Just Walk On By

1. What is the impact of the opening sentence, “My first victim was a woman . . .”? How is Brent
Staples using the term “victim”? How does the meaning of the sentence and the term change as
you read and reread the essay?
- The opening sentence “My first victim was a woman . . .” has a strong impact on the
reader, for it foreshadows a different story. Initially, when being met with the word
"victim," the reader might assume that Staples has committed a terrible crime, and
completely throws off the reader's expectations. However, as the reader delves deeper
into the essay, they come to understand that Brent is the true victim, enduring unjust
treatment simply because he is a black man.

2. In what ways does the description at the beginning resemble a scene from a novel? What mood
does Staples set with the details and specific words he chooses? Pay close attention to modifiers
and verbs.
- The description at the beginning creates a novel-like environment with its mysterious
tone. Staples utilizes vivid imagery to describe the setting such as the woman’s attire, her
approximate age, and other highly descriptive details. Such Detailed scene-settings are
not commonly seen in essays.

3. Staples Opens Paragraph 2 With The Short,Simple Sentence“That Was More Than A Decade
Ago,” an objective statement that indicates the passage of time. Does this sentence jolt you as a
reader? Disappoint you? Explain why you think it is or is not an effective follow-up to the
opening paragraph.
- As a reader, a sense of disappointment overcame me when I had read this because it sadly
demonstrates how much progress society had made since that incident. Even More so,
when looking at how relevant the passage still is today, it makes readers wonder how the
hell this problem is still as prevalent as it was some 36 years ago. The sentence is most
definitely effective, for it shows that our society has been struggling with this specific
issue for some time now, and it’s time to put it to rest.

4. What examples does Staples provide to illustrate “the language of fear” (para. 3)?
- Staples offers several instances to illustrate what he calls “the language of fear,” such as
pedestrians crossing the street to avoid him, cab drivers and police officers treating him
with disrespect, and individuals locking their car doors upon seeing him. These actions
are done subconsciously by people to protect themselves from him, due to the negative
stereotypes towards black men in society.
Just Walk On By

5. In what ways does Staples acknowledge that the “victim’s” response is not unwarranted? What
explanations does he provide for her behavior? To what extent does he blame her? Does he want
us as readers to blame or be more sympathetic toward her?
- In his writing, Staples acknowledges that the response of the victim is not entirely
unjustified, given the fact that women are frequently subject to street harassment.
Nevertheless, he holds her partially responsible for her actions, contending that she
should not prejudge someone based on preconceived notions. He urges readers to cut her
some slack though given she has an additional reason besides the racially motivated fear
of a black man.

6. What is his purpose in quoting Norman Podhoretz and Edward Hoagland? Are
they providing support for his viewpoint, a contrasting viewpoint, expert testi-
mony, or something else?
- The reason for including quotes from Norman Podhoretz and Edward Hoagland in
Staples' argument is to support his stance. Being that both Norman Podhoretz and Edward
Hoagland are respected authors, they obtain their own credibility. For instance, Staples
cites Podhoretz's discomfort with the "special brand of paranoid touchiness" he claims
black individuals possess. By presenting Podhoretz's perspective, the audience may
realize that the issues faced by black individuals are made up. Podhoretz's words
strengthen Staples' argument by introducing a white man's perspective, which is
beneficial being that white people are the ones who tend to view black men negatively.
Furthermore, when referring to Edward Hoagland, Staples notes that he saw a mugger
who was gathering the courage to do more than just ask for money. Hoagland only saw
the negative aspects of black individuals and never gave them the benefit of the doubt
because society had labeled them as such. These two examples reinforce the argument
that black men are unfairly judged simply because of their skin color.

7. Is Staples being ironic when he writes,“I began to take precautions to make myself
less threatening” (para. 13)? Cite specific parts of the text to support your view-
point.
- Staples is utilizing irony when he makes the statement “I began to take precautions to
make myself less threatening”. Staples states that, “In time, I learned to smother the rage
I felt at so often being taken as a criminal” (para. 12) . Staples felt frustrated with how he
was portrayed, but he still made an effort to put bystanders at ease when he was nearby.
He wishes to relieve society, yet they are never satisfied with his efforts.

8. Is the final paragraph intended to be flippant? Humorous? Explain whether you

find it an effective conclusion to the essay.
Just Walk On By

- The last paragraph of the essay aims to bring humor to the issue at hand. Staples has to
take certain actions to prove to others that he is not the stereotypical black man they
assume him to be. The effectiveness of the paragraph lies in how it highlights the
absurdity of the situation. It is unfortunately comical to think that one has to sing a
classical song to make people feel at ease. However, the extent to which Staples has to go
to change people's perception is also a cause for reflection. The paragraph serves as a
reminder of how pervasive and embedded stereotypes are in our society.

9. How would you describe the overall tone of this essay? You might consider a
phrase rather than a single word to capture the complexity of this piece. Support
your reading with specific references to Staples’s language.
- The general mood of the essay is critical, as Staples delves into the way in which
society views black men. Staples explains that "Virtually everybody seems to
sense that a mugger wouldn't be warbling bright, sunny elections from Vivaldi's
Four Seasons" (paragraph 14). The author concludes his essay by considering
society's conception of intimidating people, commonly known as “menaces”. His
attitude is one of disapproval towards the way society treats black men, as they
are forced to behave in a certain way to be seen as "normal."