Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Black Man In Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Black Man the author James Weldon Johnson tells the story of a black man passing as a white man. That is the major theme in this novel; "passing" in the early 1900's in order to escape the horrors of racism towards the black race to succeed in white America. The crisis throughout the novel centers on the ex-colored man discovering his identity, and this uncertainty is the central idea of the novel. ... His millionaire friend gives him a choice by saying, "My boy, you are by blood, by appearance, by educatio...

• Word Count: 856
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Bigger Thomas is a character from the novel, "Native Son", by Richard Wright, which deals with a young man dealing with racism through out his life. ... He grew up in a ghetto called, "Black Belt", he was just a young black man trying to make ends meat. ... "Black Boy" a novel also written by Richard Wright is another novel which, a young black man has to deal with racism throughout his life. The novel begins when Richard is four years old living with his younger brother, his parents, and his grand mother in Natchez, Mississippi. ... This relates to criticism of the black community for al...

• Word Count: 1217
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

During the first years of his life, the narrator was never treated as a black boy and never suffered prejudice. ... Therefore, the Ex-Colored Man would hardly be treated as a black boy, if it were not for him and for people around him being told that he is not white. ... This with the situation of black people contributes to the narrator's decision of establishing his identity as a colored person with honor and dignity, before choosing, later on the novel, to pass for white. Therefore, throughout the novel, he goes from the impersonation of a white identity, moving to the black one, a...

• Word Count: 977
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Children had the most problems figuring out how to treat the blacks. ... Harry Crews was a young white boy who lived with his mom, brother, and father on a tobacco tenant farm in the South. ... Bishop Johnson was a highly respected black man in the South. ... They were a few black field hands who helped tend the farm. ... By the end of the novel Jim finds himself cornered in an ally and realizes when Abraham comes to save him he really has nothing against him. ...

• Word Count: 1153
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Huck Finn has been everything from the rise of American literature to a racist novel. ... In his novel, Twain uses the "n-word" in casual dialogue "as a way to underscore the chilling truth about the old South, that it was a society where perfectly "nice" people didn't consider the death of a black person worth their notice.... Huck Finn allows us to see the views of black people from a white, southern boy. ... " Huck wasn't happy about having to apologize to a black man, but he did it anyways. ... " (Fishkin) Huck Finn uses the "n-word" o...

• Word Count: 920
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest Gaines is a great novel and one book that I will not soon forget. ... Lighter-skinned blacks in this story act superior to darker-skinned blacks. ... Symbolism is also present in Gaines" novel. ... A third and less apparent symbol in this story is a flint used by a young boy named Ned. ... The best way I could sum up my feelings on this novel would be in a quote by Frederick Douglas, "Without a struggle, there can be no progress."...

• Word Count: 1101
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School