I found James Baldwin\u2019s reflections on the tumultuous relationships with both of the father figures in his life in \u201cNotes of a Native Son\u201d and later in \u201cAlas, Poor Richard\u201d to be some of the more powerful pieces we have read thus far. It is especially striking to consider the similarities between his stepfather David Baldwin and mentor Richard Wright, as they both had profound impacts on the life and work of James Baldwin long after they passed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To say the least, Baldwin did not have a picturesque relationship with either of these individuals. Baldwin recalls only one time in all his life with his stepfather David in which they had really spoken to one another. Baldwin adds that he cannot remember a time when he and his siblings were happy to see their father return home (79). He experienced a similar distancing with Wright, noting that their dialogues \u201cbecame too frustrating and acrid\u201d (265). Tragically, Baldwin reconciled with neither paternal figure in his life before they died.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I found James Baldwin\u2019s reflections on the tumultuous relationships with both of the father figures in his life in \u201cNotes of a Native Son\u201d and later in \u201cAlas, Poor Richard\u201d to be some of the more powerful pieces we have read thus far. It is especially striking to consider the similarities between his stepfather David … Continue reading James Baldwin: A Prodigal Son?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4680,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[503968,486174,471414,503966,471573],"class_list":["post-931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-alas-poor-richard","tag-david-baldwin","tag-native-son","tag-notes-of-a-native-son","tag-richard-wright"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4680"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=931"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":935,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/931\/revisions\/935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/jamesbaldwin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
I would argue that Baldwin saw a bit of himself in both David and Richard, and this realization of similarity is part of the reason for their tense relationships. By this I mean, Baldwin watched how qualities of these father figures eventually led to their deaths, in a physical sense for his stepfather and a metaphorical one for his mentor as an author. I think he feared that, because of their likeness, he might face a similar fate. Baldwin explains that David \u201clived and died in an intolerable bitterness of spirit\u201d that frightened him \u201cto see how powerful and overflowing this bitterness could be\u201d and it was now his (65). In a similar vein, of Wright Baldwin says, \u201cThey despised him<\/em>\u2026 It was certainly very frightening to watch. I could not help feeling: Be careful. Time is passing for you, too, and this may be happening to you one day<\/em>\u201d (266). For Baldwin, David and Wright are comparable not only in their relationship to him as some sort of distorted father figure but also in that they serve as a warning. Yet, despite the turmoil they caused him, he longs for their presence. Baldwin laments, \u201cNow that my father was irrecoverable, I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched his face for the answers which only the future would give me now\u201d (84). Similarly, he speaks to Wright: \u201cWhoever He may be, and wherever you may be, may God be with you, Richard, and may He help me not to fail that argument which began in me\u201d (258). This desire for reunion with David and Wright evokes for me the image of the prodigal son\u2026 has he returned home?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"