughly familiar central Manhattan, the near-constant crowd
with the language of fear. At dark, shadowy cover minimizes tense one-on-one street CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
intersections in Chicago, I could cross in front of encounters. Elsewhere — visiting friends in
You might ask students to discuss what
a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the Soho, where sidewalks are narrow and tightly Y ou might ask students to discuss what
Staples means by “the language of fear”
thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver — black, spaced buildings shut out the sky — things can Staples means by “the language of fear”
. 3). He understands the signs of fear in
(par. 3). He understands the signs of fear in
(par
white, male, or female — hammering down the get very taut indeed. other people, caused by his presence. You
esence. Y
ou
other people, caused by his pr
door locks. On less traveled streets after dark, Black men have a firm place in New York 5 might ask them to discuss the extent to
might ask them to discuss the extent to
I grew accustomed to but never comfortable mugging literature. Norman Podhoretz in his which the “fear” is in others as opposed to
which the “fear” is in others as opposed to
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
with people who crossed to the other side of the famed (or infamous) 1963 essay, “My Negro
in himself, and use the text to support their
in himself, and use the text to support their
answers.
answers.
DIFFERENTIA
DIFFERENTIATION
TION
Connections to T e xt
Connections to Text
elcome to Fear
A 1975 pamphlet called “W
A 1975 pamphlet called “Welcome to Fear
City” and distributed by New Y ork City
City” and distributed by New York City
police suggested guidelines for surviving
police suggested guidelines for surviving
NYC. Cr
eated by the Council for Public
NYC. Created by the Council for Public
Safety, the pamphlet did not point overtly
Safety , the pamphlet did not point overtly
to any connection between Black men and
to any connection between Black men and
crime, but it certainly would not have
crime, but it certainly would not have
KEREM YUCEL/AFP/Getty Images retz writes nor the “quick-hunch posture”
helped the “nervousness” of which Podho-
helped the “nervousness” of which Podho-
etz writes nor the “quick-hunch postur
e”
r
Hoagland identifies. Images of the pam-
Hoagland identifies. Images of the pam-
phlet ar
phlet are readily available online, so you
eadily available online, so you
e r
could have students look it up to give them
could have students look it up to give them
a better idea of what Staples is explaining
in paragraph 5.
in paragraph 5.
Flowers, signs, and balloons were left near a makeshift memorial to George Floyd close to the a better idea of what Staples is explaining
spot in Minneapolis where he died at the hands of a white police officer who knelt on his neck
for more than eight minutes in May 2020. Demonstrations were held across the country to
protest police brutality and systemic racism against Black people in America.
How does this image serve as evidence for Staples’s argument? What changes does it
suggest have occurred since Staples first wrote “Just Walk on By”?
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