African Americans In W. E. B. Dubois's Souls Of Black Folk
Tekyra Waller
ENG 1101
November 7, 2013
Question #4
In W E B Dubois novel, Souls of Black Folks, he shares with the reader how the African American is a two-part being; they are American and African. He says that they are two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. This line explains the entire attitude for the book. He explains how the African part is often considered a problem and that the Negro is a sort of seventh son … etc. He uses this analogy to show how similar to the last, the African American race is often forgotten and over looked and sometimes, for the lack of a better term, the least favorite of the other siblings. So
here you have a person whose is accepted in one realm (American) and dehumanized the other (African). The novel explains how African Americans try to find the perfect balance between the two so that society will be more acceptant of them both. Dubois also explains how the African American tries to be a co-worker in the kingdom of culture, trying to take the focus of the African side and put more focus on the American part. Throughout the novel, Dubois gives insight into the African American soul and how being these souls in one body can affect an entire race. His views and points on double-consciousness helps us to see the African American in a different view. We always hear about the significant times within the African American community: the civil rights movement and now during a time when the nation has its first African American President, but we never got to see the psychological point of view from the effects of having to souls. We always hear about what they went through or what accomplishment they made, but we never heard how it affected their mental state of being. W E B Dubois gives us things to take into consideration as human beings and not just people in history.
ENG 1101
November 7, 2013
Question #4
In W E B Dubois novel, Souls of Black Folks, he shares with the reader how the African American is a two-part being; they are American and African. He says that they are two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. This line explains the entire attitude for the book. He explains how the African part is often considered a problem and that the Negro is a sort of seventh son … etc. He uses this analogy to show how similar to the last, the African American race is often forgotten and over looked and sometimes, for the lack of a better term, the least favorite of the other siblings. So
here you have a person whose is accepted in one realm (American) and dehumanized the other (African). The novel explains how African Americans try to find the perfect balance between the two so that society will be more acceptant of them both. Dubois also explains how the African American tries to be a co-worker in the kingdom of culture, trying to take the focus of the African side and put more focus on the American part. Throughout the novel, Dubois gives insight into the African American soul and how being these souls in one body can affect an entire race. His views and points on double-consciousness helps us to see the African American in a different view. We always hear about the significant times within the African American community: the civil rights movement and now during a time when the nation has its first African American President, but we never got to see the psychological point of view from the effects of having to souls. We always hear about what they went through or what accomplishment they made, but we never heard how it affected their mental state of being. W E B Dubois gives us things to take into consideration as human beings and not just people in history.