Souls of Black Folk Ch. 3 Response

The third chapter of the book “Souls of Black Folk” by W.E.B. Du Bois is primarily talking about views on the endurance of African Americans of the hardships of mistreatment and disrespect. Du Bois struggled for equality and consideration of African Americans during the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. W.E.B. Du Bois incorporates many rhetorical devices into the third chapter of his book. Through detail and tone, Du Bois gives a structural view on the morals of freeing black people from the slavery of discrimination.
The tone of Du Bois’ third chapter is that of constructive criticism. He is criticizing Booker T. Washington on his ideas and suggestions for the betterment of the United States as a whole. Du Bois, at some points, disagrees with the viewpoints of Washington, but does not talk badly about his views. Instead, he states where Washington’s viewpoints vary from his own, then he tells why he feels that these ideas of Washington were, to him, incorrect. He does so, however, in quite a respectful manner, and does not once try to cut Washington down.
The tone changes from to resentment towards the end of the chapter where the Declaration of Independence is discussed. “All men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…” (p. 59). This somewhat clichéd saying is present to show the negativity felt towards discriminatory whites by W.E.B. Du Bois. This clause of the Declaration of Independence was the backbone of our country when we had nothing else; it had survived through the Civil War and many others and has been the standpoint of nationalism everywhere, but it is ripped apart like the 300 year old paper it is written on when it comes to skin color.
W.E.B. Du Bois uses great detail in writing this particular chapter. Many instances occur where he uses many different examples of an occurrence. “Thus, Forten and Purvis of Philadelphia, Shad of Wilmington, Du Bois of New Haven, Barbadoes of Boston, and others, strove singly and together as men, they said, not as slaves; as ‘people of color,’ not as “Negroes” (p. 49). Du Bois refers to all these people in order to give his readers more of a background on the topic about which he is writing. This makes the audience better understand the topic and causes them to be more inclined to listen to what Du Bois is saying in this chapter.