Just Above My Head By James Baldwin
“Just above my head” is a novel by James Baldwin published in 1979. The novel tells an adventure of a group of friends from Harlem, with the integration of love and fame between characters. Baldwin, a literary luminary renowned for his fearless examination of race, sexuality, and identity, masterfully intertwines these themes, inviting readers to navigate the intricate landscapes of intimate revelations and forbidden passions. With erotic vocabulary and vivid descriptions of characters’ actions, Baldwin challenges prevailing taboos and exposes the transformative power of embracing one's sexuality, candidly expressing desires and engaging in acts of confession. The intertwined themes of eroticism and confession challenge societal taboos and …show more content…
Throughout the narrative, characters grapple with the fear of societal judgment, struggling to reconcile their authentic selves. In the story, Baldwin uses many metaphors to describe sexual actions between the gay man. “Long flat belly and the belly button and the jungle of hair spinning upward from the long, dark, heavy, swinging sex approached […]” (Baldwin 27) this description of Crunch’s sex organ gives the reader possibility to create imagery, and therefore illustrate the excitement of Crunch and he is ready to have sex. Moreover, the fact that Crunch and Arthur had multiple homosexual sex with different forms of sexual intercourse also indicates the author’s use of repetition to highlight the importance of the erotic theme between the homosexual couple. “Crunch’s sperm shot out against Arthur’s belly, Arthur’s shot against his, […] maybe we should make some more progress. […] right now? Whenever you ready. Oh, come on! Said Crunch.”(Baldwin 27) In the scene, Crunch and Arthur just finished their sexual intercourse by launching sperm shots at each other. However, they are not expressing any fatigue but are willing to go on for “more progress”. This straightforward expression of the desire for sex illustrates the eroticism theme in the story. In the conversation between Arthur and Crunch “I love you. I’d do anything for you,” said Arthur. Crunch watched him. “For true?” “For true.” Crunch held him tighter. (Baldwin 27) we discover that characters focus a lot on psychological feelings instead of only focusing on physical feelings which corresponds with the value of erotic sexual action. Furthermore, “According to The Kingdom of Pan: Eroticism is more about procreation” In the relationship of Arthur and Crunch, we notice that they are a
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1085 Words | 5 PagesThe discovery of a new “communication” technique for the longing “couple” is captured in a very sensual way to show the lengths love can make you go, “With that meal, it seemed they had discovered a new system of communication, in which Tita was the transmitter, Pedro the receiver, and poor Gertrudis the medium, the conducting body through which the singular sexual message was passed”(52). Hyperbole is an exaggeration of speech, describing or saying something you have done, will do, or has happened that is not meant to be taken in a literal sense. Esquivel uses the literary device to describe a sensual moment between her and the person she loves, Pedro, to describe the lengths they have gone to continue a forbidden relationship. Their new way of communication through food is powerful as it shows the lengths they will go to get to each other, but also as it gets you to think about their love and how the desire to partake in something they have not yet experienced with each other is causing them to go through these lengths to experience love. Esquivel uses the scene of a wedding to depict the extreme wanting and longing of love and desire and its effects, “The moment they took their first bite of the cake, everyone was flooded with a great longing”(39).
Analysis Of Special Timothy Findley's The Wars
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The Struggle In Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin
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1406 Words | 6 Pages“Sonny’s Blue’s” by James Baldwin includes a descriptive and heart wrenching narration that grips towards finding oneself in a passion that accelerates life. The narrator of this short story is never identified through name, but his voice is all the fuel this passage needs to grip onto the fleeting and forceful emotion that is being transcribes to the audience and continues to hold a powerful force of intense passion as it nears to the end. The interplay between the darkness of reality, along with the gleaming hope that accompanies the characters within the language. There is a great sense of personal development for the narrator in this passage, not only though his own inclusion of language, but in the form of symbolism as well. In “Sonny’s
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1104 Words | 5 PagesThese people are trapped for generation after generations with no outlet or change. Baldwin creates an environment where the two main characters, brothers cannot escape from the impoverished and oppressed society in order to
Sonny's Blues By James Baldwin
704 Words | 3 PagesThe narrator is an educated schoolteacher who leads a stable and conventional life, while Sonny is a struggling jazz musician who has been arrested for drug use and has faced many personal struggles. Baldwin uses these differences to highlight the challenges of maintaining relationships with family members who are vastly different from oneself. One example of this contrast can be seen in their attitudes towards education. The narrator values education and sees it as the key to success and stability, while Sonny views it as a hindrance to his creative expression. Another example is their approach to dealing with pain and suffering.
Crystal Stars Have Begun To Shine Poem Analysis
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