James Baldwin's 'Go Tell It On The Mountain'
Kolstedt � PAGE * MERGEFORMAT �1�
Stephen Kolstedt
Prof Tree Bernstein
Eng. V01B
23 November 2011
James Baldwin
The author James Arthur Baldwin (1924-1987) achieved recognition for his courageous expressions of African American life in the United States. His first novel, _Go Tell It on the Mountain_, was an autobiography about growing up in the harsh conditions of the black district known as Harlem, New York. Blacks were treated unfairly, from being slaves to not getting the same privileges as whites. He wanted to fight for equality so that blacks could live simpler lives. After following his stepfather 's footsteps in becoming a Baptist minister, Baldwin developed a passion for writing at an early age when he joined his school newspaper. …show more content…
This novel was well thought out, taking ten years to finally have a completed piece. He said that _Go Tell It on the Mountain_ was "the book I had to write if I was ever going to write anything else. I had to deal with what hurt me most. I had to deal, above all, with my father…Nobody 's ever frightened me since." (About the Author) The novel outlines his life as a poverty stricken homosexual African American. His character, John, mirrors the life Baldwin lived. This novel touches the heart and helps people realize how racism affected African American families. Baldwin gave a vivid description by using flashback episodes to recount the characters parents and aunt to his grandparents slave life. The novel is written in the language of King James Bible, and the Bible is a constant presence in the characters ' lives. A general biblical knowledge will help understand the context more. His most important reference to the Bible was the story of Ham, Noah 's son who saw him naked. Noah cursed Ham 's son to become the servant of Noah 's other son. James Baldwin always felt as though he wasn 't as loved as his younger brother. His brother didn 't have to try as hard to please his …show more content…
His upbringing in Harlem really gave Baldwin a harsh reality of all that he would have to deal with for the rest of his life. Baldwin 's writings were very influential and inspiring, allowing the reader to understand how unfortunate segregation was for so many people. Through his writings, James Baldwin got to experience life. He spoke out and debated about the Civil Rights Movement and tried to help homosexuals deal with the hardships. He stayed strong and fought through all the obstacles life threw at him. James Baldwin wanted justice, not sympathy. Baldwin is still studied today and will always be remembered for his
Stephen Kolstedt
Prof Tree Bernstein
Eng. V01B
23 November 2011
James Baldwin
The author James Arthur Baldwin (1924-1987) achieved recognition for his courageous expressions of African American life in the United States. His first novel, _Go Tell It on the Mountain_, was an autobiography about growing up in the harsh conditions of the black district known as Harlem, New York. Blacks were treated unfairly, from being slaves to not getting the same privileges as whites. He wanted to fight for equality so that blacks could live simpler lives. After following his stepfather 's footsteps in becoming a Baptist minister, Baldwin developed a passion for writing at an early age when he joined his school newspaper. …show more content…
This novel was well thought out, taking ten years to finally have a completed piece. He said that _Go Tell It on the Mountain_ was "the book I had to write if I was ever going to write anything else. I had to deal with what hurt me most. I had to deal, above all, with my father…Nobody 's ever frightened me since." (About the Author) The novel outlines his life as a poverty stricken homosexual African American. His character, John, mirrors the life Baldwin lived. This novel touches the heart and helps people realize how racism affected African American families. Baldwin gave a vivid description by using flashback episodes to recount the characters parents and aunt to his grandparents slave life. The novel is written in the language of King James Bible, and the Bible is a constant presence in the characters ' lives. A general biblical knowledge will help understand the context more. His most important reference to the Bible was the story of Ham, Noah 's son who saw him naked. Noah cursed Ham 's son to become the servant of Noah 's other son. James Baldwin always felt as though he wasn 't as loved as his younger brother. His brother didn 't have to try as hard to please his …show more content…
His upbringing in Harlem really gave Baldwin a harsh reality of all that he would have to deal with for the rest of his life. Baldwin 's writings were very influential and inspiring, allowing the reader to understand how unfortunate segregation was for so many people. Through his writings, James Baldwin got to experience life. He spoke out and debated about the Civil Rights Movement and tried to help homosexuals deal with the hardships. He stayed strong and fought through all the obstacles life threw at him. James Baldwin wanted justice, not sympathy. Baldwin is still studied today and will always be remembered for his