Character Sketch

Character Sketch

John Howard Griffin the author and main character of the book Black Like Me makes a drastic decision to change his skin from white to black temporarily, using pigmentation pills and a sunlamp, after weeks of taking the medication he shaves his head and hands and becomes a Negro. He sets his destination to New Orleans to live life as a black man for a few weeks. While he is there he experiences many difficulties everywhere he goes and he is shocked at the extent of prejudice and discrimination towards the blacks.

John Howard Griffin is a middle age white man, he wears glasses wears expensive clothes and he is fairly large. Though when he goes to New Orleans he looks a little suspicious being well dressed. He is very sympathetic.

His personality is very observant, he is writing a book so he must not show to much emotion. But after he turns his skin completely black he is so shocked to what he see in the mirror that he almost becomes depressed and feels alone. He has had to leave his wife and kids and leave his old life and start a new life in a quite different community from the one he is used to. I'd say he is pretty brave and is a motivational writer.

All together Griffin deals with hardship, discrimination and prejudice where ever he goes, he is not treated like a human being during his journey, he is treated as non-living and worthless. He is surprised and compassionate towards the black community and everything that they have to deal with daily.