The Rock Pile By James Baldwin Summary

James Baldwin was the author of many works such as Giovanni's Room, Another Country, and The Fire Next Time. As a young boy in Harlem, his talent with words was seen. Despite his talents they were hardly allowed to be used due to the fact his deeply religious parents disapproved of his interest in literature and wanted him to pursue in the church. After doing a few odd jobs and following in his fathers footsteps and becoming a preacher for several years Baldwin moved to Paris where he lived for the next four years.It was during these years that his career jump started with his first hit GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. Baldwin was known for writing on racy subjects such as homosexuality,civil rights, and prejudices. He was a successful writer all the way up until his death in 1987, after which his works are
His religious background plays a big role in the style, references to "the good lord" and to"saints" are seen, as well as a reference to the father as "the reverend". There was also a conflict between the family's strict religious values and the temptations of the neighborhood. Regional dialect is also used; words like "rekon", "ain't" and phrases like " you want me to take a strap to you", all of which help describe life during the time period, and give the reader a sense of the cultural background of Harlem. Part of Baldwin's style is his use of symbolism. The main symbol is the rock pile which also happens to be the title of the story. The pile represents the things the mother dislikes in the world."They fought on the rock pile,surefooted,dangerous, and reckless, they rushed each other and grappled on the heights". This quotation depicts the bad things associated with the pile. In conclusion, Baldwins style effects the reader by relating the theme to things associated with their own lives and makes familiar characters to which the reader can