In “Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space” Brent Staples discusses his ability to alter others emotions with his presence. Staples explains his thesis throughout the essay through narratives of incidents in his life. He details numerous accounts of people mistaking him for a thief or mugger. He explains one encounter with a young white woman, “on a deserted street, in an impoverished section of Chicago” (556). She glances back at him and disappears off into the dark. After the woman hastily escapes from Staples, he doesn’t blame her for her actions. In each of these situations though, he maintains an understanding demeanor. He looks at himself and understands how the woman may be mistaking him for something much more dangerous.
In paragraph two, Staples understands her thoughts of him being a mugger, a rapist, or even a murderer; but “her flight” makes him feel “like an accomplice tyranny” (556). It also makes him feel like he is “indistinguishable from the muggers,” and lays on him and “unnerving gulf between nighttime pedestrians—particularly women” and himself (556). This confrontation not only shows how a stereotype affects the thoughts of a female walking at night, but how it negatively to
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By understanding that, Staples is able to conquer the rage one feels for being mistaken as a criminal so often, as he describes in his writing. He vividly explains, “At dark, shadowy intersections in Chicago, I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver—black, white, male, or female—hammering down the door locks” (556). He also wears less than casual clothing such as, military jackets. He whistles tunes from popular classical composers, which people would naturally never expect a mugger to do. ” Later, after he gets over his initial shock, he is trying to change his image, hoping that people would no longer assign him such frightening stereotypes. Yet the truths are no solace against the kind of alienation that comes of ever being the suspect” (557). He explains when sings into classical tunes and how people seems to have a calm reaction towards him. The fact that he can actually face problems and not having anything to do with them explain that the way he is perceived by others can endanger his own life.
Brent, has a very strong point when he expresses his idea of misconception and misjudgment, and supports them with his own life experience. Not only females, but males of the specific race show a sign of uneasiness and discomfort when they confront black males in insecure and dangerous areas. Doing such acts will not only make females feel more comfortable but also make the black male feel less of a “criminal” or “an accomplice in tyranny” (556). A situation that someone might encounter in which a misjudgment can cause them trouble is one like the example he described in his essay. However, he personally knows the draws for young thugs, and realizes that the woman had reason to fear such people. In his writing, as on the street, Staples is both aware of and very understanding of the feelings of the people around him. He is surprise to have elicit such feelings from the woman, and in turn internalize her anxiety; feeling embarrassed that his appearance caused such an “ugly alteration of public space.
Approximate Word count =
1735
Approximate Pages =
7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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