Just Walk On By Richard Rodriguez Analysis

Comparison of Brent Staples “Just Walk on By” and Richard Rodriguez “ Complexion”
Racism is a terrible issue in the real world that should never be experienced by the youth unfortunately as it affects many of youths of not just one race but many others such as the articles of Brent Staples “ Just Walk on By” and Richard Rodriguez. “Complexion” comparing the similarities and differences of Staples and Rodriguez 's article. Racism is a very difficult and harmful problem to encounter at a very young age that can affect one 's mentality and perceptions of oneself from then and later on in their lives. both Staples and Rodriguez had experienced racism for a very long time having firsthand experience of racism at young ages, such young ages in fact that it left a mark on each of them as they begin to realize at vulnerable times of their life what life is like being black or having dark skin. For example, Staples discovered this at the age of twelve as a white women saw fearing for her life. Rodriguez’s first experience of racism was at the age of 7 told by his mother to put a towel over his shoulder to cover some of his dark skin. him at night and ran away from her with it all the stereotypes and the profiling that comes with it in which they would have to manage and live with for the rest of their lives after they finally realize such an ugly truth. Also, after realizing the devastating effects that racism can cause both staples and Rodriguez changed and act differently around others and were not able to fully live without worries since racism helped make that virtually impossible for each of them in their youths and so on. …show more content…
As with Staples he was afraid to commit an action that would be taken as hostile and be attacked or hostile in which case because of his skin and racial profiling he would be killed. In addition, Rodriguez was shamed from a young age about his skin color and lived his youth full of low esteem due to the many comments he heard his own mother and family say about him and his dark skin as if were a disease. Although, the way in how Staples and Rodriguez handled racism are completely different ways, Staples attempts to combat the racism and prejudice of society by making himself appear less threatening in any way he can possible. Trying to defeat stereotypes and racial profiling in his very own way to avoid to be seen as the kind of black man that was described in Podhoretz essay “ My Negro Problem - and Ours”. While with Rodriguez the internalized racism he had experienced had hindered his self esteem and he did not cope or tried to fight against it. leaving it internalized within him. In addition, the racism that each of them have felt and have experienced are very different as how Staples was external racism from society and mostly white people he was able to combat racism with confidence and strife, because he knew that the accusations that were made about his race was untrue and that it did not apply to all of them. Although, in the case of Rodriguez in his article of “Complexion” He had racism not from the outside world but from his own family which made it difficult to escape