Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin | Paraphrased quotes with Main Portions

17 Rhetorical Devices that are found within the book, in which are paraphrased. Practice for Argumentative Essay for AP English Lang

Allusion

John Howard Griffin alludes to Jim Crow Laws that Black people face in the South on a daily basis (Griffin). MP: A reference

Juxtaposition

John Howard Griffin compares the treatment he faces as a White man and Black man to reveal the contrast of how people in the South treat individuals based on the color of their skin (Griffin). MP: contrast

Imagery

Once Griffin finally finds a restroom designed for Black individuals, he describes it as very poorly maintained with very unpleasant smells (Griffin). MP: Appeal to senses

Appeal to Ethical Beliefs

A black man finds John Howard Griffin and offers him a ride as well as a place to stay for the night at his home (Griffin). MP: Right/Correcr/Moral

Aphorism

Griffin often reflects on how people often judge others based on their appearance without knowing the individual, highlighting that empathy is only expressed when someone begins to walk in another person’s shoes (Griffin). MP: Statement providing life advice

Hyperbole

After Griffin lived as a black man for a couple of days, he describes feeling as if his emotional strain and constant strain were crushing him, highlighting that discrimination makes an individual feel as if there is no escape (Griffin). MP: Extreme Exaggeration

Call to Action

After Griffin experiences racism firsthand, Griffin makes the decision to share his story publicly so individuals can understand the reality of segregation and prejudice (Griffin).

MP: Action/Change

Ethos

Griffin is believable because he actually lived as a Black man and wrote about the experiences that happened to him (Griffin). MP: Credibility

Rhetorical Question

Once Griffin changed his appearance he notices how white individuals who once treated him nicely now respond with suspicion and hostility, leading him to question why his character is less worthy than the color of his skin (Griffin). MP: Obvious Question

Simile

While traveling, Griffin describes the tension he begins to feel in segregated spaces, comparing it as a constant danger, as if a bad event could happen at any moment (Griffin). MP: Comparison

Personal Experience as Evidence

John Howard Griffin makes the decision to dye his skin black and travels along the South of the U.S. where he faces discrimination, insults, and fear in order to identify the race issues at the time (Griffin). MP: Lived/ went through

Antitheis

In the book, John Howard Griffin transitions between a white man to a black man and is treated with kindness amongst black people but when he is surrounded by white people he is received with hostility (Griffin). MP: Opposites

Cliché

Griffin proves by illustrating “everyone is treated the same” is not true by displaying  how differently he is treated(Griffin). MP: Overused Expression, lost its touch

Bombast

While John Howard Griffin was a Black man in the South a White man giving him a ride arrogantly talked about how White people were better and smarter than the Black community (Griffin). MP: Arrogant/ Boastful Language

Allegory

John Howard Griffin transforms his skin color turning into a Black man and venturing into the “unknown” (Griffin). MP: A hidden message in the text

Exposition

Before journeying into the South as a Black man, John Howard Griffin explains the reasons why he is going to undergo an extreme transformation which was to expose the racism Black people face and the daily experiences that the Black community face (Griffin). MP: Background information

Personification

As John Howard Griffin looks at his new skin in the mirror, he reflects that the mirror is almost confronting him expressing that it feels like another person is staring back at him, challenging his sense of identity (Griffin). MP: Giving human characteristics