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The New Negro Analysis

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In the reading “The Souls of Black Folks” W.E.B Dubois describes the double-consciousness as “this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others” (pg. 689). This can be interpreted as one not having or understanding his or her self but basing on they feel on what others may think. The African American has faced many issues with double-consciousness and often may be swindled into feeling a certain way about themselves because of what others may have thought of them. In the essays: “The New Negro” by Alain Locke, “ “ The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain” by Langston Hughes, and Zora Neal Hurston’s “How it Feels to be Colored these authors react to the double- consciousness concept defined by W.E.B Dubois. In Locke’s “The New Negro” the author speaks about how the New Negro is considered to be different from the Old Negro. It is thought that the New Negro emerged and made some drastic changes and the new or modern Negro may appear to be alive or alert to what is going on. “The Mind of the New Negro seems suddenly to have slipped from under the tyranny of social-intimidation and to be shaking off the psychology of imitation and implied inferiority.” This may be understood that the modern Negro is not scared or worried about what may happen if he or …show more content…

In relations to the double –consciousness concept the author is showing how the black artist is still reflecting on how w someone else may view them and how they are second guessing themselves as a black poet or artist. Hughes is trying to show how some individuals are not satisfied with being considered a black poet and artist and may measure their success on being accepted by the white community. The author is not agreeing with the double-consciousness but is only giving examples of how some individuals view

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