You are the Critic!







Did you enjoy reading Between the World and Me? Why/why not? Did you enjoy studying Between the World and Me? Why/why not? What is your biggest takeaway from the essay? Should it be read in high school? Should it be included in the American canon? Why/why not? 




Comments

  1. Aithan LeungDecember 16, 2020 at 9:12 AM

    I enjoyed reading Between the World and Me because his story and POV was more in depth and inspirational. Most books about race don't give a lot of information and don't get emotional in their writing. Coates really had his heart into it and he pushed to what he wanted. My biggest takeaway from this was that racism and society is corrupt and we should focus about equality. I think high schools should read this. Many people in schools are racist of the sort and don't know how impactful it may be. I think it should because it really shows Coates' voice out.

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    1. Ethan JusinoDecember 16, 2020 at 9:18 AM

      Aithan I do agree with what you are saying and how kids in school are racist , I do believe that if they read this in Highschool and actually understand it it would make people change their POV somewhat.

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    2. Brittany RDecember 16, 2020 at 9:19 AM

      I totally agree when you said that most book about race always hold back on emotions and information, I think this book really holds a lot of emotion of the author true feelings.

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    3. Cameron GeeDecember 16, 2020 at 9:20 AM

      I agree, its great to see a book addressing the racial issue. Your takeaway is also my thought about how our society is corrupt and that we want to make equality. Overall, a change.

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    4. TasnuvaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:25 AM

      I agree because the book has a strong message and Coates really got personal with us readers. He put in a lot of emotion and background information into the book.

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    5. Jakia AhmedDecember 16, 2020 at 9:26 AM

      I agree that this book really showed the problems society has involving race and racism. This book did such a good job explaining those problems while other books really don't do that.

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    6. sahiralunaDecember 16, 2020 at 8:22 PM

      I agree, this book really discusses the many issues in our society especially when it comes to race. You gain a better understanding about these issues and how much it affects people.

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  2. Cameron GeeDecember 16, 2020 at 9:16 AM

    I did enjoy reading, "Between the World and Me because it had a different perspective on race and racism. I never considered what the Dream would be and didn't really think about it. Though, after reading this, race and racism has given me more thoughts about it and how race shouldn't even be existing. Its what created racism. Studying, "Between the World and Me", has been a little difficult for me because there were many meaningful statements and words that I couldn't think deeper into. But after reviewing with my class, it helped me understand a lot more because of my peer's ideas, thoughts and questions.
    I believe that this book is meant for high schoolers because its a time where we are almost at the point of being an adult. As an adult or now, you can encounter racism. Knowing and understanding race and racism can allow us to possibly create change for the world, after all, we are the future's generation. This should be included in the American canon because it can be informational and give a perspective on how Black-Americans feel.

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    1. Abby CamaraDecember 16, 2020 at 9:19 AM

      yes, I agree. I feel like racism should not been a thing but we made it a thing. It made me think about a lot of things of how others act as well. I did not really enjoy reading it but I did learn from it.

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    2. Jakia AhmedDecember 16, 2020 at 9:27 AM

      I agree, I feel like race is something society built. Racism adds on to the problems we still have today and I feel like those problems won't ever fade away.

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    3. sahiralunaDecember 16, 2020 at 8:25 PM

      I agree I think the people within our society created these labels just like they did with others. Also, with high schoolers reading this they can gain a better understanding behind the topics they discuss and many will be able to relate to his story.

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  3. Ethan JusinoDecember 16, 2020 at 9:16 AM

    Review for : Between the World and Me ,
    This book is actually really amazing and it talks about Ta Nehisi Coates' point of view , It is a letter to is son and it describes almost everything from Coates' POV. He builds a personal connection with the reader and his son because that is who this letter was intended for. Coates' made a good book and I heavily enjoyed reading it because it excites me on topics like this. It is a really interesting book for only a Junior to read. However studying this books was a bit complicated because this is more of a college based book. But I would say this book should absolutely be read in at least Senior year of Highschool. It gives a great point of view of the idea of race and how it doesn't exist and it is made up social construct of society. It should be allowed in the American Canon because it talks about people that dream about the American Dream and how it was actually built off the backs of slaves but people don't understand that.

