James Baldwin Giovanni's Room Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

James Baldwin Giovanni's Room - Essay Example The former is an internal and personal issue, while the latter is an external and cultural issue. Actions speak louder than words is almost clich in the novel. Lack of self-acceptance and fear of his sexuality is explicitly demonstrated by David all throughout his life. His first encounter with discovering his sexual orientation started when he was a boy. He had an affair in Brooklyn with his friend named Joey; they kissed and made love to each other. The next day, he bullied him just to feel that he is dominant and is a real man. The action clearly states that he was not ready to accept that he likes boys, and maybe, he was also afraid that he might get teased by his friends. This action is common among children, because fatherly and motherly roles reinforce a clear distinction between manly and womanly roles. Furthermore, in a conservative culture like that of Brooklyn, such orientation is near to banned. But David's past does not end there, for it haunted him until his adult life. He started drinking and driving in order to forget. He moved from America to France to eliminate those painful memories and renew his life. Finally, he decided to commit his life to Hella, a woman, her girlfriend.