In 100 words, respond to the following student’s discussion post by following the instructions listed below.
“Finally, be sure to respond to at least one (1) student’s post (with a question or additional thought regarding their response) to receive full credit for this discussion post (for the other 10 points).”
Discussion post you’ll be responding to:
1. Of the rhetorical strategies, Baldwin utilizes pathos most in “My Dungeon Shook”. In the sentences, “I know what the world has done to my brother and how narrowly he has survived it. And I know, which is much worse, and this is the crime of which I accuse my country and my countrymen, and for which neither I nor history will ever forgive them, that they have destroyed and are destroying hundreds of thousands of lives do not know it and do not want to know it” (Baldwin 5), Baldwin appeals to resentment and frustration against the unjust society where oppression and discrimination were prevalent to African Americans. In addition, the texts “To be loved, baby, hard, at once, and forever, to strengthen you against the loveless world…And now you must survive survive because we love you, and for the sake of your children and your children’s children” (Baldwin 7), he expresses love for his nephew by directly talking to him and urges him not to lose hope and succumb to the harsh realities toward African Americans. Such pathos throughout “My Dungeon Shook” connect Baldwin and its readers by making them empathize with the suffering of African Americans in an unfair society.
2. Baldwin mentions, “The very time I thought I was lost, My dungeon shook and my chains fell off” (Baldwin 10). Here, the dungeon represents the unjust society toward African Americans, while the chains symbolize the restrictions and limitations that oppress them in the environment. Although the current situation seems dismal, Baldwin implies to his nephew that such injustice and inequalities will disappear from society someday.
3. Baldwin’s perspective with the opening section seems to be personal because he mentions by stating that his grandfather is dead, he never saw you, and he had a terrible life. In the sentences, “I know what the world has done to my brother… that they have destroyed and are destroying hundreds of thousands of lives and do not know it and do not want to know it” (Baldwin 5), he connects his personal experience to a universal experience, indicating that not only his grandfather, but all African Americans who faced a brutal society of injustice and inequality, were a victim due to the solely color of their skin. Furthermore, he implies that not only his nephew, but all people regardless of race should be loved.
4. The most impactful quote is “For these innocent people have no other hope. They are, in effect, still trapped in a history which they do not understand; and until they understand it, they cannot be released from it” (Baldwin 8). Baldwin asserts that some African Americans were brainwashed by the distorted beliefs and prejudices that their race is inferior to White people, which causes them to lock themselves in an unjust society. Therefore, he emphasizes how important full awareness of the true identity and history is to prevent this from happening.
I’ve attached a copy of the text that the above discussion post was written off of. Please write the respond as if you were having a positive discussion with the student who wrote the discussion post listed above.
