Community is supposed to be all warm and fuzzy, isn't it? Well, that's not the only thing community is for in Black Like Me. Sure, people within the black community treat each other very nicely throughout the text, but there's more going on than meets the eye.
There's a tough side to this community spirit. It's this side that stops Griffin from giving up his seat on the bus to an old white lady. That's the side that stops the black people in the book from doing anything that might give black people a bad name. Sure, it sounds harsh, but they are playing for high-stakes: civil-rights and equality. The kid gloves are off. No more Mr. Nice Black Community.
Questions About Community
- How do black people treat other black people in the text?
- What is the importance of community to the black people in Black Like Me? What role does it play, if any, in the fight for equality?
- Which people are depicted as individuals in the text, in which people are depicted as groups? Why do you think that is? Are they racists or not racists? Are they black or white people?
- Which people in Black Like Me disrupt the unity of the community?
Chew on This
Communities are great in Black Like Me because they help protect you.
Communities in Black Like Me just stop you from doing what you want to do.