How humans live, how they interact, what customs they follow, all of it becomes a part of society. It is the root of discrimination and violence against minority groups. In a dimly lit corner in a . I move about with care, particularly late in the evening. Create This aspect of his essay is not unique, for minority literature in America is full of such themes. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Share your meaning with community, make it Throughout the piece, Staples uses devices that will help the reader better understand the struggles that the character has to face on a daily basis. Dont As Brent Staples explains in his essay Black Men and Public Space, black people deal with many problems, from discrimination, and he explains these points in an orderly manner and each very thoroughly. The lives of these black people have been severely affected, as it has affected their acts, appearances, and ways of life. When I swerved into the Avenue behind her, there appeared to be an individualized and inflammatory distance between us. Walk on By written by Kendall Hayes English August 1961. Staples humorous approach makes the topic a lot easier for people to take in and sets a lighter mood for the difficult topic of discrimination. (2017, Jan 21). The author bluntly tries to pass the message that racially judging people is wrong and explaining how it makes the other party ,african americans, feel. 26 ratings9 reviews. JUST WALK AWAY. 1951) earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Chicago and went on to become a journalist. After that encounter is when he realized and became familiar with the language of fear. Staples imagery is extremely strong throughout the essay and adds a lot to his different stories. Loop niet voorbij written by Henk van Broekhoven Dutch 1984. But by confronting these facts, he makes himself actually look that much more innocent, and a reader really cant help but sympathize with him. The history of racism and discrimination against black people has resulted in the persistence of racism and unconscious bias against them today. Just walk on By: Black Men and Public Space By: Brent Staples The Tone The audience The tone is easy going but he is obviously annoyed by because of how he expresses his emotions in the text. In his essay, Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space, Brent Staples uses the rhetorical strategies of anecdote and diction in order to convey his message that due to racial discrimination black people (mainly men) have to change the way they naturally conduct themselves in public for they run the risk of something terrible happening to them. From victimizing woman, watching people lock themselves away, and having to whistle classical music to calm the nerves of people around him; Staples builds a picture to help people better sympathize and understand his frustration. Our experts can deliver a Staples' "Just Walk on By: Black Men in Public Space" essay. Lyrics taken from This is an example of how racism and unconscious bias can cause people to treat others differently, even if they are not aware of it. As these incidences continue to build, he also finds himself upset and angry over the repeated situation of being confused as a criminal. Because he saw so many people with the same skin color end up in jail or worse, he understands why people misjudge him and he genuinely seems like he doesnt blame them at all for the misconception. Staples writes, I was to become thoroughly familiar, In Black Men and Public Spaces, Brent Staples handles the stereotyping and ridicule he receives from white individuals serenely. He . Along in with the authors use of metaphors is the frequent use of imagery. Created by. In the nervous and frightened expressions that Staples confronts, it is easy to see why he has reached the conclusion that people have discriminated against him because of his skin color and they are afraid of him. Provide song facts, names, places and other worthy info that may Staples uses a contrasting element of race by introducing a white female and a black male. Add links, pictures and videos to make your explanation more Living in the East Vancouver, I have grown to be aware of people who seem dangerous. writing your own paper, but remember to The message of the article is to vocialize how Black men are overrepresented as thugs and gangsters and when theyre in public spaces they are treated as such. He also illustrates himself as a more timid character by saying that he could scarcely bare laying a knife across chicken, let alone a human throat. He describes how people are always scared of him, even when he is not doing anything wrong. He explains how he has victims which are people who judge him and make him feel he is a dangerous criminal. Throughout his essay, Staples is able to make the audience understand what he has to deal with as a black man. 1. It is a difficult task to change the minds of an audience who probably already has certain misconceptions and can understand why a black man would be discriminated against based on his appearance when walking the street. Staples asserts that as a result of this misinterpretation, he was continually mistreated. The 19-week run of "Walk On By" is a record that stood for 51 years until "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line reached its 19th week at No. One topic was if one prefers European Americans over African Americans. Unconscious bias also continues to play a role in how black people are perceived by others. The revolutionary Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr, once described discrimination as a hellbound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them. His point being that African Americans face racial discrimination on a daily basis. 