a talk to teachers synthesis
Baldwin- A Talk to Teachers
Why are Baldwin's ideas still important today?
Thesis: Baldwin's ideas are still important today because the issues he discusses continue to be prominent in today's society because of the misinformation in education.
A Talk to Teachers is a speech composed and presented by James Baldwin, a highly influential figure in American literature. The composition of A Talk to Teachers reflects the turmoil, and transitional period that American society experienced in the 1960’s. Baldwin presented this speech to New York City teachers; and addressed the repercussions, the wanted product, the racial inequality, and the misinformation pertaining to American education. Baldwin's ideas are still important today because the issues he discusses continue to be prominent in today's society because of the misinformation in education. Through his essay Baldwin addresses the importance for education “to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not" (Baldwin, 123-124). This type of self being, and individual thinking is emulated as the essay proceeds through the issues of racial inequality and misinformation in American education. Baldwin believes that people are taught to believe that they live in the best structured society, although that may not be the case. He explains that education is able to open up people's eyes to the reality of our society. “The paradox of education is precisely this—that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated” (Baldwin, 123). Education allows an individual to question the society he or she is learning in and about. Baldwin expressed that "It is a world that refuses to speak the truth, even though it ceases the truth"(GritTv) Baldwin addresses the teachers as educated peoples who have the
Why are Baldwin's ideas still important today?
Thesis: Baldwin's ideas are still important today because the issues he discusses continue to be prominent in today's society because of the misinformation in education.
A Talk to Teachers is a speech composed and presented by James Baldwin, a highly influential figure in American literature. The composition of A Talk to Teachers reflects the turmoil, and transitional period that American society experienced in the 1960’s. Baldwin presented this speech to New York City teachers; and addressed the repercussions, the wanted product, the racial inequality, and the misinformation pertaining to American education. Baldwin's ideas are still important today because the issues he discusses continue to be prominent in today's society because of the misinformation in education. Through his essay Baldwin addresses the importance for education “to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not" (Baldwin, 123-124). This type of self being, and individual thinking is emulated as the essay proceeds through the issues of racial inequality and misinformation in American education. Baldwin believes that people are taught to believe that they live in the best structured society, although that may not be the case. He explains that education is able to open up people's eyes to the reality of our society. “The paradox of education is precisely this—that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated” (Baldwin, 123). Education allows an individual to question the society he or she is learning in and about. Baldwin expressed that "It is a world that refuses to speak the truth, even though it ceases the truth"(GritTv) Baldwin addresses the teachers as educated peoples who have the