How Does Baldwin Use Self-Hatred In Going To Meet The Man

James Baldwin

In Going to Meet the Man, James Baldwin introduces African-American experiences in different situations and describes the inner feelings of characters as they face hardships. One of the most common emotions portrayed throughout the individual stories was self-hatred. In “Come Out of the Wilderness” this emotion was shown through Ruth, a young black woman living in New York with her Caucasian boyfriend Paul. Throughout the short story, Ruth battles an internal struggle with fear that Paul will leave her, but not only was she mistrusting of Paul, Ruth had issues with all of the men in her life. These issues go back to her childhood and resulted from her brother shaming her for being caught with a boy alone (197-209). This situation

lead to a lot of internal issues and was the root of her self-hatred.

After being exposed sexually for something she did not do, Ruth felt used and ashamed which ultimately lead to many issues in her relationship with Paul. Due to being sexual experienced, Ruth feared that Paul would leave her for someone more innocent. Ruth links innocence to race that results in her feeling self-hatred, such as when referring to the white women working in the life insurance office. While observing the women, she exclaimed that their “[innocence]… made her ashamed of her body”, and repeatedly refers to herself throughout the book as “black and dirty” (204-215). Due to her traumatic experience with her brother, sexuality makes her feel negatively and emphasizes her self-hatred. This self-hatred makes her continually question her relationship with Paul and her worth as a young black African-American. The short story comes to a close with Ruth at a bar pondering her relationship with Paul, who had vanished, and leaving the bar in tears not knowing where she was going (223-225). Ruth’s self-hatred causes her to question who she is, making her feel lost in a world that makes

her feel shameful.
Baldwin also portrays self-hatred through his character Peter in “Previous Condition”. Peter, a young black actor, has issues living in his current society and blames it on his race. Throughout the short story, Peter has issues finding a place to live, but settles in a place rented by his friend Jules. This apartment rented by Jules housed a white community, so Peter had to sneak in an out unseen. Everyday Peter lived with terror that he would be caught and thrown out, which unfortunately happens when a young woman demands him to get out and go live somewhere he belongs, such as the black neighborhoods (90-92). Peter desperately wanted to live within a community that did not accept him and also rejected the idea of living with other African-Americans. During the confrontation with the apartment owner, when told to go live with other African-Americans, Peter replies with “I can’t stand niggers” (91). This statement shows the resentment Peter had for his own race, and reflects a self-hatred of his culture. During a binge drinking session, Peter ends up at an African-American bar where he resentfully observes the people of his race. He angrily sits down at the bar while looking around and says “[m]y people, my people”, referring to when the apartment owner told him to go live amongst his people (99). This shows the animosity he feels towards his race and how bitter he is about his situation. Being that Peter is African-American and also has a strong hatred for his race, this provides evidence of the root of his own self-hatred. Peter hates something about himself that he cannot change. He desperately wants to distance himself from all aspects of his race, but being that racism had such a strong presence during the current time period, he had no choice but to remain in his situation. This feeling of being stuck with people he did not feel like he belonged with results in him feeling self-hatred of his own culture and the repercussions of living in a society that rejects the African-American race. Peter links his race to the issues he faces and refuses to accept being rejected by the white race, which ultimately leads to isolating himself. Baldwin uses this his self-hatred and isolation to show how not only Caucasians disapproved of the black culture, but how some African-Americans did too.
Henry James
In Washington Square by Henry James, Catherine gets revenge on her cold father, Dr. Sloper, who disapproves of her marrying Morris Townsend. Dr. Sloper wished for a clever daughter, but Catherine was a simple-minded girl. Catherine’s quiet character lead to Dr. Sloper having a dislike for her. When Catherine met Mr. Townsend, Dr. Sloper was intrigued with their relationship due to it being out of character for Catherine to be romantically involved with someone. Due to this unusual circumstance, he allowed the relationship to evolve and Catherine to make her own decisions. This freedom Catherine possessed in her relationship came to an end when Dr. Sloper told her he did not like Mr. Townsend, who he believed was manipulating her to get her inheritance, and told her after she announced her engagement that he would not support the marriage (60-64). At first, Catherine wanted desperately for her father to be supportive and would do anything to be a good daughter, but as time went on and Dr. Sloper’s opinion of Mr. Townsend did not change, Catherine began to understand the contempt her father felt against her. Unfortunately, Catherine and Mr. Townsend’s relationship came to an end, but the hurt and resentment Catherine felt towards her father did not go away. To get back at her father for his cold attitude towards her, Catherine never told him how the relationship between herself and Mr. Townsend ended. Dr. Sloper treated Catherine’s relationship and emotions very coldly and enjoyed watching how Catherine reacted to the situation between herself and Morris. This intense involvement in her relationship helped Catherine’s revenge to be effective, because Dr. Sloper was so invested in the relationship, it was very difficult for him to not know how it ended. Unlike Catherine’s very subtle revenge, revenge by a woman in the twentieth century is very different.
Women in the nineteenth century followed the rules set for them by their fathers, including Catherine, and did not disobey them.

