Skin Color in Black Like Me :: Black Like Me Essays

Black Like Me  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Skin Color    What is the value of skin color?   In the biological point of view, it is worth nothing.   In the social point of view, it represents community standings, dignity, confidence or something people have never imagined.   In the story Black Like Me, by John Howard Griffin, a white Southern reporter, who is the author and the main character, experienced an unforgettable journey in the Deep South.   Mr. Griffin has a heart, which is filled with curiosity; he therefore undertook a significant project.   He took several medical treatments to change his skin pigments from white to black in order to write a report. To create a successful project, Griffin had to leave his wife to be a temporary African American.   Being an African American brought him many unfair encounters.   However, after he changed back to a Caucasian, the attitude of everyone had immediately turned, and they treated him well.   Mr. Griffin felt bad, and he told everyone about his experiences by writing book s and attending press interviews.   Throughout these hard times, one can read this book and find out the characteristics of the author, how he saw the light bulb, and the truth that he wanted people to understand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Griffin was a middle age white man who lived with his wife and children.   He was not oriented to his family.   He decided to pass his own society to the black society.   Although this decision might help most of the African Americans, he had to sacrifice his gathering time with his family.   â€Å"She offered, as her part of the project, her willingness to lead, with our three children, the unsatisfactory family life of a household deprived of husband and father† (Griffin 9). Leaving Mrs. Griffin and his children would deprive them of the care they needed.   Even though he was not oriented to his family, he was full of courage.   He was willing to discuss topics that people hesitated to talk about, trying new ideas that people were afraid to do.   After turning back to his own skin color, he attended most media conferences and also wrote books about what he had gone through.   During those interviews, Griffin was ve ry considerate.   He requested Wallace, a reporter, to report carefully so that he would not hurt his African American friends.   â€Å"Please†¦ Don’t mention those names on the air.