20 September 2012 Black Men and Public Space In Brent Staples’s “Black Men and Public Space‚” he describes his ability to alter space. Being a broad‚ tall African American‚ Staples is often feared by others and confused with danger. Staples says‚ “As a softy who is scarcely able to take a knife to a raw chicken - let alone hold one to a person’s throat - I was surprised‚ embarrassed‚ and dismayed all at once. Her flight made me feel like an accomplice in tyranny” (226). Staples is a friendly guy
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“Alter public space” means the thinking way of human brains about the public place and changes the reality of what it meant to what is in their thoughts. In the essay “Black men and Public Space” Brent Staples shared his personal experiences and feelings about how people react and feel when they met him in public places. He explained that when people met black men in public places people (mostly women) were scared of them and looked for ways and means to escape from them. Stereotyping of black
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essay “Black Men and Public Spaces‚” written by Brent Staples‚ reflects the experiences‚ beliefs‚ and understandings of the reader through the use of chronological sense of organization‚ tone‚ and detail to prove how racial stereotypes force a change in one’s behavior‚ that can end up altering society’s perception of an individual. The chronological organization of this piece moves from confused to reflecting to understanding as the author reflects back onto his past. In the beginning‚ the man encountered
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Black Men and Public Space How did Staples become aware of racial profiling and its consequences? In Brent Staples essay‚ “Black Men and Public Space‚” Staples expresses the difficulties African Americans face in society. Through specific style and detailed description of imagery‚ Staples takes his experience throughout his life where he was negatively stereotyped as “a mugger‚ a rapist‚ or worse”. His lifelong exposure to this matter taught him to take precaution in the people he encounters and
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In “Black Men and Public Space” Brent Staples utilizes anecdotes or stories as a literary technique to convey by prejudice affected him in his career and as a person in his everyday life. Early on in his anecdote‚ he sets the scene and utilizes descriptive language to evokes a feeling or nervousness and uncertainty from the reader. However‚ he also creates a situation where the reader feels compassion for him. It is evident that women and men pre-judged him based on his race. Although not everyone
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The thesis of Brent Staples written piece‚ “ Black Men And Public Space” to me states that in America for a long time‚ we as black men had to deal with racial issues for a long time in this nations most disgraceful time period‚ slavery. Feeling like a criminal all the time is not a good feeling‚ as he stated‚ a white woman made him feel as if he was a mugger or a rapist and “that being perceived as dangerous is a hazard in itself”. This is a chapter in America’s history I know they wished never happened
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Brent Staples clearly doesn’t like being seen as a threat to people. He seems to know why people feel this way about him‚ but wishes that they wouldn’t. I think it depresses him to think about it. He calls these run-ins with people "the language of fear." I think this very accurately describes how the people communicate with staples when they see him. The people who switch sides of the street so they don’t have to pass him‚ and the woman who got her red Doberman out when he came in to her store are
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In his article “Black Men and Public Space‚” Brent Staples argues that people change their behaviors due to their assumptions when a Black man is present and I agree with Brent Staples.For instance‚ when Brent Staples was going to work the security called on him” One day‚ rushing into the office of a magazine I was writing for a deadline story in hand‚ I was mistaken for a burglar.”(paragraph 8) I have experienced this before‚ when I and my aunt went to go get some food there was an African American
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being. Brent Staples essay “Black Men and Public Spaces” represents this idea yet it shows the highly negative aspect of how someone responds to who we are. In his case though‚ Staples explains the prejudice side of human nature when they see someone due to our look. He explains of the first time he had an experience with racial segregation he faces as a black person when he is out for a midnight stroll and a white female runs from him due to how he appears. Apparently‚ being a black man in Staples’s
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terrified woman’s foots.." (Staples 336) that shows the foreshadowing of the unknown. In the short story‚ "Black Men and Public Space‚" by Brent Staples‚ is a tragic story of fear and embarrassment. From the first person point of view‚ we are able to observe what the main character; a young black man‚ faces on a daily basis. Being treated and viewed as a prisoner‚ ironically‚ was not how he ended up. While experiencing constant judgement; I believe‚ the black man had a great deal of internal
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