Analysis Of Letter By James Baldwin

This letter created by James Baldwin is given to his nephew to provide insight into the societal structure of America and its effects on others from his perspective growing up and his family. He sets in his letter that his nephew is judged by the color of his skin and society has already deemed him worthless, set limits to his ambitions, and asserts negro with mediocracy. James Baldwin dives deeper into how American society placed “The Negro” in a place where it is untenable. But, they have this fixed mindset on the stereotype of what a black person is and are used to the way things are and but they are trapped into this mindset because it is what history has placed upon them so their intentions are not created through the malice of present

Even though it looks terrible for black people now, it can change for the sake of this generation and future ones. Baldwin specifies that his nephew was born to have limitless ambitions but due to society, it is an altered future faced because you are black. How black people weren’t to aspire to excellence, in my Dungeon Shook states, “Take no one’s word for anything, including mine—but trust your experience. Know whence you came. If you know whence you came, there is no limit to where you can go.” Baldwin gives an important lesson about how his nephew shouldn’t listen to what white people say, since it is due to their inferiority and fear. Baldwin thinks that James has inherited this from his grandfather, who the boy never met and who was bitter because he “really believed what white people said about him”. Balwin wants his nephew to realize that even though there is a storm, he should understand the reality of acceptance and integration. Baldwin closes by encouraging his nephew, emphasizing the strength and dignity of his African American heritage. He points out that African Americans will not be truly free until white America is free as

They believe there are multiple reasons why black people are inferior to white people. It is difficult for them to act on what they know they aren’t susceptible to change, it scares them. They are fixed that black people can’t change and that it will stay the way it is for eternity. They are losing their grasp of reality that way, but we shouldn’t judge them because they are your brothers, and they are lost to find their way. They have to find the love within themselves to hold hands. The concept of love emerges in this moment as a salvaging force of hope, as something that might carry James through the racism and structural oppression he is sure to encounter. In "My Dungeon Shook" it states, “The very time I thought I was lost, my dungeon shook and my chains fell off,” reminding us that white society must be free of their ignorance before black people may receive freedom.” Once that happens great things can happen again. James mentions to his nephew that he comes from generations of black people and mentions we cannot be free until they are