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James Weldon Johnson

            In the Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, there were three main dilemmas. According to Webster's dictionary a dilemma is a situation that requires a choice between options, usually equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive. In other words, a dilemma is a problem that presents a difficult choice. In James Weldon Johnson's book, his character faced many similar problems that African Americans faced all over the country at this time.
             The story is about a young man born in the southern state of Georgia, but was raised in the northern part of the country, which is frequently referred to as "Negro friendly". When he is young, he loses his mother to death and for the first time faced with his first real life dilemma. This dilemma was the one of were and what was he to do with his life. This was a time of mourning when a person tends to lose site of rational thinking, and decision making becomes a chore. He had to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. His mother had left him some money that and with that he decided to fulfill his long time dream of pursuing college and with money he had been left he could pursue at least two years at an Atlanta college rather a short stay a Harvard or another New England school.
             Soon after he decided to go south in his quest for education, he came upon some turbulence. Despite seeing the racial tension and discrimination, he was subjected to be robbed by a fellow tenant at an overnight boarding house he had been staying at. This posed a real problem. He had already visited the president of the university and made plans to attend the school not knowing his funding was no longer available. Now his chances of entering school were significantly shortened and once again he had a dilemma on his hands as to how he could overcome this situation. He had no money, no where to live and no plans. He soon recovered and found himself in Florida working with a group of Cubans in a factory as a "stripper".


Essays Related to James Weldon Johnson

1. James Weldon Johnson And The NAACP

... and soon, after the Voting Act (naacp.com). The NAACP encountered many who helped the organization achieve those various victories. One in particular was James Weldon Johnson. Born in Jacksonville, Florida in 1891 to James and the former Helen Louise Dillet, Johnson would eventually sometime in his lifetime, become a songwriter, poet, novelist, journalist, autobiographer, diplomat, educator, lawyer and later become an active member of the ... Ex-Colored Man." Most people felt as if the novel was his life story so later in life, he wrote his autobiography, "Along This Way" (English.uiuc....

  • Word Count: 1687
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Creation

"The Creation" by James Weldon Johnson is poetry about God almighty created what we know as life. As, God stepped out onto space he said he was "lonely". Next, he said to himself that he would ... a living thing soul. We all know that the book of "Genesis" is the first sign of creation and it also describes the creation of the world like the poem by James Weldon Johnson. Basically, it's the same, but a little different. The only things that are different to me is that god was more vocal in the book of "Genesis". When God wanted something ... or he wanted something to happen he just spoke up...

  • Word Count: 292
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

3. The Genesis the way God creates the heavens and the earth

... piece of literature. The tone is more serious and deepening. In James Weldon Johnson's "The Creation" his tone is more passionate and emotional than it is deep. This passionate and emotional tone is seen in Johnson's use of imagery, diction, and language. Johnson relies heavily on imagery. He expresses himself in a very religious way ... Normally when you think of cuddling you think of a baby cuddling in its mother's lap. So the lakes "cuddling" makes the setting seem cozy. Johnson uses phrases that sound biblical to show his diction. For example, "And the sun was on his right hand, and t...

  • Word Count: 356
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

4. African American Literature

... Harper. The second of the two time periods assigned to African American literature is 20th century, and that would include authors such as Sterling A. Brown, Jean Toomer, Zora Neal Hurston, Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Richard Wright, Maya Angelou and the list goes on to include newer African American authors and scholars such as Cornell West, Toni Morrison and Nikki Giovanni. All of ... unmarked grave that was recently commented upon by Alice Walker in 1973 which has sparked more interest in Hurston's work among Americans. James Weldon Johnson is another well-recognized African Ame...

  • Word Count: 2200
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Gwendolyn Brooks

... supportive of her literary ambitions (Magill 450). As a young child her favorite poems were Emily Dickinson, Keats, and Shelley (Kort 26). As a high school student Brooks sent some poems to James Weldon Johnson and Langston Hughes, both of whom encouraged her and praised her work (Podolsky 215). By the age of sixteen she had a substantial portfolio with seventy five published poems (Williams 1). As ... supportive of her literary ambitions (Magill 450). As a young child her favorite poems were Emily Dickinson, Keats, and Shelley (Kort 26). As a high school student Brooks sent some poems ...

  • Word Count: 1405
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. BLACK OR WHITE, WHICH RACE DO I CHOOSE?AN ANALYSIS OF THE DE

... detrimental elements that influence people, thus causing confusion in their identity and their choice between races. In this novel, James Weldon Johnson uses black language, but he is not renowned to the black culture. The protagonist of "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man" by James Weldon Johnson has characteristics and habits of a white man. He is a black man, yet his skin is fair. He has ... ...

  • Word Count: 1633
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

7. The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

In "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man" tells the first-person narration of James Weldon Johnson. This autobiography shows a contemptuous point of view about skin color. Johnson clearly expresses his way of thinking as being purely acceptable in that time period. Johnson claimed that it was "most natural" to have children with people who ... black race nor claim the white race; but that I would change my name raise a mustache, and let the world take me for what I would"(Johnson 490). By saying this it meant that the ex-colored man could live fearless and from the white man and have a bett...

  • Word Count: 781
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Rites into a New World

... virginity, but also she ignited her "seventh sense" to see how the world views her, as well as how she viewed herself. James Weldon Johnson also understood, and applied his double- consciousness in his novel, The Autobiography of An Ex - Colored Man . James Johnson life was a rare but not extraordinary situation of a black man growing up "passing" for white. However, he received his awakening when ... in their lives were not very much favored. In the end of both novels, both authors turned away to their Black identity. Maya Angelou concluded as just being a woman, and James Johnson diso...

  • Word Count: 952
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. The Works of W.E.B. Du Bois

... to elaborate that the Negro has a difficult time in placing themselves among the other races of the world. Du Bois influenced a great number of people in his career as a writer. James Weldon Johnson was one example. He was so intrigued by William's work that he sought after him in Atlanta University, after which the two became good friends and worked hand in hand ... even in the NAACP. Johnson even took after the theory of 'double consciousness' as was brought out in Du Bois' works. In fact, James wrote a poem to illustrate the Black independence movement linked to their spirituali...

  • Word Count: 1214
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography

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