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    1. Lana SantiagoDecember 16, 2020 at 9:23 AM

      I agree this book should at least be read by seniors in high school because in my opinion the novel has a good meaning and good insights to give to young individuals before leaving high school to pursue their own interactions as well as lives in society. However I am glad I had the chance to read it a year before my senior year. The novel has opened up many thoughts of mine.

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    2. Aries December 16, 2020 at 9:31 AM

      The book is hard to understand and read but the deeper you do go into it, the more you’ll get out of it. Books like this should be taught in high school because racism is a serious thing that still happens in the world today. I also think that this book should be in the American Canon because of the lessons and things taught in there.

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  4. rebecaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:16 AM

    I really enjoyed this book too! It was a bit hard sometimes to understand some parts of the book but overall it was a very good book that gives us a strong message. Coates is letting us know how he went through so much just because he is black. He is not the only one with fear in the outside world. He wants us to know that black people go through so many struggles and have to work harder for where they stand. I do recommend this book to high schoolers, it is a book that everyone should enjoy reading and get a message out of it like I did.

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    1. TasnuvaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:23 AM

      I agree with this because there were times where I was a little confused on the reading. However, the message of the book is super strong and he gives his own experiences to make it more understanding. Also, it lets us connect to him in certain ways,

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    2. Alexa RamosDecember 16, 2020 at 9:25 AM

      I agree. There were parts where I was completely lost.

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    3. CamilaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:40 AM

      I agree with this because even though some parts were a little hard to understand , the book was still able to emphasize the struggle and the meaning of race.

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    4. Fangqi JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 9:45 AM

      I agree because the book needs time to understand it ，some idea is really deep and need to re-read and re-study.

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    5. Florence ChuaDecember 16, 2020 at 4:42 PM

      I totally agree with you, as we know that they are always a lot of struggles going on in the world. Especially during pandemic, all of us are having a hard time.

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  5. Abby CamaraDecember 16, 2020 at 9:17 AM

    I did not really enjoyed reading the Book because it was hard to understand some parts for me but I did learned a lot of things. One thing that I learned that there is no such thing as being "white", which I thought was really interesting. I liked studying it, especially with the class when everyone shared there ideas which changes how I view things, which I really like. My biggest takeaway from this essay is that things never really change, it will get better but it will never change. This is why I did not really like the book because of how negative it is and how it did not bring hope. It had a lot of points and thought me a lot on how I see things in the world but it was also disappointing. However, I do think it should be read in high school and should be included in the American canon because I think it will be a great life lesson and a way for others, especially non-black, to see in another perspective.

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    1. Florence ChuaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:21 AM

      I agree with your statement because we really should not have to experience racism now and its sad how nothing would still change no matter what people do. The book teaches a important lesson but it is a sad lesson everyone should know about.

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    2. Cameron GeeDecember 16, 2020 at 9:24 AM

      Your takeaway is an interesting thought. I believed that our generation can make a change, but hearing from your perspective on this thought of change, I can agree with it. Of course, nothing can change so immediately, but it can get better overtime.

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    3. Ndeye Amy FallDecember 16, 2020 at 9:36 AM

      Yes Abby, I was really confused when he said there is no such thing as being "White" but I definitely understand what he was saying now. Also I understand you're disappointed but that's how things are. Not everything ends in a happy ending. But I definitely learned a lot after reading it.

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    4. Jessica VoineaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:36 AM

      I agree that Coates was more negative and that did disappoint me. But I liked how he gave his full and honest opinion which created a more realistic essay, and there aren't many books out there like this one.

