The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American

E343578

"The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American" is an essay by James Baldwin that reflects on national identity, race, and belonging, particularly through his experiences living abroad.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf essay ⓘ
literary work ⓘ
author James Baldwin ⓘ
countryOfOrigin United States ⓘ
discusses contrast between America and Europe ⓘ
experience of living abroad ⓘ
freedom and responsibility of the writer ⓘ
racial dynamics in the United States ⓘ
the condition of the American artist ⓘ
the outsider’s perspective ⓘ
field African American studies ⓘ
American studies ⓘ
essay studies ⓘ
literary criticism ⓘ
focusesOn James Baldwin’s personal experiences ⓘ
self-discovery through travel ⓘ
the meaning of citizenship ⓘ
the relationship between race and nationality ⓘ
genre nonfiction ⓘ
personal essay ⓘ
hasSubject Americans in Europe ⓘ
Black Americans abroad ⓘ
linked to: Black Americans

cultural comparison ⓘ
identity formation ⓘ
social criticism ⓘ
isAbout how distance clarifies national identity ⓘ
the complexities of being Black and American ⓘ
what distinguishes Americans from Europeans ⓘ
language English ⓘ
literaryMovement African-American literature ⓘ
American literature ⓘ
mainTheme American identity ⓘ
belonging ⓘ
cultural identity ⓘ
exile ⓘ
national identity ⓘ
race ⓘ
the African American experience ⓘ
the writer’s role in society ⓘ
narrativePerspective first person ⓘ
period 20th century ⓘ
setting Europe ⓘ
France ⓘ
Switzerland ⓘ
tone analytical ⓘ
autobiographical ⓘ
reflective ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Nobody Knows My Name → hasEssay → The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American ⓘ
Nobody Knows My Name: More Notes of a Native Son → hasPart → “The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American” (essay) ⓘ
linked to: The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American