Introduction
The two essays that will be covered within the framework of the current paper are James Baldwin’s “Notes of a Native Son” and Audre Lorde’s “The Fourth of July”. Baldwin wrote his essay to emphasize the issues that black people encountered in the first half of the 20th century.
It is an exceptional essay that is written in a lively tone but with great attention to details that contributed to racism at that time. He repeated the word “carry” about ten times to show the weight of the hardships that people of color experienced. Audre Lorde’s essay is a much more upfront story about the injustice that can be uncovered across the United States, not just in Washington, DC.
She was rather discouraged by the prevalence of unfair treatment and considered it to be a stopper to progress. Therefore, she often used the word “white” to indicate the distinction that caused the oppression. The repetition of the words “carry” and “white” is used to heighten the essays’ emotional tone and demonstrate the gravity of racism and stereotypes.
Baldwin’s “Notes of a Native Son” and Lorde’s “The Fourth of July”
When Baldwin used the word “carry,” he intended to create a detailed picture of American society where people of color constantly bear the brunt of prejudice and hatred against them. In the context of his essay, Baldwin (1955) emphasizes how one smaller group virtually carries all the bullying from a much larger group because of having no other choice but to comply. Consequently, he sees the problem in how white people treat others because their attitude creates racial tension and unpredictable consequences. The effect of the repetition of the word “carry” can be outlined as minor to average because the story is quite lengthy.
Nevertheless, when the word is utilized, Baldwin shows how black people are always struggling to seek their identity. The word “carry” remains a meaning-making device throughout the essay because it bares the hatred stored inside numerous generations of people of different races. Thus, it proves that there is indeed an issue with whiteness and the sense of inferiority that was assigned to black people.
In turn, Lorde utilized the word “white” in her essay to show how whiteness plagued America throughout the years. According to Lorde (1997), practically everything around her was white, so it was hard to identify with something or someone so completely different. The context of Lorde’s essay makes it clear that she sees the obstacles, but she chooses to ignore them as much as her parents.
While using repetition, the author tries to achieve complete physical discomfort in the readers to make them feel the same way she did during her trip to Washington, DC. Lorde seems to be greatly dispirited by the fact that everything around her is white. The repetition of the word “white” is intentional because Lorde wants to convey the idea of being limited by her surroundings, with no chance to generate any impact on the situation.
When comparing how the authors use their repetitions, one can note a fundamental difference. Baldwin focuses more on the mental effects that the concept of whiteness has on him. On the other hand, Lorde addresses the physical distress that she experiences when encountering anything white, from people to buildings and things.
Even though both authors share the mindset of not trusting white citizens of America, Lorde (1997) seems to be much more inclined to presenting it as hatred, maybe even mutual. Baldwin (1955) talks about his experiences much smoother, without agitation or outright anger. The underlying messages in both essays acknowledge the problem of excessive whiteness and expose the audience to the possible outcomes.
Conclusion
Thus, the main idea found in both essays is that whiteness is unbearable when it is everywhere. There has to be a limit to how certain groups of people are affecting the country. Even though blacks and whites are predisposed to not trusting each other, they do not know the reasons. It shows how the American society is too flawed. Both Baldwin and Lorde had a success while discussing the social background of race-based issues. Overall, these essays portray whiteness as an influential concept that drives racism and its derivatives.
References
Baldwin, J. (1955). Notes of a native son[PDF] (pp. 587-604).
Lorde, A. (1997). The fourth of July [PDF] (pp. 240-242).