Analysis Of The Fire Next Time By James Baldwin

James Baldwin was an influential activist in the Civil Rights Movement and also became know as one of the most prominent African American intellectuals of twenty centuries. Between Martin Luther King Jr non-violent views on integration and Malcom X radical views, there in middle lies James Baldwin ideals a mix of the two. In his book The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin analyses the position of blacks in America a century after the Emancipation Proclamation which supposedly gave blacks their freedom. He uses the essay “My Dungeon Shook” as a plea to his nephew the importance of acceptance and integration. Through the essay “Down At The Cross” to provides readers with personal experiences about the relationship between religion and race that allowed

Like Dr. Martin Luther kind Baldwin believe that the only way to improve blacks social position was to accept what the white had did and integrate peacefully. Within his letter to his nephew he explains how the bitterness of his father lead him to suffer a terrible life he states “he was defeated long before he died because, at the bottom of his heart, he really believe what white people said about him” (Baldwin, pg. 4). Baldwin explains how it is none other than the white men of this country who have put them in this position but he felt as though we can’t blame them forever because” those innocents who believe that your imprisonment made them safe are losing their grasp on reality. But these men are your brother- your lost, younger brother” (Baldwin, pg. 9). Baldwin continues to emphasize the importance of acceptance when he tell his nephew “ you must accept them and accept them with love. For these innocent people have no other hope. They are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand, and until they understand it, they cannot be released (Baldwin, pg. 8). Baldwin truly did believe that we are all in this together and that we all must work with each other to make a world in which our children can live together. He wrote “For this is your home, my friend, do not be driven from it; great men have done great

America Baldwin explain how America functioned as a county and also as an ideal, so that would make it “extremely unlikely that Negroes will ever rise to power in the United States” (Baldwin, pg.83) Baldwin uses example of how American Negros were kidnapped brought here and sold like animals and treated like one. So there is no way there will ever be changes in their situation without the most radical changes. Baldwin continues to explain how freedom in political terms is hard to obtain. The only way one will obtain it is they have to be “capable of bearing the burden” (Baldwin, pg. 91). Therefore, without the acceptance of that burden he principles of transformation into one nation will not let us recognize ourselves as we are. Baldwin directs this message mostly toward whites in America but also to the blacks. Baldwin realized the self-image that blacks had of themselves had to improve if they were ever going to progress in America. As Baldwin wrote to his nephew: You were born where you were born and faced the future that you faced because you were black and for no other reason. The limits of your ambition were, thus, expected to be set forever. You were born into a society which spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many ways as possible, that you were a worthless human being. . . . Know whence you came. If you know whence you came, there is