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    5. Florence ChuaDecember 16, 2020 at 4:43 PM

      Sure Abby. The concept of saying “white” as a belief interest me as well. And totally agree with reading the struggles with a black perspective is full of disappointment and hopeless.

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  6. Brittany RDecember 16, 2020 at 9:17 AM

    I enjoyed reading because i'm not one to read books like these but it opened a new world for me. I think studying it help me understand more of what was going on because if i read this on my own I would be completely lost. My biggest take away was the fact that people are struggling everyday and that you shouldn't let anyone take your body. I think you should show this book in high school because this is a huge lesson that people should learn from teenage years. I think it should be included in the american canon because Coates speaks his mind with no fear at all.

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    1. Abby CamaraDecember 16, 2020 at 9:21 AM

      I agree, reading this book has made me think more about how and why others acts. People strugglers and people might not notice because they are portraying themselves as a strong person.

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    2. Florence ChuaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:23 AM

      I agree, I never really read books like this but it taught us so many things about how others act and how corrupt society could be. Even now people are struggling because of racism and it could teach us all a huge lesson.

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    3. Jessica VoineaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:28 AM

      I agree that this book can have a big impact on the minds of teenagers today and how they view these ideas after.

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    4. Fangqi JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 9:43 AM

      I agree because it is kind a new world for me too and it helps me understand the issue we have better.

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  7. Florence ChuaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:19 AM

    I enjoyed reading Between the World and Me because it taught me more about black lives and showed how important their lives are. It was a little dejected how the book ended because there was no hope in the end, he had to tell his son that there was no hope because nothing would change, no matter what everything still would've stayed the same. My biggest takeaway from this was how corrupt society is and how racism was a huge problem and everyone no matter what color should be treated fairly and equally. I think all high schools should read this because it could teach high schoolers about racism and how it could impact society. We’re all gonna encounter racism in our daily lives now so it's better if we learn about it now. This should be included in the American canon because it gives a lot of information and it shows how life could be from a black person's perspective and the American dream.

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    1. Brittany RDecember 16, 2020 at 9:22 AM

      I think that the ending was a good way to end it because he is just saying what he thinks and it's his opinion and he had to be realistic and not give his son false hope. He wanted his son to understand that this is life and you have deal with it.

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    2. rebecaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:22 AM

      I totally agree with you when you said it taught you more about black lives matter and how important their lives are. This book also taught me more about racism and I view it differently now.

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  8. Lana SantiagoDecember 16, 2020 at 9:20 AM

    I did enjoy reading BTWAM because it gave us insight on race, bluntly from a black man. On top of this we don’t really hear or see the point of view of the black man so for Coates to come to us with his blunt interpretation i found it enjoyable. It may have become confusing and questionable at times but I enjoyed the book. I also enjoyed studying it because it broadened by thinking about society as a whole. It made me want to visit places, travel and see places that re not my home. My biggest take away though would be Coates saying “ they made us a race we made us a people” because there is beauty in that quote on top of and underneath the surface. It should be read in high schools especially schools that are not as diverse in comparison to others. To spread insight even if the novel can be gloomy and pessimistic at times. I’m not sure if the novel should be considered in the American canon because then I feel it underrates and makes the novel and message overrated. This book should be itself and only itself because there is no other as such. It shouldn’t be crammed with other books because it has its own unique and individual meaning. However for it to be crammed with those other books that would just make it a famous book that people will read BECAUSE its a famous book, not because of its in depth real ness.

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    1. Hazel31December 17, 2020 at 5:02 PM

      i agree with you lana when you say that it shouldn't be an american canon because it takes away from the book. I also agree with you when you said this book makes you want to visit other places and explore the world.

