Ta-Nehisi Coates Between The World And Me

Between the World and Me, written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, is written as a letter to his son about realities associated with being black in the United States of America. His tone is somewhat poetic and quite bleak, based on his personal experiences. The book is intense, it is an address to a nation that ignores its own blatant history of racism, a nation that does not prosecute police officers who kill innocent black citizens, a nation that supports a policy of mass incarceration. He writes about growing up in Baltimore, Maryland and details the ways in which institutions (school, police, and the streets) discipline, endanger, and threaten to harm black men and women. Between the World and Me is an intimate confession of the fears of a black American father.

Ta-Nehisi Coates starts his book called Between the World and Me by addressing his son. The first part of this book explains Coates experiences when he was a young man. He begins his book by describing one time he was on a talk show and the host asked him to explain what it is to lose his body. This question made Coates reflect on the American dream and American democracy. Later on in the book, he references President Lincoln’s statement about the government and how the government is for and of the people.

Between the World and Me, is a framework of the American history and current crisis of racial ideals. The author, Ta-Nehisi Coates, discusses the damaging falsehoods race has caused on black men and woman throughout history and in current situations. Coates’ writes this book as an open letter to his son, with the intention of helping him understand what it is like to live in a “black body” within this world. As well as answering the question of how black men and woman can free themselves from history’s burden.

While reading Ta-Nehisi Coates book, Between The World And Me, I came across a thought-provoking quote. Coates states “we did not get to choose our fences, they were imposed on us,” (Coates 42). I believe that Coates meant we are born into this world without a say. We did not have a choice regarding the family and life we were born into. Earlier in the book, Coates mentions a quote from Malcolm X, an African-American Muslim minister, and human rights activist. The quote states “if you’re black, you were born in jail” (Coates 36). Both men hit on the point that some individuals are born into lives where they are unable to be successful due to race, religion, and economic burden. For example, during the early twentieth century, people of color

Coates compares the lives of black people and the lives of white people, and the white life seems somewhat better than the way blacks live. For example, Coates explains how when he went to a white neighborhood and he was experiencing what the Dream was all about. He noticed how “There was so much money everywhere”. This means that when Coates seen all the different stored and people they looked like they had a lot of money, his is exactly what the American Dream is. “I saw white parents pushing double-wide strollers down Harlem boulevards”, the Dream is

In Ta-Nehisi Coates’s book Between the World and Me, many different views of the world are addressed the main view his own the view of the world from a black man in America’s perspective. His book also explains how his perspective of the world changes based on experiences that have helped shape him. My main takeaway from the book is to never stop learning and broaden your view of the world.

His fear of getting shot later came to life when a peer from college, Prince Jones, was found shot dead a few blocks from his finance’s house. Coates was a protective parent and wants to guard his son against the horrors of life. He analyzed how he loves his child to a point of an obsession and reveals to his son that “I think we would like to kill you ourselves before seeing you killed by the streets that America made” (82). The concern he shows for his child is conveyed in various instances and it prompts him to become more insightful after. One notable instance being a white women pushed his son and said, “come on!”

Coates explores how the education system can be used as a powerful tool for self-discovery. He explains the ways in which secondary schools shaped his understanding of the world and himself with Logos. Fully 60 percent of all young black men who dropout of high school will go to jail. This should disgrace the country. But it does not, and while I couldn't crunch

agent of our world’s physical laws.” Although the officer that who shot Jones was black, Coates

This theme helps illuminate how black people came to be treated in America both when slavery existed and beyond into today’s society. The theme that black people are disposable bodies within American society. Because of the tradition of treating black people as objects or whose value strictly came from their ability to make profit, the idea of what it means to be black in America is imbedded in the danger of losing one’s body. Although slavery has ended, the racism remains as a violence inflicted on black people’s bodies. Coates is more than happy to emphasize that racism is an instinctive practice.

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a book that demands attention in today 's society where racism and hostility towards the black community are still very common. The book is written in the form of a letter to Coates’s son where he examines the black body and how it is viewed in the world by white americans. Coates gives insight into relevant social justice issues such as Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Trayvon Martin and provides an intense reality depicting the life of those in the black community. Coates describes his life growing up and explains the ever changing realizations he comes to regarding the black body as he grows and develops. He takes the readers on a journey through his experiences and education, allowing us to directly see his opinions regarding the black body develop and reshape over time. Coates focuses in on his different forms of education and how they influenced his opinions on power and freedom of the black body. Ultimately through his life experiences and education Coates realizes that the black body can be viewed as simultaneously powerful and powerless within society.

I found it interesting that he so blatantly mentioned how hard his son’s future would be (in comparison to his white counterparts) without much mention of hope or promise. The fact that the African American people have struggled is of no secret to anyone, especially not black youth, but to be reminded that the struggle may never be over is extraordinarily disheartening. “Accepting half as much” in exchange for working “twice as hard” is sadly the reality that Coates knows he will have to encourage his young son to eventually

Description of the Author’s Style: Coates wrote Between the World and Me in a letter form for his 15-year-old son. He is very passionate and intimate while writing about how black people were and are treated. The book is full of rich ideas and key concepts which are present in all three parts of the

“Between the World and Me”, by Ta-Nehisi Coates, is a letter written to his son about what it means to be black and how tough it is to be a part of this race in the United States of America. In this book, Coates talks about his life in the black community, starting from childhood memories all the way to present day. Coates also tries sends a message, which is that his son should not lower his guard and be completely confident about who he is, instead he should be afraid about what the world is capable of doing to a black man. In this work, Coates disagrees on what it means to be black or white in America.

Not only being a gangster of the streets can be a reason for having your body taken, but also illegally selling cigarettes and simply walking home with a hood on can both be reasons for someone to come and “take your body”. These ideas are clearly and evidently illustrated by Coates in his use of the names of unarmed African Americans like Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin, who were innocently killed by people claiming to be the protectors. Coates not only references the unneeded deaths of these and other African Americans, but he also refers to the way justice is taken after the incident...it isn’t. It’s like after every death of an unarmed black person the justice system wants to get back at the public and the