JACK C BUSCH DR G MITSIS ENC1101 07 JUNE 2011 ESSAY # 1 The ability to “alter public space” can often be a negative reaction by society guided by fear and prejudice as depicted by Brent Staples’ in his essay “Just Walk On By”. But can one’s appearance “alter public space” in a positive manner? Because of his appearance as a young‚ burly‚ six-foot-two black man with a beard and billowing hair‚ Staples is perceived by others to be violent or a criminal. Staples could use his appearance as a
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In the essay “Black men and Public Space” by Brent Staples‚ he talks about how being a black man alters public space in a negative way. Altering public space is changing how a person‚ place‚ or thing makes you feel. It can be negative but it also can be positive. Some positive ways altering public space can be a friendly smile walking into a room‚ beautiful new constructions‚ and planting trees to better the environment. Most people go about their business‚ especially in a classroom. Some students
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Angel Johnson Professor O’Toole Journal #3 20 September 2012 Black Men and Public Space In Brent Staples’s “Black Men and Public Space‚” he describes his ability to alter space. Being a broad‚ tall African American‚ Staples is often feared by others and confused with danger. Staples says‚ “As a softy who is scarcely able to take a knife to a raw chicken - let alone hold one to a person’s throat - I was surprised‚ embarrassed‚ and dismayed all at once. Her flight made me feel like an accomplice
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Brief Summary Staples began to realize he had the ability to “alter public space in ugly ways” (Staples‚ 135). He was walking during nighttime in Chicago when a woman noticed him behind her. She quickened her pace‚ eventually running off onto another street to avoid him. He didn’t realize he had that type of negative effect on people until the woman fled in fear. After that incident he began to notice it happened more often than not. People would lock their cars as he passed by. They would walk
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“Alter public space” means the thinking way of human brains about the public place and changes the reality of what it meant to what is in their thoughts. In the essay “Black men and Public Space” Brent Staples shared his personal experiences and feelings about how people react and feel when they met him in public places. He explained that when people met black men in public places people (mostly women) were scared of them and looked for ways and means to escape from them. Stereotyping of black
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Marcquitta Head SOCI 3010 (Public Space) April 3‚ 2011 Introduction Each day we may see new faces‚ or maybe someone we already know. And there are times when we sit down on a park bench or a restaurant outside table (on a sunny day) and observe passers by. At some point and time one may wonder exactly what is public space. Could it be an open space for the public to shop‚ eat‚ socialize‚ or lounge? Or is the definition of space more complex? Well according our reader‚ public space includes all areas
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Public space provides the grounds for cities to be seen and experienced. Whether it is a square‚ a market‚ or a park‚ public space in cities has been noted as the place where ideas are exchanged‚ city identity is built and citizenship is learned (Carr et al.‚ 1992; Low‚ 2000; Goodsell‚ 2003). Such places are important and even necessary for citizens to enjoy a good quality of life and well-being (Relph‚ 1993). Historically‚ public places have played an important role in cities in many cultures
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The founding fathers and every American official during the 1700s illustrated the great extent that men dominated politics. Even with the Declaration of Independence‚ which proclaimed that “all men are created equal‚” women did not gain voting rights for nearly 150 years after the document was written. Through the 1800s and early 1900s‚ women gained confidence and established organizations to assert their own rights. They formed effective strikes and suffrage groups that coincided with political
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Not everyone has a special power to alter public space‚ but if you were different from your surrounding‚ then you would probably have a very good sense about what I am talking about. In "Black Space"‚ Brent Staples claims that he is black man who whenever in public is meet with fear from his surrounding because of his races stereotype. He clearly points out one can easily change physical behavior and dressing in order to alter public space in a good way or bad way. As Staples says‚ Black men have
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reflective essay “Black Men and Public Spaces” by Brent Staples‚ argues about the author’s personal struggles for being a black man‚ in his twenties‚ in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Brent Staples was born and raised in Chester‚ Pennsylvania but he finished his studies and began working as a journalist in Chicago and New York City. Staples writes about some stories that gradually led him to realize over the fear of being judged by his race. In “Black Men and Public Spaces”‚ Staples let us become aware
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