Sarah Broadfoot

Jason Weber

Brian Gregg

Gardner Rogers           

Rhetoric 105 Section S1

24 February 2004

Reviews of Notes of a Native Son

Notes of a Native Son, a widely acclaimed and celebrated book by James Baldwin was subjected to many reviews upon its first publication. There were many opposing views between reviewers but almost all came to the conclusion that Baldwin’s use of words was extremely eloquent and intelligent. Specifically an article titled “Rage unto Order” by Dachine Rainer was very adamant about Baldwin’s genius as a writer but hardly did anything to explain or exemplify that fact. Another review written by Langston Hughes reflects upon how Baldwin clings to the issue of racial discrimination on Negroes and that if he let go of that fact it would prove him to be a greater writer. In the third article the author tries to explain the meaning of Baldwin’s essay with specific quotes from within Baldwin’s work. However blatantly different there are several similarities between the articles. Some of which are Baldwin’s writing style and the articles share similar analyses of his viewpoints.

            Dachine Rainer praises James Baldwin throughout her review of his book Notes of a Native Son. She fails to go into very great detail about why Baldwin’s writing is so profound. She does however analyze how Baldwin’s style of writing has been put upon him through the Negro intellectual’s lack of identity with the Negro and impossibility to establish any genuine understanding with the white intellectual. She goes on to describe Negroes as preliterate and the Negro intellectual a heretic and therefore in “perpetual exile.” It seems as though she is trying to say that the common Negro is unintelligent and an educated one is rare but however not on the same level as an educated white person. Another point brought up in the article was that “Equal in Paris” happened to be the strongest essay in Notes of a Native Son and that “Many Thousands Gone” was the weakest. Why “Equal in Paris” should be mentioned as the strongest is not explained. “Many Thousands Gone” was described as being weak because Baldwin “psychologically repudiates his blackness to so alarming an extent that the piece reads like a literary schizophrenia.” That however, doesn’t raise much of an explanation or give any detail on the cause for such a statement. One of the most predominant themes in the article mentioned by the author pertains to Baldwin being an exceptional writer. She says, “His virtues are so great that one can make light of Mr. Baldwin’s weaknesses” (Commonweal 384). The author even goes so far as to say he is the most perceptive Negro writing today and the most eloquent, surpassing even Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright. It is understood Baldwin’s writing skills are great and that he is a Negro but there is never really any point made or any examples given throughout. In all there were one analyses and one comment made upon a particular essay so one might ask themselves of this article, “What is your point?”

            Hughes’ review opens with expectations of a fabulous artist mentioning untouchables like William Shakespeare, Beethoven, and Rembrandt. Following the passage, the review compares James Baldwin’s ability to write with the writings of these masters as a way to almost humble the efforts of Baldwin as if to not glorify him. Hughes then counters by saying that the quality of James’ writing isn’t far off from others in the same genre. By making this comparison, I think Langston Hughes is trying to say that James Baldwin is great at what he does, but to categorize him on the highest of levels in the writing world would be unfit. Hughes comments on Baldwin’s ability to link words and material together to suit one another, which is praise not to be taken lightly from a fellow writer/reviewer. Hughes belief that the strongest aspect of Baldwin’s writing style is his poetry, which originates from Baldwin’s thoughts. Then the poetry, in turn, illuminates the thought. Hughes’ biggest suggestion to Baldwin is that he writes more in the perspective of a human being looking at the black/white relationship from an aerial, passive view instead of through the eyes of a black man. In Notes of a Native Son, we see that Baldwin shifts from looking at his past through his blackness when describing the weight of “white people” in the world. Then in other parts of that particular essay, Baldwin commends one of his white schoolteachers when she offers to bring him to a theater production and looks down on his father for questioning the young woman’s intentions. Towards the end of the review, Hughes solidifies his belief that in order for Baldwin to be a well-rounded essayist, he must “fuse” his whiteness and his blackness cohesively and that upon doing so, he will be at the top of his game.

                        “In the Castle of My Skin” was published in Time in December of 1955.  In this article, the author analyzes James Baldwin’s underlying message in Notes of a Native Son.  Rather than explicitly criticizing or praising Baldwin’s essay, the author pulls apart the essay and interprets Baldwin’s ideas.  They give direct quotes of his essay, to try to show exactly what they thought Baldwin was saying.  Also, the author compares Baldwin to other authors of the time period by stating “Unlike Fellow Novelist Wright and other self-exiled American Negroes, Author Baldwin does not pretend to have found the good free life in Europe” (Time 113).  This article is different from other reviews in that instead of giving their opinion of the book, the author gives excerpts so that the reader can decide for himself or herself if they want to read Baldwin’s book.  This reinforces the strength of the review because it cites specific examples from the book instead of vague generalizations.  However, the one weak point of this essay is that the author doesn’t give the title of the sections they are describing.  Baldwin’s book had different sections, but the author ignores them when citing from it.  One can see this review is different from many other reviews.

            Despite opposing ideas established by different authors, the three articles state some similarities. They all agree that Baldwin’s use of words is extremely eloquent and advanced. Hughes refers to Baldwin’s writing as “ the sea uses waves.” Rainer goes to say that “his wit is caustic and nearer tears than laughter, and his earnestness virtually unrelieved.”  The third article says “Most writing on the Negro problem in America makes highly unprofitable reading, in the case of talented Negro Novelist James (Go Tell it on the Mountain) Baldwin. In articles by Rainer and Hughes they both reiterate that Baldwin is lost between his identity of “American” and “Afro-American” which effects his quality of his writing.

            Although some reviews may have been more critical of Baldwin than others the overall theme stayed constant with the acknowledgement that he had a good use of words. The reviews are in agreement that Baldwin needs to establish himself more in society as an equal as opposed to each of his “halves” (American and Afro-American), which need to be “fused” together. Upon doing so he’ll be able to better establish himself as a writer become a more complete essayist.  

Works Cited

Hughes, Langston.  “From Harlem to Paris.”  New York Times 26 Feb. 1956:  26+.

“In the Castle of My Skin.”  Time 5 Dec. 1955:  112-114.

Rainer, Dachine.  “Rage into Order.”  Commonweal 63 (1956):  384-385.