Assimilation and Pride

Henry L. Gates, Jr.¡¦s ¡§In the Kitchen¡¨ presents how the author deals with the contradiction between pride in one¡¦s own background and desired assimilation into the ¡§mainstream¡¨ society. Gates primarily underscores the complicated experience that many African Americans undergo through his display of hair. Consequently, the two opposing issues of blending in with society and showing a sense of pride come together in his response to the struggle between making similar and reminiscing …

…in different ways than he had and not to highlight the importance of ¡§good¡¨ hair or ¡§bad¡¨ hair, the audience would probably interpret the essay differently because the author conveyed another message through the different reactions. And because Gates effectively illustrated the feelings and actions of his, the reader cannot help but agree that this was not just the normal lifestyle of another growing boy, who chose to hide no secrets from the outside world.