50 Issue 5, p38, 4p. Updated: Mar 1, 2023 17:42 IST. One of the most unusual things with no point or definition. Test. In it, Staples discusses the racism and unconscious bias that he experiences as a black man in American society. Throughout Just Walk on By a constant picture is painted in the readers head which makes the reading way more enjoyable and also memorable. It looks like he may be getting with 23-year-old popstar Sabrina Carpenter as the two have taken the first step in a famous people relationship: strolling the streets where people can see them. Staples describes his extreme frustration at the fact that racism plays such a . He does this by relating to his audience through his personal experiences with stereotyping, and sharing his malcontent on how these events have made him alter his way of living. Unfortunately, it is something that comes naturally to some people. The message that Brent Staples is trying to convey to the audience in his essay Just Walk On By, is that as a society we have positive and negative preconceived thoughts of other people who are of either the same or different race and gender. They were brought to America as slaves, and even after slavery was abolished, they were still treated as second-class citizens. By writing about his experiences Staples stresses that it is unreasonable to classify an individual as . His reactions to these types of circumstances helps his cause. Stereotypes have the power to label someone and rob them of all their hard work or strike fear into others. It was released in June 1961 as the first single and title track from the album Walk On By. He describes how he is often seen as a threat simply because of the color of his skin, and how this has led to him being treated . Studies have shown that people are more likely to associate black faces with negative words than white faces. cite it correctly. By: Staples, Brent. Racism is not only common today it's been a part of American history. But many negatives have arisen from society as well such as: hate crimes, racism, discrimination, and much more have all taken root in society. Although Staples describes himself as a college graduate, a journalist, and a softy in the face of violence, he details that the overall public deems him a dangerous criminal. In the article " Black Men and Public Space," Brent Staples writes about his life as a black man who lives in a prejudice city. Even though slavery was abolished over 150 years ago, black men are still seen as a threat by many people. Also available in the iTunes Store Other Versions. One example Staples gives is of a white woman clutching her purse and crossing the street when she sees a black man walking towards her, even if he is not doing anything suspicious. Article Summary and Response He does this by relating to his audience through his personal experiences with stereotyping, and sharing his malcontent on how these events have made him alter his way of living. For centuries, black people have been subjected to racism and discrimination. He gets into the horrendous facts that black people face and that, unfortunately, remains part of our world. This story was produced by C-Store Dive for Amazon. In his essay Black Men and Public Spaces, Brent Staples explains that people often find him intimidating because he is tall and black. Staples works as a journalist in a predominantly white society. It was the most popular country song for the year. Brent Staples' essay titled 'Just walk on by: A black man ponders his power to alter public space' is an outstanding piece of minority literature of the twentieth century. I was indistinguishable from the muggers who occasionally seeped into the area (542). hUj@}/F{_ MiAc%#+},JbB_#)t"%J&`fdV(g0N@A.6gx)FE^m2QF6jQ7e1g4ITit1](Vo7J^Gt-[-*Yho:]t/e&=9Z3-`N7Yt9L7E"jL*}ZTh\e;Nl3r*~_U#HXr:|^,VoMUi9L+2wr&cu1I;?UyC`K1M[Ohel+%pxWD8f4R :a U!>Nzn*2usNW'&u{pr:kO1$G t/WHDHT&Il^%BQIvhFxRGb-@b#gcw Repeat and alternate between each . He further demonstrates his ability to alter public space when just crossing in front of a car stopped at a traffic light. He hears the thunk of the driver locking their car regardless of them being black, white, male, or female. Staples understands the world is dangerous and people have the right to fear those around them, however, he continues to endure discrimination. The lives of these black people have been severely affected, as it has affected their acts, appearances, and ways of life. He also talks about white men who wrote essays about black men and portrayed them as ruthless and criminals. notchabi000. Brent Staples in Black Men and Public Spaces, illustrates the inescapable prejudices and stereotyping that African-American men face in America. Does it mean anything special hidden In another example he says, Another time I was on assignment for a local paper and killing time before an interview. The imagery that Staples adds into his essay paint vivid pictures into the readers minds and help the reader to understand the situation clearly. This is indeed a unique standpoint in the context of black and minority literature. From victimizing woman, watching people lock themselves away, and having to whistle classical music to calm the nerves of people around him; Staples builds a picture to help people better sympathize and understand his frustration. This essay was written by a fellow student. Author and editorial writer, Brent Staples acknowledges this issue as well as experience many situations in which people distinguish him from others. Just walk on by, wait on the corner. Black Men and Public Space This makes for interesting reading and keeps an audience on task. IAS ADM . He says that the most frightening of these situations was in the late seventies and early eighties when he worked as a journalist in Chicago. In this reading, it is simple to envision the scenes as the different scenarios are explained and the audience can easily picture Staples in the places he is describing and also the people he comes across. Because of their appearance, black men have long been misjudged as a hazard. 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