Summary Of Ta-Nehisi Coates Letter To My Son

In a time period noted by many for growing racial divisions, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Letter to My Son depicts picture of suffering, terror, and irritation for the African American population. Coates describes how these emotions derive from the enslavement of African-American in the United States earliest origins, and that the denial of this connection is what limits African-Americans in modern society. Throughout his piece, Coates uses a combination of repetition, historical references, and writing style to better portray his ideas. From his opening line,Coates begins an illustration of the African American “body” and how it is commonly “lost”. The “body”, as Coates described, represents not only one’s physical existence but one’s spirit and soul.
In Coates’ depiction thousands of African Americans lose their “body” the the violence, capital punishment, and domination that white individuals influence over them. Coates’ cites examples of this phenomenon including "Sell cigarettes without the proper authority and your body can be destroyed. Turn into a dark stairwell and your body can be destroyed" and “The law has become an excuse for stopping and frisking you, which is to say, for furthering the assault on your body”. Coates goes so far to say that destroying an African American’s body is an American heritage. He states that from slavery in the colonial period, to the neglect of African American actors in television and cinema, to the police shootings of ordinary citizens white have held power over the African American population. This description of the “body” and the torture it endures creates imagery to aid the reader to relate to the commonly foreign subject matter and develop an empathetic view of the African American struggle. As Coates continues to demonstrate the African American troublesome situation, he begins to cite historical references. Ranging from the use of slavery in the Colonial period to the police killings of African Americans such as Eric Garner, Coates’ referrals create logos throughout the passage. With specific examples spanning hundreds of years, the reader comes face to face with real life examples of the problems Coates describes. Additionally, Coates’ descriptions of the events such as “Slavery is not an indefinable mass of flesh. It is a particular, specific enslaved woman, whose mind is as active as your own, whose range of feeling is as vast as your own, who loves her mother in her own complicated way” force the reader to feel similar abhorrent emotions as the ones experienced by those involved. Coates’ use of an open letter format also helps further develop his difficult and sensitive topic. The open letter causes Coates’ writing to be far more approachable and accessible through its ability to express ideas without the reader feeling that Coates’ ideas are being yelled at them. The open letter also allows Coates’ to develop pathos. As Coates’ speaks to his son, the descriptions of violence, discrimination, and general evils are far more disconsolate, as it is believed these events should not have to be endured by any child. As the United States delves into an uncertain future, it is paramount that the descriptions of unpleasant existences such as the ones illustrated by Coates are listened to. We live in a society that gives immense power to its people, and commonly change can be made even without government intervention. Coates’ use of repetition, historical reference, and writing form demonstrate the deep rooted problems associated with our culture's relationship with African Americans, and now the issue has fallen squarely on the shoulder of the new generation,