Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates is the author of The Message. He is an American writer and journalist. The Message is a collection of four standalone essays that explore ideas about writing, reading, community, and freedom. Throughout the essays, Coates employs multiple points of view and tonal registers to build trust with his reader. He uses the first-person singular point of view predominantly when he is conveying episodes from his personal life. He uses the first-person plural point of view when he is relating to his audience; this narrative vantage equalizes Coates with his reader and dismantles the potential hierarchy between teacher and student. He uses the first-person direct address and the second person point of view when he is speaking directly to his reader. This perspective creates intimacy between Coates and his audience and enacts the communal ties Coates advocates for throughout The Message.

Coates grew up in...