“Night Walker” Response Questions

1. Why do you think Staples refers to the woman he encounters in the beginning of his essay as a

“victim”?

She was not literally a victim, but she was the first person to ever get scared when he was walking behind them. In a way she was a victim but not in the normal way you would think of a victim.

2.What, exactly, is his “unwieldy inheritance” mentioned in the second paragraph?

His unwieldy inheritance was the ability to alter public space in ugly ways. It was clear

that she thought herself the quarry of a mugger, a rapist, or worse.

3. What, exactly, is “the language of fear” (paragraph three)? What examples does Staples give to

illustrate this “language”?

His idea of language of fear was at dark, shadowy intersections in Chicago, I could cross in front of a car stopped at

a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver—black, white, male, or female—

hammering down the door locks. On less traveled streets after dark, I grew accustomed to but never

comfortable with people who crossed to the other side of the street rather than pass me.

4. This piece is sometimes printed under the titles “Just Walk on By: A Black Man Ponders His

Power to Alter Public Space” or “Just Walk on By: Black Men and Public Space”; how do

these very different titles affect your understanding of Staples’ reason for writing? How would

your perception of his purpose for writing this essay change, if given these different titles?

I don't think the different titles really change my interpretation of the story. The title is always what draws your attention so of course a book with the first title is going to get more looks than the second title. It just sounds like a more interesting read.

5. Why do you think whistling selections from Beethoven and Vivaldi seem to make people less

afraid of the author?

I think when people here him whistling they would first be scared but once they really listened and figured out what he was whistling the fright would go away, because only intelligent and harmless people know those songs.