The History Book Club discussion
This topic is about
Between the World and Me
CIVIL RIGHTS
>
ARCHIVE- DECEMBER - GLOSSARY - BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME (December 7th 2015 - January 3rd, 2016)
date
newest »
newest »
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university in Washington, D.C. It is classified as a research university with high research activity. (Source: Wikipedia)
Address: 2400 Sixth St NW, Washington, DC 20059
Acceptance rate: 48% (2014)
President: Wayne A.I. Frederick
Enrollment: 10,265 (2014)
Founder: Oliver O. Howard
Founded: March 2, 1867
I love his descriptions of Howard. I never realized that it's not just Americans who go there.I also loved how he reads beyond the purview of school. That's something probably all of us Goodreaders can relate to.
As to the main theme, though - the theme of bodies and having control of them - I relate to that very much, too. It's similar to a woman's experience, unfortunately. But then, it's true for anyone who's been bullied.
Kressel wrote: "I love his descriptions of Howard. I never realized that it's not just Americans who go there.I also loved how he reads beyond the purview of school. That's something probably all of us Goodreade..."
It is a very interesting theme and one I had not really considered before reading this book. I am sure that most people are insecure in some way and fearful of losing their body/identity. There are so many parts to a body, facets to an identity. The loss of one piece, one facet can be destructive.
I think of "identity" as something much more ephemeral than "bodies." When he says "bodies," I think he means physical bodies, no more and no less. Black men's bodies are subject to police brutality, and women's bodies, black and white, are too often subject to the wills of men.
Kressel wrote: "I think of "identity" as something much more ephemeral than "bodies." When he says "bodies," I think he means physical bodies, no more and no less. Black men's bodies are subject to police brutalit..."Yes, I agree the major theme is the physical body. I think there is a secondary theme of cultural identity. There is a comment he made that resonated with me where he says that slave bodies were turned into cotton, tobacco, etc. (page 72, last line of the chapter) Their identity is not as a black person, maybe not even a "slave" but the end product of their work. Am I reading too much into this?
Video - Between the World and Me - A Night with Ta-Nehisi Coates at Howard Universityhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsMKQ...
Oh, cultural identity is a big theme, but when he says bodies, I think he means bodies, plain and simple. As to the slave bodies being turned into cotton, etc., I see that as their physical labor turning out the products. Coates is a real atheist. He doesn't seem to give credence to anything that is not part of this physical world.I'd like to draw a parallel between the African slave trade and the fate of the Hawaii natives, as described by Sarah Vowell in Unfamiliar Fishes. When the buttoned-up Puritan missionaries encountered the scantily-clad native Hawaiians, who actually worshiped their leaders' genitalia, the Puritans were shocked by the display of physicality. To the natives, the Puritans probably seemed perverse. I think the reaction of white Europeans to the Africans was probably very similar. But when capitalism enters the picture, that is, when one side feels that it can justifiably dominate or even own the other, that's when the oppression sets in. Otherwise, it's just a culture clash.
by
Sarah Vowell
We are on the same page, then. ;-) I've added that book to my list. This is a similar theme to Kipling's White Man's Burden and Henry Labouchère's The Brown Man's Burden response. Imperialism, oppression.
(no image) The White Man's Burden by
Rudyard KiplingHenry Labouchere (no photo)
I'm listening to the Howard University video as I work. Awesome!
Teri wrote: "We are on the same page, then. ;-) I've added that book to my list. This is a similar theme to Kipling's White Man's Burden and Henry Labouchère's The Brown Man's Burden response. Imperialism, op..."
Does he go into the theme of "naked bodies" that explicitly?
No - I was talking about the theme of oppression.
An interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates and his childhood friend about the changes to their relationship now that Ta-Nehisi Coates is a best-selling and award-winning author: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio...
The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The White Man's Burden (other topics)Unfamiliar Fishes (other topics)
Between the World and Me (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Rudyard Kipling (other topics)Henry Du Pré Labouchère (other topics)
Sarah Vowell (other topics)
Ta-Nehisi Coates (other topics)
This is the spoiler thread for the book BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME.
There are articles/videos/interviews etc. which deal with this book that I am setting up a thread to add any of these items to.
Please feel free to add your own. If you cite any book or author aside from the book being discussed - you have to add the proper citation, book cover, author's photo and author's link.
This way the adds will not be disruptive to the non spoiler conversation. And you can discuss any and all of these without spoiler html because this is not the book discussion thread nor a non spoiler thread. Setting up this spoiler thread for this book will also not clutter up the book discussion thread.