Analysis Of Black Like Me By John Howard Griffin

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin highlights the past racism, segregation and hatred of colored individuals. This autobiographical memoir is written in a diary-like style, which contributes to capturing the reader’s attention. This is because it enables to reader to connect with the narrator’s personal experiences. It accounts in detail about how colored individuals suffered greatly from constant racism during this time-period. This book depicts the main character, John Griffin, casting off his white identity and transforming himself into a black man. Griffin does not allow the hardships and obstacles of being black in America stop his desire to understand this racial oppression. John Griffin wrote about his experience for multiple reasons. He wanted to educate individuals on the underlying physical and mental torment that colored individuals suffered from in America. He wanted to understand and allow others to understand the pain, suffering, and humiliation that America brought upon certain individuals simply due to darker skin. For

This is because before it was just an “idea that haunted [him]” (1). Yet his whole life is surrounded by segregation and racism. The author is even “a specialist in race … [that] really knew nothing of the Negro’s real problems” (2). It is also significant that Griffin did not fully experience an actual Negro life. Throughout the novel, the narrator seems to deal and cope with experiences with the mindset that it is only temporary. The real life of a Negro during this era was not temporary. Therefore, it can be perceived that Griffin somewhat cheated the experiment. Yet despite these actions, Griffin is aware that racism is not a positive or correct practice. Griffin argues that “where racism is practiced it damages the whole community, not just the victim group”