What do you think are the strongest and weakest parts of McElwee’s argument on hate speech and why?

What stood out to you in this section of the book and why? What does Baldwin risk by being so forthright with someone like Elijah Muhammad?

Conduct some brief research on Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. Who did Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam attract and why? Do you think Baldwin’s critique of the Nation of Islam is warranted? Why or why not?

In class, we discussed how Baldwin does not use a lot of big, complex words in his language, but how the words that he does use are still quite powerful. We also discussed how Baldwin can be irreverent and even insulting in the his rhetoric. Considering these points, what struck you most about pp. 15-27 of “The Fire Next Time”? Try to pinpoint exactly what it is about his writing that you feel the most. If you do not feel it, discuss what is off-putting about his rhetoric.

How did you think the story would end compared to how it actually ended? How does the ending lend itself to the idea of the modern tragic story or the concept of “tragedy and the common person”?

Who was James Baldwin? Why is the Pin Drop Speech considered such an important piece of rhetoric? Answer in about 5-6 sentences.

After conducting some research on Tennessee Williams, draw some parallels to he and Tom. How might Tom be a representation of Tennessee Williams in the play?