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  9. Aries December 16, 2020 at 9:20 AM

    I didn’t really enjoy reading the book but it was very intriguing with all the talks about fear, the Dream, and etc. I didn’t enjoy it because it talked about serious topics and studying the book was fun as it taught me more about the world. The biggest takeaway was that it gave me a deeper meaning to the world and the fears that exist in the world. I think it should be read in high school because it is better to teach them more about the black community and bodies earlier so people aren’t ignorant and naive. I think it should be in the American Canon because it teaches the reader more about black people and more about America and not just the surface of the Dream and stuff. People may dislike it because of the way it’s written but it teaches you a new point of view of someone living in America.

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    1. Ethan JusinoDecember 16, 2020 at 9:22 AM

      Aries I understand why you did not enjoy reading this because it is a very complex book and it isn't made for everyone. However I am glad you got a deeper take away form the book.

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  10. ZaireDecember 16, 2020 at 9:21 AM

    I did like reading the book but it was not the most interesting book to read. I felt as if he was just talking and telling a story but there wasn’t a lot of wow moments in his life to make it interesting. Not that book was suppose to be something funny. I liked studying it because it went in depth about many problems black people faced. And I also liked his use of word like him using bodies and eyes to describe the black people and point of views. My biggest take away from this book is the idea that race is not much of a thing it’s something we created that started up a big issue. I believe that this book should be read but mostly for college students because it’s harder to learn on its own so maybe it’s better for people with higher understanding of literature.

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  11. TasnuvaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:22 AM

    I really did enjoy reading Between the World and Me. I feel like this book has really showed me a different view on race. One thing in specific was how Coates said that race really doesn't exist and it is just an idea. Growing up, I always knew that race isn't a big deal. At the end of the day, we are all humans and our race doesn't define us. However, I never saw it as something that doesn't exist. I was always so used to having people define my friends and I for our race. This book have me a different outlook on life as well. I do think it should be read in high school because it really opens your eyes. A lot of people are able to relate to this and for the people who can't relate to it can see what is going on in many peoples lives and how they feel. I think it should be included in the American canon since it shows the issues that goes on in America.

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    1. Alexa RamosDecember 16, 2020 at 9:23 AM

      I agree! Iv never thought about race this way

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    2. rebecaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:25 AM

      Yes! This book also showed me a different view on race. I don't understand how people can be so racist. this book also shares his life in this racial world, everyone has a different story.

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    3. CamilaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:41 AM

      I agree because this book did show me a different way to see what race really is. It is sad to see how racist and ignorant people can be towards others.

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    4. ZaireDecember 19, 2020 at 4:19 PM

      I agree with you when you realized that race doesn’t really exist. Because we or a majority of us were born to not judge. But there isn’t really anything to judge upon it was just people being resilient towards different groups of people

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  12. Alexa RamosDecember 16, 2020 at 9:23 AM

    To be honest, I was more interested reading it than enjoying it because Coates is very pessimistic in this novel. The topic that he discusses isn’t really one to be enjoyed, but should be studied. I did enjoy studying this because it opened my mind to so many new ideas that Coates was just waiting to share.it should be read in high school because this book is a letter for a teenager so we might be reading it the way the author intending it to be read.

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    1. rebecaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:27 AM

      This book did open my mind to so many ideas ! its nice knowing your opinion towards the book.

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    2. Ndeye Amy FallDecember 16, 2020 at 9:39 AM

      Honestly same, I liked the pessimism too. It feels like it's so the readers can do the thinking and try to find the solution.

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  13. Florence ChuaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:23 AM

    I did enjoy reading Between the World and Me because it let me explore more information towards the world. However, I don’t like to study about it because I’m an idealist and very positive. I believed that the Dream will be achieved one day which is the only idea that I disagree towards Coates’ idea. And for the first time I really explore black’s perspective conflict towards society besides learning it from history. There were crucial and reality but I believed in hope and dream as well. The environment will not changed but human did. We are the one who build our future. I think it is not suitable to read in High School because teenagers’ mindset and maturity were not built during this age, and we will simply agree with Coates with not much doubt. But totally recommended for the American canon because it is always great thing to study from different perspective and get to know more about different groups and the world.

