If you thought that this is where the good stuff is, you're mistaken. This is where the gross stuff is. In Black Like Me, lust is not about consenting adults having flings. It's about dehumanizing black people and escapism.
White racists in the book assume that black people are having some kind of wild sex-a-thon, since they're seen to have no morals. Black people in the ghettos turn to sex in order to escape the horrible reality of their lives, at least according to Griffin. But fun times? Nope. This isn't spring break.
Questions About Lust
- Why do you think that the men that Griffin hitchhikes with are all obsessed with sex?
- What sorts of people in Black Like Me solicit or talk about sex? Are they racists? Are they nonracists?
- This book is pretty male-centric, and most of the sexuality talk focuses on men, but based on the text what is the image of black women's sexuality?
- Some of the white racists in Black Like Me are against interracial couples. Based on their behavior in the book, why is that?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
White racists are the real sex-addled freaks in Black Like Me.
Living in the ghetto is just an excuse for being preoccupied with sex in Black Like Me.