jordancooper16
contestada

1. After reading "Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space" by Staples, consider his analogy of the cowbell that hikers wear
when they know they are in bear country" (348). Who or what is bear country, and why is this analogy effective? Do you agree with
his decision to use tactics to avoid frightening others? Why or why not?

Respuesta :

mcarc09

After reading the article, we can answer in the following manner:

1. In the article "Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space," the bear country is an analogy for the streets in the evening.

The analogy is effective because the author, Brent Staples, feels that he has to warn people of his presence in the streets after dark just like hikers feel they have to warn bears of their presence.

2. Even though I do not think it is fair, I agree. The author knows, from his own experience and from what he heard happened to others, that people may hurt him because of their fear of him.

  • Psychologist and journalist Brent Staples published the article "Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space" in 1986.
  • In it, the author describes and discusses his experiences as a black man.
  • He noticed for the first time, when he was 22 years old, that people are afraid of him when they see him in the street after dark.
  • As time passed by, more and more events occurred where he would be mistaken as a burglar, or even something worse.
  • Of course, such a fear based on stereotypes is not fair. But the author had to find a way to deal with it.
  • He knows that people may hurt him and cops may arrest him if he does anything that seems menacing to them, even if it is not meant to be.
  • One of his tactics is to whistle classical music. People do not expect thieves to know Vivaldi, so they end up relaxing, seeing that he will not harm them.
  • He compares his whistling to the sound of a cowbell worn by hikers in bear country.
  • The hikers' purpose is let the bear know of their presence there, so that the bears will not get scared and attack.
  • The author whistles to let people know of his presence, so that they too will not get scared and attack.
  • We can conclude the analogy is efficient. We can also conclude that he is a victim of prejudice and stereotypes, and had to find ways to cope with them.

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