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    1. Bema KonateDecember 16, 2020 at 12:06 PM

      I really like you how challenged Coates thinking about human behavior and the future of racism. And you bring up some valid points on how humanity shouldn't be compared to the standard laws of nature. Humans are able to break from the chains of their past.

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  14. Jakia AhmedDecember 16, 2020 at 9:24 AM

    I enjoyed reading Between the World and Me because it really helped not only me, but other readers as well about the struggles that black people face. Also, Coates talks about certain ideas that I never thought it and it gave me a new perspective on how I view the world. I really enjoyed studying this book because of his ideas and I feel like this book will help others understand and acknowledge the problems we have in society involving race and racism. I feel like this should be read in high school and included in the American canon because race and racism is something we need to discuss in order to have more people aware of the problems in society.

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    1. Chenyi JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 9:44 AM

      Yes, I agree because Coates give us a new perspective of the society and how black struggle. I agree where people should read it because we wanted to people to be aware of this problem in society.

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    2. Minghan JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 4:55 PM

      I agree with you. Coates definity gave us a different perspective of race and the world. It reallly helps us to understand the struggles of the black community, and how we should all work on it to imporove the society.

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  15. Jessica VoineaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:25 AM

    I thought this book was intresting and that if I didn't read it in class I would definitly not understand it as well as I did. But it has changed how I see ideas in the world because it has showed me a new persepctive of them like when Coates went to Paris. I do believe that he was more pessimestic than optimistic, and that he should have been more optimistic since that does change your own perspective on life. I also liked how he included so many examples and events in history to support his argument about black bodies because it helped the reader (me) connect more with what he was saying, in addition I like how he connected all his examples to each other which deepens them more. I enjoyed studying Between the World and Me because it was something very different from what I noramlly read and studying it has pushed me to read nonfiction which I don't often go to. My biggest takeaway from his essay might be that social structures are very impactful on the lives of all the individuals becasue it dictakes their life so much. I think it should be read in highschool or college becasue it gives students a new perspective on this idea that they might not have thougt of and that will change their thoughts and actions.

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  16. torrancekDecember 16, 2020 at 9:25 AM

    Coates' "Between the World and Me" was a very good book in my opinion that showcased the black experience within America as it actually is. The ideas that Coates talks about are not only very interesting but truly highlight the nature--the systemic and structural nature--of the race issues in America. My favourite aspect of the book, contrary to what some would call a criticism of his, is his pessimism; and I feel his to be justified in that he speaks throughout the book about how he sees the proposed solutions to race problems--such as in the interview with the TV host--as simply "treating one another equally" and "treating one another with love and respect"; the solutions proposed to "solve" these race issues do not get down to the true nature of how the systems of oppression that maintain the power dynamic between the social classes of black people and white people are carried over from a long history of slavery, economic disenfranchisement, discriminatory legislation--all of which subordinated black people into the position of economic and social inferiority relative to whites--but instead just deal with individuals treating one another "equally". And it is with this worldview--that the solution to race issues is to all be friendly with one another, to just diversify our institutions, to all love one another and chant how there is only one race which is the human race--does not actually solve the systemic prejudices being carried over from the times of slavery. It doesn't fix the years of economic disenfranchisement, the culture of fear and violence that has been cultivated as a result of it, the over-policing, and so on and so forth; but rather refuses to acknowledge it.

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    1. Aries December 16, 2020 at 9:39 AM

      I do agree that the pessimism in the book was a good factor to be in the book since not all people are from the Dream and he talks about things that happened to him during his life which would be reasonable for him to be pessimistic. His pessimism takes your view of the world in a turn and makes you realize the bad things in life and how people are affected by it. It also makes you see parts of the world differently with his pessimistic writing.

