"Notes of a Native Son"

In the essay entitled, " Notes of a Native Son," by James Baldwin, the author and his father did not have the greatest relationship. He really did not know his father very well. They both shared different fashions and has the vice of stubborn pride. No one, including his father, really knew how old his father was. However, his mother did and was born in the slavery era, and he was the first free generation.

The author was innocent and didn't see the difference between blacks and whites at that time. He had white friends, however his father would tell him that they weren't really his friends and would do anything to keep him down. However, he did admit that some were nice but none were to be treated. His father would advise him to have as little to do with them as possible.

Baldwin and his father were not very close and wouldn't really listen to him. While his father was still alive to Baldwin it was is if he was dead. There was no real communication. But when his father physically died, he realized that he should have listened to him more and talked to him.

Their relationship was like the way it was in those times between the blacks and whites. There was no real relationship between both. Baldwin now wishes to ask his father questions that only the future can answer now.

Reflections

This story called, "The Code," was interesting because it was about respecting adults. I can relate to this story because it was about how the author was raised and I was raised, somewhat, the same way. When I was a little girl my parents were always telling me not to talk back to them, which is the way the author was raised. I remember whenever I would get in trouble I could not say anything back to them. There were many times where I thought my parents were not being fair but I had to respect what they said.

This story also talked about her aunts which were her parent's friends. Since her parents had to go out of town, she had babysitters. When I was younger both my parents were working and they had to leave me with their friends while they were working. I would spend a lot of time with other people that at times I did not know. I really did not have a choice but I learned not to complain.

The other story, called "Plaits," was about how it was when her mother was combing her hair and it was painful. She wanted to have Shirley-hair, which reminded me of my hair and how I wanted it when I was younger. I think back and that is how I told my mother I wanted to have Shirley-hair because by hair was always tangled. I was really able to relate to this story which made it more interesting to read.