Baldwins Writing Style in Notes of a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwi

James Baldwin was born in Harlem in a time where his African American decent was enough to target more challenges in front of him than the average (white) American boy faced. His father was a part of the first generation of free black men. He was a bitter, overbearing, paranoid preacher who refused change and hated the white man. Despite of his father, his color, and his lack of education, James Baldwin grew up to be a respected author of essays, plays, and novels. While claiming that he was one of the best writers of the era could be argued either way, it is hard to argue the fact that he was indeed one of the most well-known authors of the time. One of his intrigue skills as a writer is his ability to intertwine narration and analysis in his essays. James Baldwin mixes narration and analysis in his essays so well that glueyness is neer broken, and the subconscious is so tempted to agree with and relate to what he says, that if you dont pay close attention, one will find himself agreeing with Baldwin, when he wasnt even aware Baldwin was making a point. Physical placement of analytical arguments and analytical transitions, frequency and size of analytical arguments, and the language used within the analytical arguments are the keys to Baldwins graceful persuasion. Throughout this essay, I will be using Baldwins Notes of a Native word of honor for examples. Notes of a Native Son is an essay that Baldwin wrote which focuses primarily on his life around the time his father died, which also happens to be the same time his youngest brother was born. With the exception of the last paragraph, you never see a paragraph in Notes of a Native Son which offers only analysis. The majority of the time, Baldwin will either start ... ...any places throughout his essay which effectively helps the reader accept what he says as fact. Then, within these analyses, he uses a passive voice to make points. He doesnt assert anything. He except suggests and notices t hings around him, then lets you make the obvious connections. Maybe Baldwin uses this writing style no purpose or maybe he just writes this way by nature without noticing. Baldwin may have written these essays with the mark to make a point, or he may have written them for some other reason. It was not my intent to assign a purpose to Baldwins writing, but rather to note an interesting and powerful writing technique Baldwin uses, and how it results in writing which is extremely golden to agree with.Baldwin, James. ?Notes of a Native Son.? 1955. James Baldwin Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York Library of America, 1998. 63-84.