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  17. Chenyi JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 9:26 AM

    I kind of enjoyed reading Between the World and Me because Coates tell his story and the perspective about the struggle the black community went through and how he felt about America Dream. I didn't really enjoy studying it because I felt like we rushed reading a chunk of book each time making me felt discourage and doesn't want to read it. So I basically rushed to finish the work. My biggest takeaway from this work is see another person point of view and how they felt about society, that it telling us that our society is filled with racism. I don't think it should be read in high school because this type of book are more suited with adult with experiences in life. While high schooler just does it for their grade and just forget about it later in life(like me for example). I think it should be in American Canon because in the book it showed a part of society and how they felt that we may never notice. It voices out Coates voices and what he thought about Racism.

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    1. Chenyi JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 9:51 AM

      Edit: I did not really enjoy reading because to me it a chore or work to maintain my grade never really seen it in a another way

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    2. ZaireDecember 19, 2020 at 4:14 PM

      I like your honesty, I do agree that it does feel rushed to read a book. And that you just do it to maintain a good grade. But there are many good takeaways and lessons learned while reading the book.

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  18. Kris singhDecember 16, 2020 at 9:29 AM

    I somewhat enjoyed reading Between the World and Me. The message of there is no white or black just the idea was a brilliant message, but to me, that message was clouded with unnecessary information and dragged out anecdotes. not to say all of his anecdotes were unnecessary but some clouded his overarching idea. For instance, the section where he talks about his time at university did nothing in my opinion to forward his idea. but contrary to how I felt reading this essay I enjoyed studying the idea he tried to push forward. The biggest take away from reading this essay would be the pessimistic attitude that somewhat evolved through the 80s and 90s and how that affected the way Coates looked at things throughout his life. almost to the extent that he was always on edge and feared someone was after him. This book should be studied by high schoolers but it shouldn't be put into the American canon because although it is an alright book there are better that can convey this idea better than Coates did.

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    1. Feras AldahhakDecember 16, 2020 at 11:20 AM

      I disagree Kris, I believe the usage of anecdotes throughout the piece of literature was to give examples of how he encountered those issues in his life and the Mecca was his safe haven. They contributed to the points he was trying to make and actually made it a bit more interesting. If I wanted to just read about the idea of race, I would go read philosophy and the works of Nietzsche instead.

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  19. Ndeye Amy FallDecember 16, 2020 at 9:31 AM

    I enjoyed reading the book because it opened my eyes to Black experiences in America. Even though I know that Black people have been oppressed In so many ways, I still learned more about Black struggles. Like for example, the constant fear of losing your body. As a Black girl, I never really thought about those things until now. The main thing that I learned is that I should try to protect my body. I also liked how transparent Coates is. He seems like he wants to address the problems instead of sugar coating it. But I felt like he should have talked more about Black excellence. He did mention a lot of famous and successful Black people, but I wish he talked more about our achievements. He should have also talked more about the problems within us: like colorism. Other than that, I liked and agreed with him on everything he said. I definitely think this book should be read in High school because some people really don't know the struggles of Black Americans and the systematic racism in America.

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    1. Bema KonateDecember 16, 2020 at 11:57 AM

      I completely agree. Coates was able to make me aware of things that never cross my mind, but it would've nice for him to acknowledge more black excellence than black oppression.

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  20. Feras AldahhakDecember 16, 2020 at 9:33 AM

    I wouldn't say I "enjoyed" reading the book, it felt more like an assignment, or a task, which as a student my duty was to carry out. I have never been a fan of anything non-fiction, with biographies and auto-biographies not truly ever capturing my interest. While this was a letter by Coates to his son, it felt like it was an autobiography of sorts, more than it was an "essay."

    Studying the book was not something to be "enjoyable" either, rather, it was something that must be discussed. The book was not meant to entertain nor be enjoyable for how can someone enjoy a book so pessimistic, grave, and gloomy. It is an important topic, which relates to unfortunate events which have happened recently, and that's why it was a necessity, somewhat of a must-read, but not for enjoyment.

