The Identity Crisis in James Baldwin’s Nonfiction and in Giovanni’s Room (1956) Anonymous 11th Grade

I encountered a lot of people in Europe. I even encountered myself. - James Baldwin

James Baldwin's writings are most famous for their complexity of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies during 20th century America. His novels and plays portray personal dilemmas, social pressures interfering with the integration of black, gay and bisexual men, and deep internalized issues of these individuals and their quests for acceptance. These characteristics are seen in Baldwin’s essay “A Question of Identity” and his novel, Giovanni’s Room. In these two texts, the main characters face many identity crises in respect to nationality, social status, and sexuality.

In the 1950’s, many aspects of society changed as a result of World War II. During the war, men and women, blacks and whites, played equally important roles. When the war ended, people wanted women and black people to go back to their previous positions in society. However, the minorities did not agree with that, and they wanted to work and be as equals again, since everyone was equally important and needed on the battlefield. Therefore, for groups that were discriminated against in the past, World War II was a provocative model for future change. As a result,...