Baldwins Fire Next Time :: Baldwin Fire Next Time Essays

Baldwins Fire Next Time         We always say delight conquers all is commonly said and heard in ourdaily outlasts.  Ironically, this is necessarily not true as James Baldwinviews our society.  He illustrates the stereotypes of both Blacks andWhites.  In his eristical  autobiography,   The Fire Next Time, theauthor brilliantly perceives the idea that spang, instead of fear, liberatessociety.     To truly liberate society, one must disc everywhere his/herindividual and personal identity by learning to love.         Baldwin describes fear to be ignorance, and love as knowledge.He joined the congressional church due to fear. He was afraid to becomeinvolved with his friends who began to make merry and smoke.  To avoid suchsituations, Baldwin was driven into the church because he supposed thatGod and safety were synonymous.  (16)  Timidity blinded him to believethat fo llowing Gods words shielded him from the evils of society.  However,because of Baldwins love for his church, he reads the Bible, only torealize that was strictly about the teachings of White people.   He thoughtthat going to the church will protect him, and shield him against what hefeared.  quite of freeing the community from discrimination betweenBlacks and Whites,  the Bible supported the existence of racial barriers byteaching one should behave. Realizing the hypprocarcy involved withChristianity, the author broke off from the congressional church, tosearch his own way of liberating the society.               Baldwin emphasizes that liberation is love, and love is moreimportant than color.  (71)  The author states that fear creates the needfor power.  The Nation of Islam was fearful of the Whites  dominating overthe Blacks.  Fear always dominated the minds of black people.  This fearcaused  Elijah to strive for power to liberate the community.  The Nationof Islam wanted absolute control of the White society. Baldwin was giventhe probability to become an influential figure in the Nation of Islammovement, he rejected Elijah Muhammeds offer. He was totally against thebelief that the movement held.                Baldwin says, love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot livewithout and we know we cannot live within.  (95)  Whites cannot lovebecause they fear to be judged by those who are not white..  BecauseBlacks are stereotyped to be uncivilized, whites have the private fearsto be projected onto the Negro.  (96)   Fear only promotes further racism,and the labyrinth of attitudes.  He states that the problem with racialoppression will never be resolved unless the white macrocosm gives up his power.            &nb sp   Baldwin states that mirrors can only lie, because they onlyreflect the surface of people instead of revealing the deep truth.