ipl-logo

Stereotypes Warp Your Judgments: Article Analysis

980 Words4 Pages

Over the past week, I was tasked to choose between one of two articles that all of the incoming freshman at Union County College in preparation for the up and coming school year. This decision will forever change the way the incoming students will do before stereotyping a certain race, religion, or sexual preference. One of the articles I had to choose from was called, “Don’t Let Stereotypes Warp Your Judgments” By Robert L. Heilbroner, while the other one was called, “Black Men and Public Space” by Brent Staples. Both articles were somewhat similar in the fact that they both talk about how the typical person, in most situations, stereotype people in a bad or even a good way. The articles also talk and teach that stereotyping is bad and …show more content…

The first reason on why I chose this essay is because it changes the point of view multiple times throughout the paper. For example, in paragraph 4 and 5 the author explains that at night in the narrow streets of Soho in New York City woman get scared and fear the worst from the author, who is black. From there, the author explains what he thinks and the woman is thinking during the same situation. It draws attention for the reader and keeps the reader’s eyes glued on the paper when reading this. The second reason why I chose this essay is because it is very personal. The author makes the reader gain sympathy for him, as he explains as he is a few of the lucky from his community to be successful and not lose their lives to violence. In paragraph 7, Staples states, “As a boy, I saw countless tough guys locked away; I have since buried several, too… a teenage cousin, a brother of twenty-two, a childhood friend in his mid-twenties- all gone down in episodes of bravado played out in the streets” (Para 7). The third and last reason why I picked this essay is because the essay was extremely detailed, which helps the reader believe that these stories are actually true then rather false like the other paper is like. For example, in paragraph 3, Staples stated, “At dark, shadowy intersections, I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver…” (Para 3). Staples makes the point of being very detailed in his descriptions to make the reader believe that these stories are actually real rather than

Show More
Related

Brent Staples Ten Ways We Get The Odds Wrong

990 Words | 4 Pages

He is telling a story starting from the beginning and moving towards events that happen later. Staples first talks about his “first victim” and moves along his timeline (Staples 238). Staples then talks about what his first year was like outside of his hometown and states that it was filled with people who were afraid of him (Staples 239). He then talks about him moving to New York after his time in Chicago (Staples 239). he writes about his experience in New York, and even there he has people who are afraid of him (Staples 240).

Read More

Stereotypes In Brent Staples's 'Black Men In Public Space'

1033 Words | 5 Pages

But back to Staples’, he once said that a woman cast a worried glance at Staples when she saw him walking down the street. Staples found this to be a little strange, and as he walks too close to the woman she seems to pick up her pace of speed after a few glimpses of Staples. In this part of the essay, Staples had a sense that a woman who barely knows him was probably Black Men in Public Page

Read More

Just Walk On By Annie Dillard Analysis

1284 Words | 6 Pages

Staples shows us just how uncomfortable he is "As a softy who is scarcely able to take a knife to raw chicken let alone hold it to a person's throat-I was ...dismayed all at once. Her flight made me feel like an accomplice in tyranny" (Staples 2). The "flight" analogy uses symbology to show that because of this racial stigma he misses out on a potential lover or friendship opportunity because of people reaction toward his skin color. It is clear that this has an impact on Staples loathing and to be seen as friendly. Staples describes his upbringing as anxious and a violent environment.

Read More

Just Walk On By Brent Staples Analysis

681 Words | 3 Pages

By changing immediately from identifying the woman as his victim to then stating how her response caused him to feel bad about himself, he starts to allow the reader to empathize with him and really involves them in the emotional state. Staples does an outstanding job in drawing a guilty sensation from the audience. "I grew accustomed to never being comfortable”. This is one of the most influential statements in this passage because it makes the reader begin to feel guilt and really put themselves in the writer's shoes, drawing a huge emotional response to

Read More

Summary Of Black Men In Public Space By Brent Staples

553 Words | 3 Pages

I feel sad for Staples; he has no purpose of hurting anybody or doing whatever incorrect. In the main paragraph, I got the sensation that the narrator had truly done somewhat criminal, as he describes the lady as his "first victim. " I suppose he was about to go into details about how he attacked or murdered her in the dark alley. Instead, he clarifies that he is a softie and I consider Staples is the victim, not the female. I believe the most remarkable act he did was to whistle Beethoven as he walked down the street.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Just Walk On By

320 Words | 2 Pages

It is his word choice within the first sentence of this essay that is astonishing. He says his “victim” as if he caused harm to the woman. In reality he was walking down the street, minding his own business. ... In the sixth and seventh paragraphs Staples talks about the town he grew up.

