Coates: Body As Metaphor

In his book, *Between the World and Me*, Ta-Nehisi Coates explores the theme of the black body, arguing that the question of how one should live within a black body... is the question of life. He traces the commodification of black bodies during colonialism and slavery, when black people were turned into objects with a monetary value. Coates shows how racism operates through the control, manipulation, and exploitation of black bodies, and the resulting fragility of black bodies within a racist society. He argues that the very idea of what it means to be black in America is rooted in the constant danger of losing one's body.

Racism is a violation of the black body

In his book *Between the World and Me*, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes about race and racism in America, addressing his teenage son. Coates insists on talking about "black bodies", making the corporeal impact of racism a central theme of his work. He argues that racism is a violation of the black body, and that conversations about racism must address the physical condition of black people.

Coates' emphasis on the body is a powerful rhetorical device that brings home the visceral reality of racial oppression. It is a reminder that racism is a violent force that has real, tangible consequences. By focusing on the body, Coates also highlights the physical labour and suffering that underpinned America's history of slavery and the way that black people have been dehumanised and commodified.

In his writing, Coates describes the many ways in which racism has manifested physically throughout history, from the flaying of backs and chaining of limbs to the modern-day manipulation of black hair and the experience of being stopped and frisked by the police. He argues that the legacy of slavery and the violence of racial oppression have been obscured and made abstract, particularly in academic and social justice circles. By centring the body, Coates makes the impact of racism explicit and undeniable.

Coates' use of the phrase "black bodies" also has resonance with Christian theology. He draws a parallel between the physical violence inflicted on black bodies and the "rupture" of divine and human relationships caused by sin. Coates' language is a powerful reminder that racism is not just an abstract concept but a force that has tangible, destructive effects on individuals, communities, and society as a whole.

Coates' work is a call to action, urging readers to recognise the visceral, embodied reality of racism and to work towards racial justice and the freedom of black bodies from oppression and violence.

The black body is vulnerable to sexual and physical violence

In his book *Between the World and Me*, Ta-Nehisi Coates writes about the history of race in the US in the form of a letter to his teenage son. In it, he discusses the vulnerability of Black bodies to sexual and physical violence.

Coates argues that the destruction of Black bodies is a tradition in America, dating back to the Civil War and the enslavement of Black people. He highlights the fact that the richest men in America made their fortunes off the labour and exploitation of enslaved Black people, and that the Civil War was fought to maintain the institution of slavery. This legacy of slavery, Coates argues, has led to a society where the destruction of Black bodies is seen as a birthright for some and where Black people continue to face violence and oppression.

Coates writes about the physical violence inflicted on enslaved people, describing it as "casual wrath and random manglings, the gashing of heads and brains blown out over the river as the body seeks to escape". He also addresses the sexual violence that was pervasive during slavery, stating that it "must be rape so regular as to be industrial". This history of violence against Black bodies, Coates argues, has never truly been addressed or acknowledged, and instead has been obscured and glossed over.

Coates also discusses the continued vulnerability of Black bodies to violence in the present day. He highlights the disproportionate number of Black people who are killed or harmed by police violence and the criminal justice system, as well as the ways in which racism and white supremacy continue to perpetuate violence against Black communities. He writes about the killing of Eric Garner, who was choked to death by a police officer, and the shooting of Trayvon Martin, a Black teenager, as examples of how the power of the American state and its legacy of racism lead to the destruction of Black bodies.

Coates also addresses the impact of racism on the mental and physical health of Black people, which can include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and substance use disorders. He argues that racism is a form of violence that terrorizes minds and hearts but also touches human bodies, and that it has real, physical consequences. Coates' use of the term "body" is intentional and powerful, as it brings attention to the very real, tangible harm that racism inflicts on Black communities.

Coates' writing on the vulnerability of Black bodies to sexual and physical violence is a stark and important reminder of the ongoing legacy of racism and oppression in the US. By centering the experiences of Black people and the violence they face, Coates offers a critical perspective on race and racism in America.

