Black Like Me, Discussion Q. – Your Opinion Please

[Nathan S]

1. "Black Like Me chronicles John Howard Griffin's experiences as a black man. But he never truly experiences life as a black man; there are always too many significant differences between him and the real blacks among whom he lives. As a result, Black Like Me is an arrogant, if well- meaning, book." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?
2. One of the main themes of Black Like Me is that good can survive even in an environment of evil. What are some examples Griffin uses to illustrate this theme, and how do they function? Can you name at least three?
3. Another important theme of Black Like Me is that blacks and whites behave differently in one another's company than they do when they are amongst themselves. List some examples from the book. How does this affect Griffin's experience? What does it say about the level of understanding between the two races?

Choose one question to answer in a paragraph

[Nathan S]

1. "Black Like Me chronicles John Howard Griffin's experiences as a black man. But he never truly experiences life as a black man; there are always too many significant differences between him and the real blacks among whom he lives. As a result, Black Like Me is an arrogant, if well- meaning, book." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not?

I agree with the first part, but not the conclusion they arrive at from the evidence they provide (ie - I disagree with the last sentence). First off, yes, it is next to impossible for a rich (and fat) white person to live the life of a negro (even if it is the life of an educated negro). There are several key differences with the black life the Mr. Griffin lived for six weeks and the life that a black person lives each day. Let me name a few:
- Mr. Griffin could escape the racism whenever he felt like it - blacks can't (that is a big psychological difference that makes a big stress difference that makes a big....)
- Mr. Griffin had enough money to buy pretty much whatever money could buy a black person (the nicest black hotel available, a taxi cab...) while true black people often could not afford such luxuries
- Mr. Griffin didn't have to provide for a family, or think a whole lot about what he will do next month (if he ever got in trouble, he could just turn into a white man again)

But despite all these differences, to call the book and its author "arrogant" is a little too far-fetched. Mr. Griffen acknowledges that the life he lived is in no wise exacltly like the life that most black people lived, but through his book, he gave us, the readers, a little taste of what black people had to go through. I think this book is extremely education and beneficial for whites in the modern day society who don't know a wholte lot about what racism really is.