Page 96 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

y is a
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DIFFERENTIATION Identity as responsible is to examine society and try to
Scaffolding
Consider using the last three sentences of
®
paragraph 2 as the basis for an AP -style
argument prompt that asks students to
take a position on Baldwin’s assertion
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
about the productive evolution of society.
DIFFERENTIATION
Connections to Text
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Reading Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic
“I Have a Dream” speech along with Bald- forth. But on the other hand he is also assured
win’s speech could be a good way to dis-
cuss tone. Paragraph 3 of Baldwin’s
speech provides a good jumping-off point
for that comparison. How do the two
pieces differ in tone? How do both pieces
use repetition and parallelism effectively?
How does Baldwin’s speech complement
King’s ideas?
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The obligation of anyone who thinks of himself know quite what to make of it, is aware that
The obligation of anyone who thinks of himself
there is a reason why his mother works so hard,
as responsible is to examine society and try to
change it and to fight it — at no matter what risk.
change it and to fight it—at no matter what risk. why his father is always on edge. He is aware
This is the only hope society has. This is the only that there is some reason why, if he sits down in
This is the only hope society has. This is the only
way societies change.
way societies change. the front of the bus, his father or mother slaps
Now, if what I have tried to sketch has any him and drags him to the back of the bus. He is
Now, if what I have tried to sketch has any
validity, it becomes thoroughly clear, at least to
validity, it becomes thoroughly clear, at least to aware that there is some terrible weight on his
me, that any Negro who is born in this country parents’ shoulders which menaces him. And it
me, that any Negro who is born in this country
and undergoes the American educational sys-
and undergoes the American educational sys- isn’t long — in fact it begins when he is in
tem runs the risk of becoming schizophrenic.
tem runs the risk of becoming schizophrenic. school — before he discovers the shape of his
On the one hand he is born in the shadow of the
On the one hand he is born in the shadow of the oppression.
stars and stripes and he is assured it represents a
stars and stripes and he is assured it represents a Let us say that the child is seven years old 5
nation which has never lost a war. He pledges
nation which has never lost a war. He pledges and I am his father, and I decide to take him to
allegiance to that flag which guarantees “liberty the zoo, or to Madison Square Garden, or to the
allegiance to that flag which guarantees “liberty
and justice for all.” He is part of a country in
and justice for all.” He is part of a country in U.N. Building, or to any of the tremendous mon-
which anyone can become president, and so uments we find all over New York. We get into a
which anyone can become president, and so
bus and we go from where I live on 131st Street
forth. But on the other hand he is also assured
and Seventh Avenue downtown through the
by his country and his countrymen that he has
by his country and his countrymen that he has
never contributed anything to civilization—that
never contributed anything to civilization — that park and we get into New York City, which is not
his past is nothing more than a record of humili-
his past is nothing more than a record of humili- Harlem. Now, where the boy lives — even if it is a
ations gladly endured. He is assumed by the
ations gladly endured. He is assumed by the housing project — is in an undesirable neighbor-
republic that he, his father, his mother, and his
republic that he, his father, his mother, and his hood. If he lives in one of those housing projects
ancestors were happy, shiftless, watermel-
ancestors were happy, shiftless, watermel- of which everyone in New York is so proud, he
on-eating darkies who loved Mr. Charlie and
on-eating darkies who loved Mr. Charlie and has at the front door, if not closer, the pimps, the
Miss Ann, that the value he has as a black man that the value he has as a black man
Miss Ann, 3 3 whores, the junkies — in a word, the danger of
is proven by one thing only—his devotion to
is proven by one thing only — his devotion to life in the ghetto. And the child knows this,
white people. If you think I am exaggerating,
white people. If you think I am exaggerating, though he doesn’t know why.
examine the myths which proliferate in this
examine the myths which proliferate in this I still remember my first sight of New York.
country about Negroes.
country about Negroes. It was really another city when I was born —
All this enters the child’s consciousness where I was born. We looked down over the Park
much sooner than we as adults would like to Avenue streetcar tracks. It was Park Avenue,
think it does. As adults, we are easily fooled but I didn’t know what Park Avenue meant
because we are so anxious to be fooled. But chil- downtown. The Park Avenue I grew up on,
dren are very different. Children, not yet aware which is still standing, is dark and dirty. No one
that it is dangerous to look too deeply at any- would dream of opening a Tiffany’s on that
thing, look at everything, look at each other, and Park Avenue, and when you go downtown you
draw their own conclusions. They don’t have the discover that you are literally in the white world.
vocabulary to express what they see, and we, It is rich — or at least it looks rich. It is clean —
their elders, know how to intimidate them very because they collect garbage downtown. There
easily and very soon. But a black child, looking are doormen. People walk about as though they
owned where they are — and indeed they do.
And it’s a great shock. It’s very hard to relate
3 Figurative characters invented by enslaved people to represent male
and female slaveholders, respectively. — Eds. yourself to this. You don’t know what it means.
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DIFFERENTIATION
Connections to Self
Paragraph 6 describes feeling like an out-
sider. To connect this feeling, consider
prompting students to write or discuss visit-
ing or being in a space where they felt like an
outsider. Ask students to distinguish their sit-
uations from the one Baldwin describes. Dis-
cuss the obstacles to overcome for comfort
or acceptance. Toni Cade Bambara’s short
story “The Lesson” describes a similar
moment, when the young narrator first expe-
riences the privileged environment of a down-
town New York City toy store. Students might
read it and find statements from Baldwin’s
essay that apply to Bambara’s story.
chapter 4 / Identity
1/20/23 7:45 PM