"And herein lies the tragedy of the age; not that men are poor,-all men know something of poverty; not that men are wicked, -who is good? not that men are ignorant, -what is truth? Nay, but that men know so little of men" (185).
My group spent a lot of time analyzing this passage today. At first glance, Du Bois tricks the reader with his eloquence. What does he really mean though? Du Bois is not saying that men are rich, good, and wise, but that men do not know their true capacity. Everything is relative in life. There will always be richer, better, and wiser. It is important to know that there is always the possibility and capability to attain these qualities. The temptation of doubt seems to haunt Du Bois. He realizes that the greatest obstacle people can face is something self-constructed. By doubting your own abilities, you may lose the opportunity to find out any talents, skills, or thoughts you may have.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment