45 pages 1 hour read

James Baldwin

Nobody Knows My Name: More Notes of a Native Son

Nonfiction | Essay Collection | Adult | Published in 1961

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Part 2, Chapter 13

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 2, Chapter 13 Summary: “The Black Boy Looks at the White Boy”

Baldwin describes his friendship with Norman Mailer and his frustration with Mailer’s move into politics. The two men were quite different. Their race, religion, and backgrounds stood at opposite ends of the spectrum. However, Baldwin explains that the two had one important quality in common: they both believed themselves to be the toughest and most intelligent person in the room. This made their discussions lively and difficult to navigate.

Over time, their friendship dwindled. Mailer wrote a critique of Baldwin in which he argues that Baldwin was unable to say “F--- you” to the reader. When Baldwin asked Mailer why he wrote it, the Jewish writer replied that he wrote it because he felt it was true.

When Baldwin learned that Mailer moved into politics, he was upset. He felt that Mailer was a talented writer and that moving to another career was a denial of his identity. Baldwin believes the world needs artists who are bold and brave and hold tightly to a vision of a better future.

Part 2, Chapter 13 Analysis

Although Baldwin writes about Norman Mailer with affection and admiration, he also challenges Mailer’s essay, “The White Negro: Superficial Reflections on the Hipster.” In this essay, Mailer argues that World War II and the atomic bomb have stripped people of their faith in life and death.

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