Being Black in America

The author’s chain of life-defining experiences, as portrayed in the narrative, all unfold within the context of being black in America. While his particular perspectives on these experiences, and on his life, are defined by his being male, his portrayal of his mother and other female characters suggests that several aspects of what he has lived through are common across the range of gender identity. In other words, and in the author’s narrative, the experiences and lives of black men and black women are all defined by shared experiences of disrespect, fear, and suffering, all arising from their racial identity.

The author suggests that on one level, key aspects of that identity are defined by years of racism in America. While consideration of that history is not his primary focus, he makes enough references to the historical treatment of blacks in the United...