Just walk on by brent staples analysis. Just Walk on By Brent Staples Analysis 2022-12-22
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"Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space" is an essay written by Brent Staples in which he reflects on his experiences as a black man who is frequently perceived as a threat by others due to the color of his skin. Staples writes about how he is often the target of fear and hostility when he walks through public spaces, and how this experience has affected his sense of identity and self-worth.
One of the main themes of the essay is the impact of racial stereotypes on the way that people interact with one another. Staples writes about how he is frequently assumed to be dangerous or aggressive based on his appearance, and how this has led to a range of negative experiences, including being followed by store employees, being avoided by people on the street, and even being confronted by the police.
Staples also writes about the ways in which he has learned to cope with these experiences, including by adopting a nonthreatening demeanor and by avoiding certain areas of the city. He reflects on the irony of this situation, noting that he is forced to change his behavior in order to avoid being perceived as a threat, even though he is not actually a threat.
In addition to discussing the impact of racial stereotypes, Staples also writes about the ways in which these experiences have affected his sense of identity and self-worth. He describes feeling like an "other," someone who is constantly judged and discriminated against based on the color of his skin. He also writes about the internal conflict he experiences as he tries to balance his desire to fit in and be accepted with his pride in his racial identity.
Overall, "Just Walk On By" is a powerful and thought-provoking essay that offers a glimpse into the experience of a black man navigating a world that is often hostile and dismissive of his presence. Staples's writing is honest and candid, and his reflections on the impact of racial stereotypes and the ways in which they shape our interactions with one another are powerful and thought-provoking.
Review And Analysis Of “Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders His Ability To Alter Public Space” Essay By Brent Staples: [Essay Example], 1177 words GradesFixer
As these incidences continue to build, he also finds himself upset and angry over the repeated situation of being confused as a criminal. Rhetorical Analysis Of Just Walk On By, By Brent Staples 1244 Words 5 Pages The IAT Harvard survey consisted of multiple topics regarding race, genders, thoughts on sexuality and so on. Studies have shown that people are more likely to associate black faces with negative words than white faces. While we work to change the tolerance in America, the prejudice response of perceiving black men as criminals, is still a regular occurrence. Another powerful aspect of this piece is the relaxed mood that is present throughout reading Brent Staples essay. This helps us as an audience trust him more. Staples also appeals to his credibility with the obvious observation that he is a black man talking about his real life experiences.
“Just Walk On” by Brent Staples Analysis Essay Example
He supports his position by using strong imagery as he chronicles his own encounters with prejudices. They seem to set their faces on neutral and, with their purse straps strung across their chests bandolier style, they forge ahead as though bracing themselves against being talked. The author argues that in other occasion he would see people black, white, female, or even male hammering down the doors of their cars since they thought he was a mugger. Even though it has been many years since slavery was abolished, African American men are still treated as if they are less than human. Additionally, Staples shows the type of person he truly is through his personal anecdotes and the unfortunate experiences he goes through due to the attachment of symbols. Staples writes in a formal tone for an intelligent or free minded person. Descriptive adjectives used in the work are powerful and strategically placed throughout the essay.
This is the very scenario that Staples feels is a hazard to him and other black men. Staples uses this essay to help us understand what it is like to be a black individual in a society that is driven by stereotypes. He chose to become what was unexpected of him and set new standards for his life. Staples defends himself to the reader, telling them of how harmless he truly is. Many Americans have come to the conclusion that the black people movement ended when they obtained voting rights, but no matter what rights are given to people of different races they will 6 times out of 10 feel attacked or racially profiled at least once a day. He does this by relating to his audience through his personal experiences with stereotyping, and sharing his malcontent on how these events have made him alter his way of living.
From people locking their doors to pedestrians crossing the street to avoid a confrontation, people seem to be afraid of Staples just from a glance. Being mistaken as a burglar for no logical reason other than him being a black man at the place of his work is a solid incident to back up his thesis. Brent Staples grew up in the small town of Chester, Pennsylvania where he was an outsider. Basically, Staples can adequately utilize a scope of feelings to interest sentiment, which thusly causes him accomplish his general objective of making the group of spectators see the degrees of bigotry in open spaces that still exist to date. Even though slavery was abolished over 150 years ago, black men are still seen as a threat by many people. .
After this realization, he begins to become familiar with how scared people act around him; they lock their car doors when he walks by, cross to the other side of the street instead of passing him, clench their bags when they see him, avoid eye contact, etc. Somewhere along the line of his child hood Staples chose to rise above the normality of his peers. He uses several different rhetorical techniques in the essay. Not all Muslims are terrorists, not all Germans are Nazis, and not all African Americans are criminals. For instance, at the time in Chicago in his early twenties, Staples recounts the portrayal of a woman who was white and well-dressed, during his time as a graduate student Staples. His use of imagery presents his persona as misunderstood by the symbols people associate him with.
Staples uses personal anecdotes all throughout his essay to show his experiences with racial prejudice, which supports his purpose. Through all three strategies, he achieved his goal of causing the crowd to perceive the way that regardless of what the general public cases, racial stereotyping and separation is as yet alive nowadays, and that it has turned into a piece of life for a great many people. Staples further supports his case by portraying his own records with bias. It seems like he has made tenacious attempts throughout his life to become something else something better than what people see him as. Staples has continuously been perceived as a danger or criminal simply because of his skin color, leading him to have to deal with many uncomfortable situations. Perhaps he might regret not living free, after all he deserved it.
Rhetorical Analysis Of Just Walk On By Brent Staples
And by telling the audiences where it was first published lets the audiences know who it was intended to. Brent Staples '' Black Men In Public Space' 294 Words 2 Pages In their defense, Staples asserts that he could not blame them since young black male had occasionally been involved in violence. The word victim gives a very dark and scary tone as if something horrible is bound to happen, but as the reader reads along the whole scenario is just the narrator walking through a park at night and the white woman feels threatened and progressively runs away from the man. Although Staples describes himself as a college graduate, a journalist, and a softy in the face of violence, he details that the overall public deems him a dangerous criminal. Staples asserts that as a result of this misinterpretation, he was continually mistreated.
Making the arguments that Staples is purposing in his Just Walk On By Brent Staples Analysis The media places labels on Staples as dangerous, mistrustful, and someone to be cautious of constantly. Staples emphasizes the tension between the white and black race through the usage of ambiguous phrases. The author also included more casual stories from his own past, which not only made the readers think more on the topic, but also made what he was saying more believable and allowed the reading to possibly think how it might have related to their life. He demonstrates his willingness to change to the way he acts in public in order to make those around him feel safe by whistling current tunes. Brent Staples 'Black Men And Public Space' 110 Words 1 Pages In his essay entitled Black Men and Public Space 1987 , Brent Staples talks about how people will have a common misconception on the black community by thinking that they are all mugger ,rapist or thugs.