    One thing I took- away from the book is Ta-Nehisi's lack of hope and belief in change. He is very clearly very pessimistic. While I agreed with Coates on the issues of redlining in society and race being an idea, I think he exaggerates the imprisonment of the black population and their lack of ability to live the “American Dream.” Especially since the percentage of the black population in the middle class is increasing as time is progressing, and the book was written fairly recently in 2015.

    The book should be read in high schools, especially because of recent events, to show the students both sides to a conflict. The most important thing someone can do when trying to make a decision on where they stand, or what they think, is to read both sides of the argument. This book was important to see the world from Ta-Nehisi's eyes, his world which is filled with nothing but sorrow and fear for the black population. For that reason it should be included in the American canon as it offers the completely pessimistic view on an issue, that has been omnipresent throughout history, an issue present since the founding of this nation. When someone is going to study this issue, this topic, "Between the World and Me" should be one of the sources due to its heavy pessimism and lack of hope with the black race. It is a book that truly makes the situation look dire and gloomy, therefor it is a must read for the interested and a must read to educate students on different perspectives.

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    1. Chenyi JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 9:48 AM

      I agree because for this book it more of a assignment to us to maintain our grade, more like being forced to do it. Also non fiction book I honestly think it not very interesting. I don't think high schooler should read it because they do it for the grade and not learning from the book

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    2. Kris singhDecember 16, 2020 at 11:50 AM

      Interesting take on the book. I agree with your reasoning for wanting people to consider reading this book seeing as we are in the mist of various protests such as BLM, ANTIFA.

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  21. Bema KonateDecember 16, 2020 at 9:35 AM


    I really enjoyed reading the book. Coates was able bring new perspectives on controversial topics like race and American history while also being blunt and honest to his opinions. Instead of only focusing on the text itself, the more we studied the book, the more I learned about myself and my surroundings. My biggest take away from this essay is that everyone is entitled to living their life without fear and shouldn’t have to lower their standards because of the color of their skin. This book should be read in high schools and be included in the American canon because if you identify yourself as America, you should know this country true history.

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    1. MonikaDecember 16, 2020 at 10:51 AM

      I agree b/c race in America is out of control and something needs to be done, it's sad how we have to make sure that we don't look too "thugish" so we won't be questioned and fear our lives day and night.

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    2. Feras AldahhakDecember 16, 2020 at 11:32 AM

      I agree that he was being very blunt and honest in every word he spoke, that was truly what he believed and how he viewed the world around him. He seems to be naturally very pessimistic and gloomy as the situation is very dire in his eyes. It is always good to read all sides to an argument and this was a piece of literature on the "opposing" side.

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  22. CamilaDecember 16, 2020 at 9:38 AM

    I did enjoy reading Between the World and Me because it gave me a new perspective on what race really is. This book had a strong message about how race isn’t real and the struggles that many African Americans went through. Coates gave me a new perspective on how to view the world and the truth about race. The idea that stuck with me the most was that race isn’t real and that the American dream was built off African Americans back. I think this should be read in high school because it's a book that discusses an important topic and you are able to understand the struggles of others.

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    1. MonikaDecember 16, 2020 at 10:54 AM

      I disagree that race isn't real b/c daily we are judged based on the color of our skin and when you do paperwork they ask what race are you. Also, if race wasn't real then why are we judged based on how we look, why does the color of our skin judge what job we get or if the police need to grip their guns to "protect" themselves.

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    2. Minghan JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 4:51 PM

      I agree that race shouldn't be a real thing in the first place, even though in hitory and the society now, people intend to label others based on the idea of race. And Coates indeed gave us a new perspective of the world.

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  23. Fangqi JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 9:41 AM

    I enjoy reading and studying the book Between the World and Me because it is a really good book about the racial issues we have in our world. The black lives matter movement before make me start to pay attention on the racism and different problems between culture，this book helps me understand it more. The biggest takeaway for me is discrimination and prejudice can ruin a person，our society is diverse without classes and we need unity among races in the world，because we all human race. I think we should read in high school because it is a really important lesson to let everyone know how shame it is to be a racist. It should be included in the American canon because it describe the growth experience from the perspective of a black man，it is real.