Throughout Washington Square, Catherine did her best to follow her father’s wishes and be respectful even when she did not agree with his opinions, at one point Catherine even discussed moving out of her father’s house because if she were to live under his roof, she should follow his rules (124). This type of respectful behavior was not uncommon in the nineteenth century, which explains why the revenge she got on her father was extremely subtle. Although it maddening to Dr. Sloper to not know the details of the ending of her relationship, it was ultimately Catherine’s business on whether she told what happened, making the revenge not a substantial vengeance. However, revenge in the twentieth century is not near as subtle and does not keep parental respect in mind like Catherine did. In the twentieth century women became more independent and began to put their feelings first, which resulted in their revenge being colder and intentional. Although Catherine was emotionally hurt by her father’s contempt for herself her revenge still had a level of respect, she did not yell or create emotional or physical harm, she just used her father’s invasiveness against him and withheld information. Although Catherine inheritance was still taken away from her, James never provided evidence that Catherine felt guilt or joy from causing her father discomfort.

Instead, she continued on with her everyday life without Mr. Townsend. Although the revenge Catherine got on her father was very subtle and did not seem like a big deal, the fact that she did anything at all is not like the women of her century and provides evidence that her father underestimated her character.
Richard III: Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham, Richard’s right hand man throughout Richard III, was used in order to help Richard’s agenda to become king. In the beginning of the play, Buckingham portrayed a clever character of manipulation that came up with plans in order to help Richard gain the throne. Buckingham was willing to do everything in his power for Richard to be perceived in the best light. For example, in order for Richard to come across as spiritual and humble, he set up a heavy scene of worship of which himself and the mayor interrupted. Buckingham then procced to beg a “hesitant” Richard to take the throne so he would come off as humble and that he was not trying to forcefully take power (Act 3 scene 7 lines 46-240). The creation of this scene shows just how clever Buckingham was, and how without him, it was unlikely that Richard could get support for the throne. Without Buckingham’s skill in manipulation, many of the people around him would see Richard for the bad deeds he had done in the past, such as murdering numerous people, but with Buckingham’s skill he was able to convince them of him being virtuous. Although Buckingham was willing to scheme and lie to get Richard to the crown, he was not willing to do everything. Following Richard officially becoming king, he still felt threated by his brother Edward’s children, the rightful heir to the crown, so he ordered Buckingham to have them killed. Buckingham replied with hesitation and did not answer Richard as to whether he would do it, but rather told him to “give [him] some little breath…” (Act 4 scene 2 line 26). This signified a point in which Buckingham could no longer scheme and be Richard’s personal manipulator because he was not willing to kill Edward’s children, and because of this he was not given the title of the earldom of Hereford and was killed. Moments before being killed, Buckingham expressed remorse for his actions and helping Richard become king, who betrayed his promise of giving him the earldom (Act 5 scene 1 lines 1-30). Although like Richard, Buckingham began the play full of greed and was willing to manipulate everyone around him to further Richard’s agenda of becoming king and his own agenda of receiving the earldom, in the end he realized what he did was wrong. Buckingham was placed in Richard III to help Richard get to the crown, but he was also used as a turning point for Richard. Even the most manipulating character in the play could not go through with having Edward’s children killed because Richard had finally gone too far. Buckingham was used to enhance all of Richard’s qualities, whether that be his spiritual side or his malicious greedy side, and helped the audience understand who Richard truly was and the evil he was capable of.