Baldwin's Struggle In Blood Brothers
Baldwin is conscious of his impotence in not being able to help his ill father or in dealing with systemic racism. The bitterness that consumed the older Baldwin, because of paranoia, also consumed Baldwin in the face of segregation. As Baldwin recalls his youth, he mentions his father being mentally and physically abusive because of his illness. Later, when Baldwin acts violently at the restaurant, he fears that his bitterness has made him violent too. While the men’s problems are different, Baldwin connects his father’s internal conflicts with his own external struggles. What I take away from this essay is a son trying to make amends with his father. Once Baldwin encounters racism in New Jersey, he forgives his father because he understands