Hatred in Notes of a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwin

The Destructive Nature of HatredHatred for whiten society was a common sen meternt among the saturnine lodge during the 1950s. These feelings were verbalised through different mediums, ranging from music and art, to the written word. But James Baldwin, a popular black writer during this time period, does not harp on this subject. Instead of preaching ab extinct his horror for white America, Baldwin utilizes his narrative and outline techniques to illustrate the destructive nature of the black societys horror for white society in Notes of a Native Son.The hatred many African Americans possessed during the 1950s caused multiple riots. Baldwin touches on this in Notes of a Native Son, by mentioning the Harlem riots that broke out during the time of his fathers death. Baldwin states that it would have been better to have left the scale of measurement glass as it had been and the goods lying in the stores (Baldwin 82), but it would have overly been intolerable, for Harlem h ad needed something to smash (82). The black community, infuriated by improper practice of law action, exploded into a fury of anger. While Baldwin does not argue against the riots, he points out their futility.The riots, as Baldwin points out, did not cross the ghetto lines. Instead of wreaking havoc in white neighborhoods, the black take simply destroyed its own area. The mob had succumbed to its hatred for white society, but in doing so, destroyed its own neighborhood. Thus, Baldwin points out the self-destructive nature of the black communitys hatred. Instead of causation damage to white society, or even white property, the black community ended up inflicting wounds on its own people. Baldwin does not stop with this feature to illustrate the irony of the black commun... ... and from it learns two key lessons to prevent a similar destruction of his own life. Baldwin first states that one must stimulate that injustice is commonplace (84). Prejudice, according to Bal dwin, will always exist in life, whether it is against race, color or creed. But while prejudice is ever-present, Baldwin concludes one must neveraccept these injustices as commonplace but must deal them with all ones strength (84). In order to make it in this fight, one must keep his own heart salve of hatred (84). Thus according to Baldwin, the real fight is not black society versus white society, but rather man versus himself. It is only by winning this battle that one can avoid the path of destruction. plant CitedBaldwin, James. Notes of a Native Son. 1955. James Baldwin Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York Library of America, 1998. 63-84.