Writing Homework Help

Prompt

In Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, the narrator is ashamed of his “blackness” until he hears a speech by his friend “Shiny”. His thoughts are described in the following quotation:

. . . the effect upon me of “Shiny’s” speech was double; I not only shared the enthusiasm of his audience, but he imparted to me some of his own enthusiasm. I felt leap within me pride that I was colored; and I began to form wild dreams of bringing glory and honor to the Negro race. For days I could talk of nothing else with my mother except my ambitions to be a great man, a great colored man, to reflect credit on the race and gain fame for myself. It was not until years after that I formulated a definite and feasible plan for realizing my dreams.

What do you think of the narrator’s new-found pride? Think about the factors that attract and repel him to the black race. What do you think of his ultimate decision at the end of the narrative?

Guidelines

• Your initial response should be 150-200 words in length, reflecting on the prompt above.