Study Guide: The Measure of a Man
V. Chapter Four: Life in Black and White
B. Writing Incentives
Choose one of these writing assignments.
1.
Sidney Poitier mentions the great influence that these individuals have had on his political education: Paul Robeson, Dr. Ralphe Bunche, A. Philip Randolph, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Roy Wilkins, Mary McCloud Bethune, Walter White, Whitney Young, Langston Hughes, and Harry Belafonte, Leon Bibb, and Philip and Doris Rose. (The names were listed according to their order of appearance on page 76.)
Do internet research on one of these individuals. Write a report on the person’s life and indicate in this report how he or she has had an impact on life as we know it today.
2.
Sidney Poitier made “Life in Black and White” the title of this chapter. What does it mean when something is “black and white”? Given the context of the chapter, why is “Life in Black and White” such a good play on words?
3. Working with Quotations
This is how Sidney Poitier learned to survive:
“Telling myself that I would probably lose took the edge off being afraid to lose. ‘Prepare for the worst; hope for the best.’ I did that a lot. That was the credo that enabled me to get from crisis to crisis” (80).
Why is the fear of failure often a hindrance to success? How does the willingness to fail give an individual the ability to succeed? Write an essay in response to these questions by referring not only to Sidney Poitier’s experiences but to yours as well.
4. Agreeing or Disagreeing with Definitions
Sidney Poitier writes how being an “outsider” and “survivor” can be the same and different at the same time:
“Life offered no auditions for the many roles I had to play. And nowhere along the roads I traveled can I recall (83) ever hearing the word ‘outsider’ applied to me. I had for years considered myself an old hand at the game of staying alive. But with failure walking in my shadow every minute, waiting for the misstep that could derail my whole existence, ‘survivor’ seemed to me a more appropriate label under which my life should be filed.
Over time, however, I began to notice the frequency with which ‘outsider’ was applied to others. The term began to resonate with me, causing me to wonder who I was really, at the center of myself. Eventually, I came to see myself in the outsider, and the outsider in me. I knew that outsider and survivor often work as partners, but they’re not twins” (82-83).
Show whether you agree or disagree with the distinction Poitier makes between the words “outsider” and “survivor.” Refer not only to his experiences but also to your own as you develop your answer.