I really enjoyed reading Du Bois’ introduction to Of Our Spiritual Strivings and exploring his ideas on how the Black problem is the American problem. It is also interesting how Du Bois uses an inverted pyramid style of writing where the thesis is found in the end of the introduction. He acknowledges that his race is one that, at the time, still needs great help to advance as a people. Du Bois also addresses the first problem he faces as “How does it feel to be a problem?” This rhetoric completely blows me, as a reader, away! The story that Du Bois tells about being at school and exchanging greeting cards definitely plays dual roles as appeals to Ethos and Pathos. He builds his character by telling his audience that his character is strong and that he is a good person, but the strongest appeal in this story is of pathos. It is definitely included to make his audience feel sorry for him and feel compassion on him. He seeks to show the audience that he is trying to be an advocate for his race and wants to help change how people see his people. He discusses a double-consciousness, a split-personality that his people face. When I began thinking about this, I was honestly confused, but then I began to see what was meant. Du Bois saw himself not only as an American, but he saw his African history. He didn’t want the two to necessarily combine, or for one to overrule the other, but for both forces to be equally accepted in him. These ideas are so inspiring for any group of people, because not everyone should be the same! People shouldn’t all be assimilated into the same ideas, because if everyone had the same ideas, there would be no force of creativity left in the world.
I too was inspired by this reading. There is a quote that says "you can't get where you're going, unless you know where you've been," and I think that is what Du Bois' is meaning when he doesn't want to combine his two heritages, he just is proud to be both and is aware of how one helps the other. I think people of all races could apply his logos to their life to better themselves, because it seems like one of the problems in America also, is that people want to try to conform to this world and all fit in as one. However, I think if we would all just be the individuals we are, that everyone could learn something from everyone else, and better America in the process. I think he did very well at communicating to people that we all need to be accepting of each other to stop the "problem."
ReplyDeleteI was also confused at first by the double personality statement but it started to make sense when we discussed it in class. Before we talked about it in class I thought it was referring to one personality being how he saw himself the other being how others presumed him to be but that didn't make much sense at all. After class I understood better and my interpretations were less fuzzy. I felt like I finally understood the text.
ReplyDeleteThe quote you used “How does it feel to be a problem?” is such a good a good question for any reader. When I was growing up I was always called the problem child because I was getting into trouble ALL the time. I finally got tired of being singled out for wanting to do things differently, so I just stopped. Du Bois didn't want his people to change though, he wanted America to change and except them for who they were.
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