What is the theme of Ta Nehisi-Coates’s profile?

I felt like the theme focused on a side of Michelle Obama that the public rarely gets a glimpse of. A lot of the profile went in depth as to where Michelle comes from in Chicago,  and how her childhood and earlier years influenced who she became and the choices she made later in life.

Is there an overarching narrative?

In general, this article goes more into depth about the black population in Chicago. Not only did the writer elaborate on Michelle’s life, but also on many other blue collar worker families in the area. Coates shows how the first lady’s story growing up is similar to the rest of those in that specific demographic.

What surprises Coates about Michelle Obama?

I think that what surprised Coates the most was how open Michelle was about her life growing up, and how she “says what she means,” she seemed very down to earth.

How does Coates contextualize Michelle in the context of his own background growing up in Baltimore?

In the context of his own background growing up, Coates states that Michelle was not that affected by the racial and economic issues going on in Chicago at the time. For example, he writes about her side of town held onto their economic income when Chicago was struggling, as well as how she was “surrounded by a cocoon.” From my perspective, it was almost as if Coates believed she was more fortunate than others around her, and because of this he “mistook her for white,” when he first met her.