The Veil Identity

Education is power. Especially pertaining to society today, knowledge is becoming a social standard that defines wealth and class. However, education played a different role in the segregation of the whites and blacks. In W.E.B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk, the theme of education plays a significant role in the development of the veil. The veil is a fictional divide that creates two perspectives; the false identity and the true identity. The false identity is the untrue self of a person. This self is created through the opinions of others. The true self is the accurate identity of the person. Due to the veil, the person’s real identity is hidden while the fake identity is revealed. The effect of education on an individual creates a label on

While the white John goes to university due to privilege, the black John dedicates his life to education and helping his community. Du Bois concludes that privilege is what determines the type of person who attends school. It is through dedication and hard work that Black John is able to attend school. In contrast, white John was born into privilege, attending one of the top universities because of the rich, white cycle. For white John, this is a normality taken for granted. But for black John, it is a new veil. When black John comes home, his family and friends see him through a different perspective. Even though black John is able to escape the white veil, a new veil is placed on him. This realization supports Du Bois’ claims of education, demonstrating that knowledge provides opportunities for blacks, yet alienates them from their communities. The new, educated black man’s blending of morals created conflict against the traditional black communities’ beliefs. Black John’s new perspective enables him to identify his position in the American social class through the awareness of the