Baldwin does not use a lot of big, complex words, but his rhetoric is still quite powerful. Baldwin is also known for being irreverent (almost insulting) in his prose. 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 resonates with you the most. If nothing resonated with you, discuss what is off-putting about his rhetoric.
18 thoughts on “Blog Post #5: The Fire Next Time (Baldwin), pp. 15-27”
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After reading James Baldwin’s work, I was really intrigued by the way he elaborated on topics and supported his points. Clearly you can tell he was a well versed person who studied scripture because throughout pages 15 – 27 he used biblical references and imagery to emphasize his opinions. Towards the end of the reading, Baldwin explains that his younger years fears became like a wall that rose up between him and the world which caused him to flee to church. He uses imagery here to emphasize that he was scared into church life but then later left the church his father was a part of to become his own man. Baldwin was straightforward throughout his writing regarding his views on racism and the Black condition in a “white” world. His direct word choice allowed me to understand his perspectives regarding race clearly.
In Baldwin’s piece “The Fire Next Time”, He used a word choice that contained very emotional language. He referenced how it felt as he started to realize the cycle he was on, what he was destined for, and the limited options he had. His words alluded to a deeper problem that was a broken system and the idea of white supremacy. A line that stuck out to me was “The fear that I heard in my father’s voice when he realized that I really believed I could do anything a white boy could do … was not at all like the fear I had heard when one of us was ill.” This line summarizes the main problem Baldwin discusses in this work.
Baldwin’s piece was a good read; I found myself wanting to read more when I got to the end of the document on page 27. What resonated the most with me was how blunt and realistic his interpretations and his findings were. I also found it to be very immersive; I felt as though I was experiencing what he was and feeling what he felt. He really knows how to capture what he wants his audience to get out of what he conveys. His drive and want to move above the station the world, his father, and even he himself places him at is really inspiring. It is especially inspiring when acknowledging the time in which he was growing up (30’s, 40’s as he mentions World War 2). All in all, “The Fire Next Time,” by James Baldwin, is a very realistic and grounding piece, which is what resonates with me the most.
After reading “The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin, something that struck me the most was the buildup throughout the piece towards his realization of the inequality between white people and black people. The piece begins with how terrified he is of the sudden changes in the people around him and then reveals this is the result of white supremacy. He was very direct when pointing out the racism in society and a line that made me think this way was, “And those virtues preached but not practiced by the white world were merely another means of holding Negroes in subjection.” This was very powerful since he provided clear points prior to this line to explain why people of color are forced to live in fear.
What struck me the most about “The Fire Next Time” was how clear and blunt he was about his experiences; the officer telling him to stay where he belonged, the two policemen frisking him, and the fear in his father’s voice when he realized that he truly believed he could do anything a white boy could. The lines “I did not intend to allow the white people of this country to tell me who I was…And yet, of course, at the same time, I was being spat on and defined and described and limited” especially grabbed my attention. Baldwin depicts the struggle that black people go through in this country from their childhood, all through to their adulthood. He mentions the inequalities that they’re born with and the limited capabilities they have because of how they’re conditioned in this world.
After I finished reading “The Fire Next Time”, I believe that the simplicity of the piece is what makes it so good. James Baldwin focuses more on powerful emotions which makes this story more relatable. Baldwin does an excellent job portraying how African Americans were treated, and how white people tried to hinder their efforts of success. Baldwin states in the story that he wants to be able to determine his own future, and he does not want anyone to control him. However, he is faced with the reality of constantly being mocked and put down. It is a sad but realistic piece which I believe is told very well.
After reading Baldwin’s “The First Time” what struck me most the way he described and explained his thoughts and what was happening in his story. You could almost picture yourself in the positions and situations he was describing which could lead to you being persuaded by what he is saying because you feel what he is saying on an emotional level. An example of this would be when he says “A cousin, mother of six, suddenly gone mad, the children parcelled out here and there; an indestructible aunt rewarded for years of hard labor by a slow, agonizing death in a terrible small room; someone’s bright son blown into eternity by his own hand; another turned robber and carried off to jail. It was a summer of dreadful speculations and discoveries, of which these were not the worst.” In this quote you hear the horrible situations and things happening which makes you feel emotions such as sadness or anger and also resonates with you.
While reading James Baldwin’s, “The Fire Next Time,” I was very hooked based on the way he described certain experiences and feelings that must have been incredibly traumatizing. One part in particular that resonated with me the most was when he wrote, “the boys, it was clear, would rise no higher than their father… I no longer had any illusions about what an education can do for me…” here Baldwin writes about a time of hopelessness and discouragement because his race prevented him from thinking or believing it was possible to be be anything more than what he already is or knows. Overall, it was an inspirational, and educating text.
Even though Baldwin did not use a lot of big words in his work, for me his story and feelings “sounded loud”. The way he described the environment he was living in, other people’s desperation, his own feelings, made me feel emotional. I think his work is a great example of how you do not need big or complex words to tell people the story that will make them feel and think about it. There are a lot of good parts in his writing, however, the part that stuck in my head is when he says that white people do not love themselves and each other and if they would learn how to do it, racism will no longer exist because it will no longer be needed. I think it is a really deep and right thought. In my opinion, the reason for any discrimination or racism is that people want to feel superior to others. When people do not have self-love, they try to find something good about themselves by comparing themselves to others, by making others unworthy just because they are different. When you know how to love yourself and accept yourself for who you are, you no longer want to compare yourself to others and try to increase your self-esteem at the expense of someone’s flaws or suffer.