Read More

Compare And Contrast Just Walk On By And The Myth Of The Latin Woman

1047 Words | 5 Pages

Staples expresses his argument with real life experiences that have caused him to be stereotyped as a black male. People often think black males are “thugs”, “muggers”, or “rapist”, Staples points out that not all blacks fall under this category, especially him. Staples was first stereotyped when he was out walking at night (because this is what he likes to do) and comes across a white female who perceived him as a mugger or a rapist. This is when he realizes that he was “indistinguishable from the muggers who occasionally seeped into the area”( Pg.301 Para. 2). Staples comes to the conclusion that “being perceived as dangerous is a hazard itself” (Pg. 301 Para.)

Read More

Growing Up In Jail By Brent Staples

741 Words | 3 Pages

As he grew up, he experienced many more experiences such as the one he had that night in Chicago. Staples defends himself to the reader, telling them of how harmless he truly is. Although, Staples can understand why these women could be intimidated, especially in such a high poverty neighborhood. Staples looks past the discrimination, until it comes to the point where he becomes frightful. Staples is terrified of the gun violence and worried that if he makes a wrong move his life could be over.

Read More

Racism In Brent Staples's Black Men And Public Space

1103 Words | 5 Pages

He starts to allow the reader to empathize with him by going from identifying the woman as his victim to stating how her response caused him to feel bad about himself. Staples does an excellent job in drawing a guilty sensation from the audience, which is important when gaining an emotion response. "I grew accustomed to but never being comfortable," in my opinion, this is the most influential statement because it makes the readers feel guilt and think about being in the writer 's shoes (614). He accomplishes a rhetorical goal by pulling emotion from his audience. He makes the audience see from his level that racism still exists whether society chooses to believe it or

Read More

Racism In Staple's Just Walk On By Brent Staples

1069 Words | 5 Pages

When Staples was growing up he has experienced a lot of hatred. Even from the young age, he is treated as a threat. He has narrated different encounters with different people in different cities, and the reaction was always the same. He describes how he has always been discriminated against for being a black journalist. As a black human male, Staples feels like he is walking on eggshells everywhere he goes. "

Read More

Summary Of Just Walk On By A Black Man Ponders His Power To Alter Public Space

840 Words | 4 Pages

That it is reality and not just a concept based off of racism. Within these anecdotes Staples uses hyperbole to create suspense and kind of overstate the real issue at hand in order to show how terrible his position truly is. Such as in the opening sentence, “My first victim was a woman - white, well dressed, probably in her early twenties…(542)”. The woman is not an actual “victim” to any physical harm. Nothing happened to her except she feared for possibly her life.

Read More

Annotated Bibliography On Stereotypes

792 Words | 4 Pages

Annotated Bibliography Introduction: Examine different kinds of advertisements and the problem at hand with how they perpetuate stereotypes, such as; gender, race, and religion. Thesis: The problem in society today is in the industry of social media. In efforts to attract the eye of the general population, advertising companies create billboards, commercials, flyers and other ads with stereotypes that are accepted in today’s society. Because of the nations’ cultural expectation for all different types of people, advertisement businesses follow and portray exactly what and how each specific gender, race, or religion should be.

Read More

Rhetorical Devices In 'Just Walk On By' By Brent Staples

1013 Words | 5 Pages

Staples uses imagery, so the reader can picture it when reading his work, and to help create a sort of dark and lonely tone. The character uses several personal experiences which use a large amount of imagery. This is better shown when staples writes “ As a softy who is scarcely able to take a knife to a raw chicken- let alone hold it to a person’s throat……”(542), The character feels as though he is being judged for being a certain color when really he is afraid himself of getting hurt; he is also very humble and shy because he is afraid to even harm something that isn’t alive. When being treated as guilty and wrong, shame will follow; the character feels shameful that the lady is afraid of him when he has done nothing wrong.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Just Walk On By, By Brent Staples

1244 Words | 5 Pages

By using such a unique story with eye-catching phrases as the introduction of his article, Staples evokes the emotion of fear and unsettledness that soon proceeds to a feeling of relief, yet in a way that 's melancholic.

Read More

Positive Stereotypes Are Pervasive And Powerful

112 Words | 1 Pages

While some believe not all assumptions and stereotypes are bad, but they force people of the group to fit in a generalized description stripping individuals of their uniqueness. According to the article, “ Positive Stereotypes Are Pervasive and Powerful” by Alexander M. Czopp, Aaron C. Kay, Sapna Cheryan, “even norms that emphasize and encourage superficial attempts to demonstrate inclusiveness, diversity, and multiculturalism at personal and institutional levels...often come with subtle but substantial costs.” There no are such things as positive stereotypes because although affiliating one’s identity with the stereotypic strengths of their social group can have a more immediate response towards group pride and collective self-esteem,

Read More

More about Stereotypes Warp Your Judgments: Article Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document