James Baldwin -- Notes of a Native Son
Baldwin Meditates on Past Experiences Involving Racial Issues
May 14, 2009
Notes of a Native Son is part of a collection of essays published by James Baldwin in 1955. In this particular essay, Baldwin contextualizes his personal experiences involving race-related issues in the United States.
Baldwin sets forth the theme of death and birth, which works on a larger scale throughout the story. Baldwin seems to find himself and understands that he must control the rage and hate that has built up within his heart. He starts out with the death of his father. The author begins by recalling how fortunate the new baby is to come into this world after the death of his father. That is, the newborn child will not have to grow up being around such a hateful and bitter person.
Firsthand Understanding
Baldwin moves from remembering the death of his father, and what his father told him about “white” people, to giving his personal account and experience with an unforgiving society (in New Jersey). He seems to not believe his father’s comments and views about social issues at first, but soon discovers his father was not completely wrong and insane.
From being kicked out of numerous restaurants, to dealing with a hate and fierce wrath that he has never encountered before, Baldwin seems to be finding himself more like his father. This was something he wanted to shy away from — but inevitably came to pass. He saw the pain inside his father’s heart at a young age, and inherently took on his father’s discontentment as a young man without being cognizant of it.
A New Perspective
While sitting at his father's funeral, Baldwin is able to see his father in a different light. That is, he is finally seeing both his negative and positive characteristics. In doing so, Baldwin is able to see himself more clearly.
By examining his relationship with his father, Baldwin experiences several revelations, which culminate in a type of symbolic death and spiritual rebirth by the end of the essay. Baldwin does well in using the theme of death and birth as an underlying metaphor.
While there is an actual physical death and birth of a person, the concept may be standing for something more. Baldwin may be alluding to the death of the rage and hate in his heart he has bottled up for so long, and a rebirth of a person who will act more “Christian” like (white school teacher). In closing, Baldwin does well in tying together the physical and innate concepts of both “life” and “death.”
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