In Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Coates recounts his life in the United States to his son by providing him a letter in which he talks about what life is like and the difficulties encountered when living in a black body. The underlying theme of the novel that depicts such a lifestyle is the disembodiment of African Americans throughout the American social structure. The American social structure causes black people to live in fear and makes them skeptical of America. To be disembodied means to be detached from one's own body. This causes individuals to feel opposed; feeling useless; feeling like you're not part of the world. By addressing the theme of disembodiment, Coates is able to show the destruction of the black community and teach his teenage son the realities of being black in the United States. In this article, I will give examples of how black communities were disembodied by exploitation and how this led to their destruction. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The American social structure has created fear in black communities due to the injustices they face and the social stigma placed on them. Coates shows this when he first brings up the idea of ​​police brutality. He says: “Destroyers will rarely be held responsible. Most of the time they will receive pensions… All this is common to black people. And all this is old for black people. No one is held accountable” (Coates, 2015, 9). Black communities should not be accustomed to this idea of ​​inequality and injustice when it comes to American politics. They must deal with these issues to the point where they already know who will be favored by this matter; whites. This is not just about police brutality, but also about racial discrimination. Black people are disembodied and pushed aside. “[It] is a kind of terrorism, and its threat alters the orbit of all of our lives and, like terrorism, its distortion is intentional” (Coates, 2015, 114). Their voices still remain unheard. America is known for being an equal protection country, but that is not the case for African Americans. The laws do not protect them as they should and black people are aware of this worrying nature. Coates demonstrates this when he says: “The law has not protected us. And now, in your time, the law has become a pretext to stop and search you, that is, to intensify the assault on your body” (Coates, 2015, 17). Police officers tend to avoid any legal questions regarding the treatment of civilians. The police do not have the right to harm anyone during a scene under initial investigation. They have set rules to follow and officers tend to abuse this authority they have over citizens. This makes the police system unfair and violates its principle of “keeping people safe”. This further leads to disembodiment, as black people feel unwelcome in the face of such mistreatment. They are afraid of white people and abuse from authorities. Additionally, Coates also mentions how he had to “adapt” to new ways of surviving and not disembodiment on the streets. He had to learn to protect himself and “protect [his] body” (Coates, 2015, 23). Coates “memorized a list of forbidden blocks [and] learned the smell and feel of bad weather” (Coates, 2015, 23). As a black man involved, he needed to be prepared and know where the assault took place. He also wrote to his son: "When I was about your age, every day, a thirdof my brain was preoccupied with who I went to school with, exactly how many of us there were, how we walked, how many times I smiled. …I practiced street culture, a culture concerned primarily with the preservation of the body” (Coates, 2015, 24). He is aware of his every step and appearance. He knows how other African Americans see him and how white people see him. This concern also shows how fear has spread into the daily lives of African Americans. Coates is aware that racism has not disappeared and he wants to protect his son. Even as an adult, Coates faced disrespect when a white man yelled at him, "'I could have arrested you'" (Coates, 2015, 94) for defending his son from walk wherever he wanted. White people are aware of the race divide and choose to take advantage of it. Black people do not have the opportunities in life that other ethnicities get and as a result their lives are surrounded by fear. He “admits that he is afraid. And [has] no God to support [him]” (Coates, 2015, 113). Coates uses these examples to show the brokenness of the black community and teach his son the realities of living in a black body. He wants to prepare his son for the unreasonable but encourage him to move forward without fear despite the difficulties he will face. Not only did fear arise in black communities living in the United States, but America's social structure also led black people to be skeptical. of the nation. The United States is seen as a country that protects everyone and is home to the American dream, but it fails to convey this aspect. This nation has created a history of destruction of black bodies and minds. Coates refers to it as a “system that makes your body breakable” (Coates, 2015, 18). He reminds his son: “Here's what I want you to know: in America, it's tradition to destroy the black body – it's a legacy” (Coates, 2015, 103). People never realize the truth behind America since it is considered an exceptional country and for this reason, Americans never accept their offenses. This is not the nation Coates hoped for. Instead, he sees it filled with hatred and crime. He says: "America believes itself to be exceptional, the greatest and noblest nation that ever lived, a lone champion standing between the white city of democracy and the terrorists, despots, barbarians and other enemies of civilization... And it is so easy to look away, live with the fruits of our history and ignore the great evil committed in each of our names. But you and I have never really had that luxury (Coates, 2015, 8-9). As a result of this disillusionment, black communities in the United States became skeptical of America. If he were to follow his standards, African Americans would feel accepted and treated as part of the world. Coates also challenges American schooling and the false perceptions it creates. “I loved a few of my teachers. But I can't say I really believed any of them... I felt like the schools were hiding something, drugging us with false morals so we couldn't see, so we wouldn't wonder: Why – for us and only us – is the other. on the side of free will and free spirits, an attack against our body? (Coates, 2015, 26). Coates' questions were never answered since the others were never concerned with curiosity. Americans learned what they needed to learn, excluding concerns and ignoring reality, portraying America with this sense of disbelief. Coates only wants what is best for his son and informs him.