America was based on racism, driven by slave labor, which allowed "white people" to live the "dream." More than a century after the 13th Amendment ended slavery, African Americans were still oppressed, relegated to ghettos and mass incarcerated or murdered. As this continues to happen, it starts to become normal and people turn a blind eye. In the book Between the World and Me, author Ta-Nehisi Coates writes a letter to his son on the themes of the American dream, racism, and white privilege to teach his son how to survive in this world. It is not only relevant to the goals of African American oppression in today's society, but to any individual who identifies as a minority who can relate to Coates on a deeper level. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Traditionally the American Dream referred to this country built on the foundation of freedom and equality. The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what social class they were born into, can achieve success in society. Instead, Ta-Nehisi Coates' book Between the World and Me adds its own twist to the American dream. The author points out that this country was built on the exploitation and oppression of the African American people. The people who built this country, built it on violence and theft. They stole the black bodies of men and women only to degrade them as property, selling them and forcing them into slavery. That these same “American people” created this concept that race is real and exists in the natural world. But Coates is trying to make us understand that Americans have created an entire culture based on the idea of ​​“race,” a false structure that has harmed our society in large numbers, but which has the greatest impact on African Americans. The American Dream is universal in that everyone hopes for a positive and equitable experience, but in reality “the dream” victimizes people for being what it is today. Ta-Nehisi Coates awakens in his readers the belief that America is not the great free country it appears to be and how unaware people might be of this. He used metaphors to express this in his writings. Many like me can agree when he says, “America thinks of itself as exceptional, the greatest and noblest nation that has ever existed, a lone champion that stands between the white city of democracy and the terrorists, the despots, the barbarians and the other enemies of civilization." America puts itself on a pedestal and thinks so highly of itself like it's a champion and nothing can compare to it because it's so great. Coates expresses how false this is because of how many people suffer from inequality in America. He states: "the Dream rests on our backs, the bedding is made of our bodies." Coates' use of personification added more character to the context which in return allowed me to understand his perspective on a deeper level. I felt like I also carried the weight of the American heritage on my shoulders. The dream is the root of racist issues and the actions of people following the American legacy. The only time Coates felt like he belonged was when he went to Howard University. It was part of “Mecca,” it was a diverse community of educated African Americans. This is where Coates truly found inspiration, and although he did not graduate from Howard University, the legacy of Mecca stays with him throughout his life. During his time at Howard University he experienced a vast feeling of “black empowerment.” Halearned what it meant to be “black” and to fully understand the concept of being “black” through history and also the teachings of great leaders like Malcolm X. This was also his first lesson on the relationship between violence and being black which influenced him as a writer. He even goes so far as to name his son Samori, after Samori Tour'e, who fought against the French colonizers for the right to his own black body. In Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates writes of the violence he fears every day living as a "bogeyman" in this American community. Coates, as a theme throughout the book, examines “the black man” degraded to a simple body, a physicality. The same degradation existed in slavery and now exists in acts of police brutality. The prejudice shown in the days of slavery has been implanted in the “white man” of today. He talks about his fears as a black male because no matter what he did, his body could be destroyed for any reason. The blame would still be placed on him because of the color of his skin. This fear was implemented in him by older generations when he was a child and as a witness to the racial injustices taking place in society. It describes how the very people who are supposed to serve and protect us, hurt and kill black bodies. Coates uses powerful examples to convey his fear to his readers. He chooses to name the real victims of race-related murders such as Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin including his good friend, Prince Jones, but the list doesn't stop there. She feared that one day her son's name would be part of that list. I could identify with him as a parent because Coates creates this personable piece as a letter to his child. For one day I too will warn my children against similar injustices. This letter unfortunately serves to let Samori know that this was the way things were and there was nothing that could be done about it when he says, "And now you know, if you didn't know before, that our country's police departments have been endowed with the authority to destroy your body.” He can make one feel angry and sad, which makes his use of pathos effective. Coates describes the killing by the police of his friend Prince Jones in detail, leaving the reader saddened; but even more so by the commonality of race-related killings like his across the country, regardless of the incidents, he doesn't blame the officer who killed Prince Jones, "All you have to understand is that the officer carries with him the power of 'American Stare and the weight of an American legacy...." They only abide by the "rules" implemented upon them throughout American history that separated us by skin tone and tone. Regardless of how Coates was raised , by the amount of fear he had to endure every day and the amount of police brutality going on; he just wanted his son to be able to live freely, without race defining him. Later Coates describes his trip to Paris and how he realized in that moment that he was “alive.” For a long time all he knew was Baltimore, where he was tied to a particular race and tied to the oppression they faced, but in Paris he felt he was finally himself. There was a world outside racism, outside race. He later returned to Paris with his wife and son, but the main reason for his return was for his son to experience this life-altering feeling of peace, away from fear. Coates admired his son's dreams and goals because they were more than what he had had as a child. In that instant he realized that Samori Coates would not grow up like him. Your child will be himself and live his own life instead of having to watch his back or live with the idea that someone else”.