Black Like Me
Argument and Evidence
Argument: Segregation is a huge part of this book and I think that the concept of racism is wrong and should not be used under any circumstances for any reason.
Evidence:
• Page 8-10: Mr. Griffin goes to visit Mr. Levitan and tries to see if he will help him publish the book he soon wants to make after his experiment. The experiment is to change his skin color to black and try to resolve discrimination with the black and white people. Mr. Levitan thinks this is a crazy idea and thinks he’s sure to get killed the second someone finds out about what he’s doing.
This shows that it was extremely dangerous to try anything like this back in that time period because everyone was very pro-racism. I think it shouldn’t have to be dangerous to do this. I think it’s smart of him, in a way, because he’s trying to fix things that shouldn’t even be a problem. In other words, it shouldn’t be dangerous because everyone is the same no matter what skin color and this happened to be a problem back then.
• Page 124-131: Mr. Griffin is on the bus, in the back as usual, and two white women board and are unable to find a seat. The bus driver sees this and demands a young black man to move for them, but he refuses over and over again. Right at that time, a tall, buff, red-headed white man threatens to beat up the boy if he doesn’t move, yet he still refuses. The bus driver won’t let any “rough housing” go on and finally one of the women tell the bus driver that it’s okay and they don’t mind, feeling bad for being the cause of all the drama.
This shows that it wasn’t even allowed for two of a different color to sit together. I think this is wrong because again, everyone is equal, but they didn’t know that in this time. When the white man offered to beat him up because he wouldn’t move it showed the pure hatred the white race had for the blacks, which is very wrong.
• Page 152-155: One morning, Mr. Griffin receives a call from a newspaper
Argument: Segregation is a huge part of this book and I think that the concept of racism is wrong and should not be used under any circumstances for any reason.
Evidence:
• Page 8-10: Mr. Griffin goes to visit Mr. Levitan and tries to see if he will help him publish the book he soon wants to make after his experiment. The experiment is to change his skin color to black and try to resolve discrimination with the black and white people. Mr. Levitan thinks this is a crazy idea and thinks he’s sure to get killed the second someone finds out about what he’s doing.
This shows that it was extremely dangerous to try anything like this back in that time period because everyone was very pro-racism. I think it shouldn’t have to be dangerous to do this. I think it’s smart of him, in a way, because he’s trying to fix things that shouldn’t even be a problem. In other words, it shouldn’t be dangerous because everyone is the same no matter what skin color and this happened to be a problem back then.
• Page 124-131: Mr. Griffin is on the bus, in the back as usual, and two white women board and are unable to find a seat. The bus driver sees this and demands a young black man to move for them, but he refuses over and over again. Right at that time, a tall, buff, red-headed white man threatens to beat up the boy if he doesn’t move, yet he still refuses. The bus driver won’t let any “rough housing” go on and finally one of the women tell the bus driver that it’s okay and they don’t mind, feeling bad for being the cause of all the drama.
This shows that it wasn’t even allowed for two of a different color to sit together. I think this is wrong because again, everyone is equal, but they didn’t know that in this time. When the white man offered to beat him up because he wouldn’t move it showed the pure hatred the white race had for the blacks, which is very wrong.
• Page 152-155: One morning, Mr. Griffin receives a call from a newspaper