Stranger in the Village

Stranger in the Village is an essay by the African-American novelist James Baldwin. The essay is an account of Baldwin's experiences in Leukerbad, Switzerland. Baldwin extrapolates much about the "White American's" relationship to the "Black Man" by contrasting this to the European ignorance of the African race.

Discussion

Throughout his essays, the discussion of history occurs repeatedly as James Baldwin considers sources and solutions to race relations in the United States. Baldwin recognizes history as a nightmare in “Stranger in the Village” during a trip to Switzerland in 1951. He states that “people are trapped in history and history is trapped in them” (119). Baldwin talks about the relationship between American and European history, explicitly pointing out that American history encompasses the history of the Negro, while European history lacks the African-American dimension. Baldwin observes that in America the Negro is “an inescapable part of the general social fabric” and that “Americans attempt until today to make an abstraction of the Negro” (“Stranger” 125). Baldwin argues that white Americans try to retain a separation between their history and black history despite the interdependence between the two. It is impossible for Americans to become European again—“recovering the European innocence”—through the neglect of the American Negro; the American Negro is a part of America permanently pressed and carved into an undeniable history (Baldwin, “Stranger 128). Baldwin’s stand on the importance of history is made by the conclusion of “Stranger in the Village.” This importance is expanded upon in the essay “Down at the Cross,” in which Baldwin speculates about the direction of America and directly associates the progress made by America as a function of the progress made by the American Negro.

James Baldwin approached handling voice and emotion throughout his piece. Throughout the entire thing he definitely makes it clear that he has an agenda and a strong opinion, but manages to do with maintaining a calm, fair tone.

References

http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/barticles/blackman.htm

“Stranger in the Village.” In his essay, " A Stranger in the Village", Baldwin conveys how he found racism to be prevalent in a small Swiss village. Although Baldwin is worlds away from the domineering influence of White America, there is still racism for him even in a small and unassuming town.Baldwin certainly has every right to be outraged by the way the villagers treat him. No one enjoys being treated as an outsider no matter how many times it may have happened in the past.

However, Baldwin is more amazed in the beginning to hear children shout "neger" and see the villagers treat him like an alien : " It must be admitted that in the beginning I was far too shocked to have any real reaction ", ( Baldwin 94). Many may say that Baldwin should just ignore this type of behavior, but his feelings of shock and even anger are valid. Being made to feel inferior since as far as he can remember is something so disturbing that it is not easy to simply dismiss.

It seems incomprehensible for Baldwin to ever return to the village. Yet, he does return for what he says is the quietness and affordability : " But I did return in the winter to work, the village offers obviously, no distractions whatsoever and has the further advantages of being cheap ", (Baldwin 94). However, Baldwin has other motives for returning. He does not consider himself a stranger in America, but returning to the village makes him realize that there was a time in America when seeing a black man was as shocking to Americans as it was to the villagers. Upon returning, Baldwin establishes the fact that while he may no longer be a stranger to the villagers, there will always be an air of racism : " But some of the men have accused le sale ne'gre - behind my back- of stealing wood and there is already in the eyes of some of them that peculiar, intent, paranoic malevolence which one sometimes surprises in the air of American white men when, out walking with their Sunday girl, they see a negro male approach ", (Baldwin 97) .

During his experience in Switzerland, Baldwin seems to develop a deeper understanding of racism against blacks and where it originated from. America's brutal tactics and ways in the past paved the way for racial wars and racial slurs that are still hurtful to this day. Baldwin conveys that because of Americans, black men were looked down upon, and the word "nigger" was created by Americans who failed to realize that blacks also have rights. This belief has spread world wide, even into small villages. Because of this, black and white people alike will never be the same as they once were, and the world has been forever changed.