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  24. MonikaDecember 16, 2020 at 10:49 AM

    I enjoy reading and studying Between the World and Me b/c Coates shined the light on topics that no one focused on and that their needs to be change in the world. Coates was being blunt and straight to the point without going around the topic of what needs to be done and the struggles that we African Americans have to face daily and that we shouldn't have to be afraid daily and fear for our lives. This book should be read in high school so that everyone can get the full understanding of how people shouldn't be racist and it should be included in the American Canon b/c he discussses the importance of race and how their has barely been growth from the past and something should be done. The biggest takeaway I took away from this book is that our lives shouldn't be lived in fear and that something needs to be done.

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  25. Minghan JiangDecember 16, 2020 at 2:32 PM

    I definitely enjoyed reading Between the World and Me because it provides me a different perspective of racism going on against the black community. And Coates’ ideas about fear and race inspired me to think deeper about the labels we put on people. I also enjoyed studying it because the lessons allowed me to learn from my peers, and expand my thoughts by looking at their ideas, it is always important to hear different opinions. My biggest takeaway is that the labels we put on people shouldn’t exist in the first place. We intend to categorize people based on natural features, which makes race an unnatural thing. I think it should be read in high school, because there are many bullying events taking place in high school, and the education of not discriminating against others should always be included in school. It should be included in the American canon, because the voice of Coates, the voice of the black community should be heard by more people, and we should all make reflections on our society.

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  26. sahiralunaDecember 16, 2020 at 8:20 PM

    I did enjoy reading BTWAM because it really discusses the idea of race and even more that you get to receive a better perspective considering that it was written directly by a black male. Not only this but it also helps you learn more about Black Lives Matter and it's impact and why it started etc. Coates gets to discuss how we are all one human race and we should all be treated equally despite our culture differences, or physical appearances. At times what he was saying would confuse me but, overall I enjoyed the book. I think other schools should read this book because it's a way to spread more insight into the many topics that Coates discusses and we should all be educated regarding racism, black bodies etc.

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  27. Hazel31December 17, 2020 at 4:58 PM

    i did enjoy reading BTWAM because it discusses the reality of being black in america, coates didn't sugar coat anything and said it how it is. I did enjoy studying the book because i felt like we really went into depth and broke down the things . I felt like us studying the book i was able to understand it better. My biggest take away from the book is that for racism is never going to go away unless america changes its ways, this is sad because racism takes away from a lot of black people they can't do certain things because of the way people treat them etc. It should be taugh in High school because it teaches students about a lot of topics that coate mentions such as race, poverty, school etc.

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    Replies
    1. Shaun JohnsonFebruary 4, 2021 at 11:29 AM

      i agree because this bok deep go in depth and break things down so we can have a better understanding.

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  28. AngelaJanuary 26, 2021 at 3:27 PM

    I enjoyed reading Between the World and Me because it expanded my knowledge on current racism in America. It also talked about the struggles of being black in America, racism included, and how it's hard to become successful as an African American. Things like systematic racism in education becomes one of the many obstacles there is and most people give up in becoming successful and achieving the "American Dream". This book should be read in in high school because for me, the novel gave a good insight as to how to function in a society with an open mind and to not base peoples character on their race. Certain areas were confusing but I'm glad that we read it together since we went into the details more thoroughly.

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  29. Shaun JohnsonFebruary 4, 2021 at 11:28 AM

    I really did enjoy reading Between the World and Me. I feel like this book has really showed me a different view on race. One thing in specific was how Coates said that race really doesn't exist and it is just an idea. its only onr race the human race and we are more alike than different. this book should be ready in high school especially for african americans in United states.

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