Black Like Me Theme

How It Used To Be “The Negro. The South. These are the details. The real story is the universal one of men who destroy the souls and bodies of other men (and in the process destroy themselves) for reasons neither really understands” (Griffin 5). In the novel Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, is the story of a white man who risks his life by darkening his skin to get first hand experience in the life of a negro. Griffin’s writing highlights the main character’s needs, the message of the story and relating struggles to the reader. “Do you suppose they’ll treat me as John Howard Griffin, regardless of my color- or will they treat me as some nameless negro; even though I am still the same man?” (Griffin 10) As a journalist, Griffin’s goal is to experience what everyday life is like for the black community in the the Deep South. In his experiment he is very surprised by how hard the life of an

You feel lost, sick at heart before unmasked hatred, not so much because it threatens you as because it shows humans in such an inhuman light.” (Griffin 54). This sends the message of the hatred that is on the blacks from the whites that is unhidden. He mentions that “you feel lost” (Griffin 54). The words describe how unwanted and threatened the blacks feel. Though he knew his journey would be difficult, Griffin was surprised by the hostile acts of the whites. “We must return to them their lawful rights, assure equality of justice- and then everybody leave everybody the hell alone” (Griffin 128). This has happened many times in the past whether is it just solving an argument to ending a full on war. It is like a saying to cease something and to come to a conclusion. I can relate it to basketball. During the game all you try to do is gain advantage of your opponent or take something away. At the end, whether win or lose, you have to come to a conclusion and give everything back so you can move