Just Walk On By Brent Staples

In “Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders His Power To Alter Public Space,” Brent Staples discusses the development of standard stereotypes that can not just affect the actions of the victim, but the suspect. Throughout the essay, Staples describes himself in a sequence of events, and proceeds to tell the readers how people around him react. Brent Staples was a tall black man and always faced the same reaction when walking the streets during his late night strolls. People that were walking late as well especially white women would avoid Staples either by crossing the street to avoid him or immediately be quiet and walk faster. Staples, being a six-foot two black man, appeared to be dangerous which caused the white women to cross the street or walk faster. When he is telling this story, he states that “it was clear that she thought
He has mentioned that these misjudge encounters are ordinary. People can be very quick to judge and stereotype others based off what they heard and what they see. In one of his encounters he states, “to her, the youngish black man - a broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pockets of a bulky military jacket - seemed menacingly close.” (Staples 217). After discovering these encounters, Staples enjoys late night strolls and in order to cope with the misunderstanding on his walks, he sings classical music, which assures others that he is not a dangerous man. He wants people to see him as Brent Staples, an innocent man. In “Just Walk on By,” there is a significant amount of ethos throughout the essay. Brent Staples is a graduate student at the University of Chicago and a journalist which shows that he is an educated man in regards to this topic. While whistling, it puts an end to the appearance of a “thug” while making other people more comfortable around him at the same