Contextualizing Baldwin’s piece has shown me that the use of rhetoric is capable of carrying an entire story even if it does not utilize intense language. Baldwin uses language in a way that allows the readers to know exactly what is happening and forms a great vision of being in his place. The piece is written about superiority in which he is able to show the different perspectives that perceive this topic. A quote in particular I found was truly striking was “He reacts to the fear in his parents’ voices because his parents hold up the world for him and he has no protection with them” (27). This quote, in particular, struck me the most because I felt as if it expresses his raw opinion on his vision of how a child should be raised. The mix of emotions in the last few paragraphs within the page left me with a feeling of wanting to know more about what Baldwin perceives on different topics. From fear to discipline and the overall growth of a person, it generates that inspiration to learn from this writing.
While reading “The Fire Next Time,” I realized Baldwin’s rhetoric is blunt and straightforward and I really enjoyed that. His writing has a sense of honesty which makes this piece strong. Something that resonated with me was when he described white supremacy and racism the way to overcome it. “…the blacks, simply don’t wish to be seated over the head by the whites every instant of our brief passage on this planet. White people in this people in this country will have quite enough to do in learning how to accept and love themselves and each other,” (21/22). He describes the struggle and it was powerful to me because he’s saying life is short but people are so focused on hatred instead of living their lives. If people accepted each other these issues of white supremacy and racism wouldn’t exist.
“The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin was an interesting read. I really liked the way he expressed his thoughts and emotions. He talked about his hardships and how he doesn’t want to become like the people he sees on the streets. He’s afraid that he will because there are no differences between the circumstances he grew up in and the circumstances the people on the streets grew up in. That’s why he went to the church. He wanted to stay away from the problem, in hope that his life leads a different way than the people on the “avenue”. He started to realize that his options were very limited in a white man’s world. He talked about a terrifying problem which was a corrupt system and white supremacy.
One thing that struck me about Baldwin’s novel is that the authority of white supremacy is translated to children through their parents. It is something that many teenagers in high school had realized they could not change. It affected them in their jobs, they could only obtain certain “handymen” jobs. Going to college would not help them significantly because they were blocked from pursuing other careers.
Baldwin’s writing is really descriptive and he described how badly black people were treated. People took their anger out on them and the police would beat them and arrest them without needing a reason. As a result of how the world treats them and how limited they are in opportunities, many turn to drinking, find solace in religion and even robbery.
What struck me most regarding Baldwins writing was how at times how blunt he was. He does not waste words and gets to his point while using, ‘simple english.’ He was able to write with such emotion and intensity because he was talking from experience I believe. His opinions and beliefs are shown in his writing, without it truly seem like he is talking down to his reader.
I found this reading rather interesting as it does seem kind of random at the beginning but at the end comes together to make a greater point. His writing style was very straightforward which makes it easier to interpret the reading. He talks about him growing up in a community that was deprived of opportunity and how he feared he would end up just like the people on the street. He also talks about him thinking negatively about himself due to his race and that he couldn’t be successful and accomplish anything because he was black.
Baldwin’s piece “The Fire Next Time” resonated with me the most as he describes his realization that the world isn’t built for people like him. His realization that the world is built for white people and that they live and have “different rules”, for example when he explains the expectations and rules that are told to be just and right are suppressive to people of color, while white people ignore them or it didn’t apply to them at a certain point(he references slavery). This realization happened when we was a kid and I felt this in my core. As a mixed child that attended a predominantly white private school for middle and high school, I experienced first hand the differences of expectations from my white counterparts. My white classmates cut classes, failed tests, didn’t do any extracurriculars, and that was okay. However, for students of color, like myself, these things were a problem and we would often get reprimanded or judged for not doing enough. It was at this point I felt like I couldn’t do just anything and had to go above and beyond and find my “gimmick” as Baldwin puts it. This piece truly put into words my own experience as well as what I felt in my heart. Baldwin’s simple yet emotional choice of language is also what allowed me to relate his experience to my own and connect to his story and understand where he was coming from.
When reading, “The Fire Next Time,” I saw that Baldwin’s rhetoric was straightforward and blunt. He doesn’t use complicated language to convey what he is thinking about but instead uses certain language that is easy to understand but impactful at the same time. This style of writing also allows him to effectively use imagery.
After I finished reading “The Fire Next Time”, what resonated with me the most is the way Baldwin delivered what he was trying to say. The truthfulness behind his words and the emotions behind his obvious experience provides a great effect on he words once you read them. He keeps things short, simple, and direct so that almost anyone can understand or interpret the meaning of his words. He is a strong advocate for facing your fears head on, and through his choices in the language he use you can easily see how emotion-fueled his words are. The emotion and meaning behind his words are what carry it farther with a greater effect than what complex language could ever do. Him capitalizing on that alone is what captivates readers to listen to what he has to say, he speaks in common language instead of sophisticated, and that resonates with most people.