Speaker– The speaker is Ta-Nehisi Coates. He has 6 brothers, and he seems to have an understanding of the fact that people call each other different things, based on their relationship.
Occasion– The reason why Coates is bringing up this topic of using the “n-word” is because we live in a time where racial tension is still prevalent, even though it is rare. A lot of racism is silent, due to the high positions some of these people hold. But, Coates makes the point that even people under the spotlight can be openly racist.
Audience– The audience Coates is trying to reach are those who may be confused, about the context of the word, or to people who think that the word should be banned, who aren’t black.
Purpose– The purpose of this article is to show that “white racism needs no verification from black people.” Coates wants to get the point across that a word can take on a different meaning, depending on the context it was used in. Coates talks about how people call each other words that normally would be hateful and extremely offensive; but the relationship and tone of words make it obvious that it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously.
Tone– The tone of this article is very informative, and upfront. This is due to the blatant use of “derogatory” words. But I think he does this intentionally to make the point even clearer that these words take on different meanings based on even the reader, and Coates.
I agree with Coates because he is saying that “white people” have no power to discern what words a black man should or should not be saying. He is saying that the use of the word “nigger” shows the trials black people had to endure, and that a word so strong, reflects back on times that won’t be forgotten.
