The Fire Next Time

Analyze the effectiveness of the structure of The Fire This Time. “My Dungeon Shook” is structured as a letter. “Down at the Cross” is structured into three parts: The first describes a problem (Christianity), the second offers an alternative (Islam), and the third considers the best course of action toward liberation. Consider these points as you reflect on the text to answer the question.

• Why is a letter an apt format for Baldwin’s message in “My Dungeon Shook”?
• In “Down at the Cross,” how does Baldwin include personal anecdotes in each section, and how do these stories add depth and complexity to his thoughts?
• How do the three sections in “Down at the Cross” work together in conversation to ultimately bring Baldwin to the conclusion that the fate of America rests in the hands of “relatively conscious” Black and white folks?
• How does the structure of each essay connect to at least one of the text’s main themes of The Failure of Religion, Dismantling the White Power Structure, and The Transformative Power of Freedom?

Teaching Suggestion: Consider providing students with a graphic organizer prior to the discussion so that they might organize their thoughts and come prepared with comments, questions, and evidence. A pre-designed template that shows that accounts for both essays might be helpful so that students can consider the ways in which structure impacts the message of each.