The black body is a site of beauty and power

Ta-Nehisi Coates's book, "Between the World and Me", is written as an open letter to his teenage son and explores the theme of the black body as a site of beauty and power. Coates argues that the black body has been commodified and exploited throughout history, particularly during colonialism and slavery, when black people were treated as objects or animals to be profited from. This legacy of racism continues to inflict terrorism on black bodies, and Coates stresses that racism is a visceral experience, impacting the physical body.

Despite the violence inflicted on black bodies, Coates also highlights the positive sides of black embodiment, such as the tradition of seizing back autonomy through dance. He describes the physical beauty of black people, particularly the women he met during his time at Howard University, with their attractiveness, style, and confidence. Coates reveres the physical existence of these women, reminding readers that despite the violence, black embodiment remains a site of beauty and power.

Coates also discusses the vulnerability of the black body and the constant fear of disembodiment that comes with living in a white supremacist society. He challenges the popular American perception of black men as impervious to fear, instead depicting the black male body as essentially vulnerable and scared, yet also scary to others. Coates explores what it means to live in a body that is both scared and scary, and how this impacts one's freedom.

Furthermore, Coates emphasizes the destructibility of bodies and how this makes them precious. As an atheist, he grapples with the idea that there is no soul that survives the body, a view made more painful by the reality of the destruction of black bodies throughout history.

In conclusion, Ta-Nehisi Coates's work, "Between the World and Me", offers a profound exploration of the black body as a site of both beauty and power. Through his writing, Coates sheds light on the historical and ongoing violence inflicted on black bodies while also celebrating the resilience, strength, and beauty that emerge from black embodiment.

The black body is a natural resource of incomparable value

Ta-Nehisi Coates's book "Between the World and Me" is written as an open letter to his teenage son and explores the history of race in the US. Coates argues that the black body has been commodified and exploited throughout history, from the time of colonialism and slavery to the present day, where it continues to be treated as disposable within American society.

Coates traces the fragility of the black body back to the time of slavery, when black people were turned into objects with a monetary value. By the time of the Civil War, the labour of enslaved black people was worth four billion dollars, more than all of American industry, railroads, workshops and factories combined. The primary product of their labour, cotton, was America's primary export, and the richest men in America made their fortunes off the backs of enslaved black people.

Coates argues that this history of exploitation has resulted in a tradition of destroying the black body in America. He describes the visceral reality of racism, which "dislodges brains, blocks airways, rips muscle, extracts organs, cracks bones, breaks teeth". He also points out that the very idea of being black in America is rooted in the constant danger of "losing" one's body. This legacy of racism remains a form of "terrorism" inflicted on black bodies, and the fear of losing one's body steals energy, time and freedom.

Coates further highlights the physical beauty of black people, particularly in his descriptions of the many attractive, stylish and confident women he met during his time at Howard University. He reveres the physical existence of these women, reminding readers that, despite the violence inflicted on black bodies, black embodiment remains a site of beauty and power.

Today, when 8% of the world's prisoners are black men, Coates asserts that black bodies have refinanced the American Dream of being white. Despite this, he declares that "black life is cheap, but in America, black bodies are a natural resource of incomparable value."

The black body is a result of commodification during colonialism and slavery

In his book "Between the World and Me", Ta-Nehisi Coates discusses the history of race in the US in the form of a letter to his teenage son. He talks about the civil war and the fact that it was "glossed over" in his education, and how the narrative of the country "argues against the truth" of who his son is.

Coates writes about the commodification of the black body, and how it was a result of colonialism and slavery. He highlights the fact that the richest men in America made their wealth from the labour of enslaved people, and that the civil war was fought to maintain this system of exploitation. The black body was commodified and dehumanized, and this was culturally, socially, and politically maintained for hundreds of years.

Coates also discusses the sexual objectification of black women during slavery, and how this was justified through the ideology of white superiority. Black women were vulnerable to dehumanization, sexual exploitation, violence, and rape. They were treated as currency and as objects to be claimed and used for the pleasure of white men. This treatment of black women as commodities was further reinforced by economic institutions, which invested in and profited from their sexual exploitation.

The commodification of the black body was a direct result of colonialism and slavery, and it has had long-lasting effects on the conceptualization of the black body in American society. Coates' work shines a light on these injustices and the ways in which they continue to impact the lives of black Americans today.

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