Why did I chose to analyze James Baldwin and his writing style? Well, Baldwin's sense of moral urgency drew me to him. He was a civil right's activist, and almost always included this theme within his writing, whether it be plain and factual or with a personal twist. Baldwin also talks about sexuality, as he was homosexual himself, and has opened up conversation about sexuality through his literature, which to me is a brave act. James Baldwin seemed to be ahead of his time with the issues that he strongly pushed for. In his personal life, Baldwin endured a lot of pain and hardship especially as a child. In "Notes of a Native Son" he uses this experience as a teaching moment. Mr. Baldwin never complained about his predicament; he simply told it as it was.
Stylistically, I was drawn to Baldwin because of his intricate prose. By reading his essays, it is as if you are hearing him speak to you. The cadence of his writing and the sense of urgency that comes through is almost hypnotic: I can't stop reading once I have started. I enjoy Baldwin's use of the "em dash" and his use of italics. Baldwin has a style that is definitely distinguishable. Baldwin writes mostly using long sentences, but they are always packed with information and never flowery or overdone. When a short sentence sneaks into his prose, you know it is for an important reason.
No comments:
Post a Comment