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The author is the only major character who makes his presence known throughout the book. He is well-educated and has been widely published, and his essays reveal him to be a deep thinker and sensitive human being. Du Bois’s purpose in writing is to lift the symbolic “Veil” Black people live behind in order to enlighten white readers about Black people’s faith, sorrows, and struggles. Using personal examples, Du Bois shares the issues in his own life. Religion gave him a foundation for his strong moral compass, and his sorrows, including the death of a young son, molded him into a man who feels compassion for others. His own struggles with racism add personal depth to his discussion of the topic. 

Du Bois believes the way forward for his people is through education, particularly higher education. He is at odds with people who believe Black people should only be given industrial training, preparing them for the work force but not for life. He is his own best example of this ideal, as he was very happy for two years teaching school in a small rural community where he nurtured young minds.

Du Bois deeply desires for Black people to be able to be both Black and American. He feels the powers of mind and body that his people possess have been wasted, and he wants their brilliance to shine through. He is not ignorant of the powers of the white man that stand in the way of Black people’s success, nor does he shy away from describing the physical and emotional violence that white people incite. Du Bois is part of his own broader narrative in that he knows that poverty is the main oppressor, and he feels that white people in general are in collusion to keep Black people poor and ignorant. He desires for Black culture to be allowed to flourish in America as deeply as he wants Black and white people to get along based on mutual understanding of one another. Du Bois writes these essays after his own character and moral compass are fully formed, so he reveals his growth through personal anecdotes and through stories about former students.

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