Project Implicit By Brent Staples

In a blog from Project Implicit, Jordan Axt communicates the results of a study he conducted from the Project Implicit website. He hypothesized that most people were to change their responses when asked a question about race because it was the “socially acceptable” response. Axt noted that the “[r]esults showed that more direct items, like comfort with having Black neighbors, were thought to produce more socially desirable responding.” The additional tests he included into his experiment “suggest[ed] that some participants likely altered their responses when asked about more socially sensitive issues.” In the 1980’s Brent Staples wrote about the same “socially acceptable” standards; however, they were to be afraid or against African Americans.

In the beginning, Staples describes that “[his] first victim was a woman” and continues to describe what happened. Nothing. He isn’t a rapist or murderer; this woman was afraid of Staples because of his skin color and gender. By describing this harmless encounter, Staples allows the readers to see a glimpse of what his whole life was like. It is surprising when Staples first describes the incident as if he happened to rape her; however, it was what Staples needed to grasp the reader’s attention. Staples also uses diction that conveys how he felt during these situations, for he used words such as “dark” “shadowy” and “danger.” These words appeal to readers because no one would want to have their first impression be perceived as dangerous. The use of these gloomy words portrays the feelings that Staples felt and of how he remembers those incidents. By combining anecdotes with gloomy diction, Staples creates a pathos that supports his arguments of how society manipulated the identities of African American men. Because of this, readers connect emotionally with Staples and his

Staples begins with a story of a woman who was deathly afraid of him while he was walking along the sidewalk near her. He describes her so terrified that she dashes away; “[h]er flight made [him] feel like an accomplice of tyranny.” This simile justifies that Staples was thought of as a murderer or rapist because of his identity. An outsider would not realize that this woman’s “precautions” are another man’s daunting memories. Staples does not blame this woman for her actions, for he blames society in a way that adds to his informative persona. Along with this simile, Staples uses other tactics such as irony when he mentioned that the police “[mistook] the [black] reporter for the murderer.” Staples’ casualness of this statement makes this kind of “mistake” seem so natural in his world, which it was. Because of the way Staples presents his story and that it is actually common, there is a sense of flippant humor that Staples adds to his persona. The mistake is ironic because it shouldn't have been just a mistake; it should’ve been a scandal. This approach helps Staples’ persona feel more open since he does not place anyone in the heat of unforgiving blame. He is bold for doing this. Instead, Staples’ persona through simile and irony have the effect to welcome readers and open their eyes to