On the Coming of John

Part 1:

1. What is the danger of a single story according to Chimamanda Adichie?

The danger of a single story is that it creates an unfair stereotype for that group of people. Adichie also said that it's a feeling of dignity being taken away from them. She experienced this first hand when her college roommate felt pity for her without even knowing her background. The only image that is being represented is ignorant and insensitive. 

2. Discuss how what she calls "nkali" is part of the danger. What is the truth and problem of stereotypes in her words?

"Nkali" she describes is loosely translated to mean "to be greater than another", a demonstration of power. Stories are heavily dependent on power and those in power have the ability to "dispossess" a group. They can change the contextualization of the entire story to make them seem like the heroes or the good guys while the victims remain either misrepresented or construed to be evil. 

3. What is the most important idea you'll take with you from this talk?

Like in how I take in news or media, I will be more careful to get information from truthful and unbiased sources whose goal is not to create overgeneralizations or stereotypes of a group of people. These will minimize the dangers of believing a single story represents the whole truth. 

Part 2:

1. Compare and contrast the two lives featured in the short story.

The two lives presented in W.E.B. DuBois' short story are of two Johns, one black, John Johns and one white, the son of the Judge. They both grew up in the small town of Altamaha, Georgia and were sent off to pursue an education. This is where their similarities end. When John Jones was being sent away, everyone said that education would ruin him. They only saw the value of him in his work on the rice fields and had no interest in providing him schooling. On the other hand, the entire town appraised the white John, calling him a Princeton boy and seeing a bright future for him. After five years of being away, John Jones came back a new man. He was much more knowledgeable and more serious as a result. He finally recognized the injustices that black people faced and sought to spread more education to the children of Altamaha to inspire change. When the other John returned, he did not mature much. He wanted to continue living a lavish and exciting lifestyle in New York and had no interest in fulfilling any of his father's wishes to become Judge or Governor. Actually, there is one final similarity in the lives of these two, their dark endings in this story. John Jones found the white John raping his sister and killed him. He told his mother he was travelling up North, but it is implied that he will be lynched for his crimes. 

2, Why do you think W.E.B. DuBois chose to write this as a fictional story rather than drawing upon a real-life example?

DuBois intended this story to be  a metaphorical representation of the stark differences in the lives for whites and African Americans. If it was a real-life example, readers might assume this is the only way of living during this era rather than realizing that these characters pose as one of the many lifestyles that all are equally unjust.  

3. Discuss the role of education in the life of John Jones particularly. How does his education change how he sees his society and how he sees himself? Do you think that education, beyond preparing a student for a future career, can also change a person?

Once he began to take his studying seriously, John Jones began to notice the social injustices and inequalities that black people experience. Growing up in a segregated town, he never realized the differences in their treatment and opportunities. Once he had returned, however, "he found it so hard and strange to fit in his old surroundings again, to find his place in the world about him" (168). In general, I believe that if a student takes their education seriously and has a desire to truly take in the material rather than simply memorize for an exam, they can learn immensely valuable life lessons and formally unnoticed truths. 


4. On a personal level, what connection do you draw between Chimamanda Achidie’s Ted Talk and the story told here?

I personally related to the example in Chimamanda Adichie's TED Talk about the Mexican immigrants. The news and harsh political stances that are broadcasted for the United States population will undoubtedly affect the perspective they have on specific group, whether if it's positive or negative. But, those are the only ways that they are talked about. They have no reason to elaborate on the culture or backgrounds they have, but rather only focus on how their actions affect them. This dehumanization causes stereotypes and racism that is latched onto people that only fit the description, but have nothing to do with the problem. I once was told by someone to "go back to the border", without them even knowing who I was. I was no longer seen as a person, but as the color of my skin. It will be hard to change or influence the opinion of someone who is so passionate about their beliefs, but the narrowness of only telling that one perspective should be stopped in order to put an end to the root cause. 

5. For your final response, choose ONE of the following options: Either, 1) Research and find out more about life during Jim Crow in the South (before the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s). Describe the particular troubles that African Americans faced in this time—OR—2) Consider what has changed in America since over a hundred years have passed since this story’s publication. Find the story of one person of color who was killed unjustly, either by police or by other forces in the community. Using research discover their story and tell us what you find out.

(Option #2) Since the Jim Crow Law era, the United States has been slowly transitioning from total segregation of  whites and people of color to complete equality. Past grudges and old views has been the biggest obstacle for this transition and is still being struggled through today. While the prejudice is not as obvious, people still believe that African Americans are not equals and their treatment implicitly reveals this. The biggest example of this struggle is the justice system's unfair treatment towards African Americans. While the tragic killing of George Floyd in 2020 is generally the first instance regarded in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement, there are countless of other stories that are not remembered of as much. For example, the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012, 8 years before the BLM Movement exploded. On February 26th, George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch, reported to the police "suspicious activity" by Martin for walking during the night. Even though he was told to not leave his car, Zimmerman approached Martin and proceeded to shoot him. He claimed he did it out of self-defense, but a long trial ensued for the rest of the year revealed Martin never used deadly force on Zimmerman. A petition made by Trayvon Martin's parents made on Change.org demanded the arrest of Zimmerman for murder. It was signed by 1.3 million people, sparking a nationwide conversation that was recognized by president Barack Obama. Rallies and protests were organized in order to bring more awareness to this case. Despite this all and a very long trial that revealed fraudulent actions made by Zimmerman's party, he was found not guilty on July 13th, 2013. Zimmerman even had the gall to file a $100 million lawsuit against Trayvon Martin's parents in 2019 but was dismissed in 2022. This is one of the many unjust cases that not only affected the victim, but the entire family to the prejudiced police department and justice system.