James Baldwin's Going To Meet The Man

James Baldwin, was an american novelist, who spoke about the pain and the struggle of black Americans; racial and social issues, and the power of brotherhood. Baldwin broke new literary ground with the exploration of racial and social issues in his many works. He was especially well known for his essays on the black experience in America. James Baldwin's short story “Going to meet the Man” was wrote during this time. The story talks about the sexualization of minorities, the difference between black and whites, and sexual violence. In this paper I plan to discuss the 3 theme that take place in the in story as it relates to the bias sexual hatred towards blacks within the white community.

Going to meet the man starts with the sexualization of the blacks. The main character, Jesse, is a deputy sheriff who fantasize about the role of black sexually within society. In the beginning of the story Jesse is lying in the bed with his wife, Grace, as he attempts to gain an erection” He tried again; he wretchedly failed again, Then he just lay there, silent, angry, and helpless, He could not ask her to do just a little thing for him, just to help him out, just for a little while, the way he could ask a nigger

The main character Jesse compares his like to a black male "superior" in order to feel masculinity within. The beginning of the story he lay in bed with his wife as he have trouble getting an erection, which makes him feel less of a man. However, At the end of the story he them find himself arouse while in bed with his wife as he fascinates about a black man. " come on sugar, In going to do you like a nigger" The sexual scene is obvious that he had to pretend to be a black man while having sex in order to feel masculine while having sex with his wife. This part of the story also the sexual violence towards black people, because jesse then being to rape his