Final answer:
Du Bois’s The Souls of Black Folk aims to elucidate the experiences of African Americans, using metaphor and historical references to call attention to racial issues. In contrast, Brooks's poem We Real Cool analyzes youth identity formation against the backdrop of social group dynamics. Both authors use their writings to convey deeper societal observations and commentaries.
Step-by-step explanation:
When analyzing a text such as The Souls of Black Folk, it is important to discern the author's purpose. W.E.B. Du Bois, the author, aims to convey the complex reality of African American life at the turn of the twentieth century. He writes to inform and enlighten his readers, particularly calling attention to the ongoing issue of racial discrimination and the concept of 'double consciousness' experienced by Black people. By exploring time, space, and place, he provides context around the struggles and achievements of black Americans post-Emancipation.
Du Bois employs various literary techniques to express his points, such as metaphor and historical references, which serve to enrich the reader's understanding. The effectiveness of these techniques is affirmed through their success in engaging the reader emotionally and intellectually. Moreover, his narrative invites the reader to imagine the dignity and struggles of Black lives, challenging the very structure of American society and how it perceives race.
By analyzing the theme of a text, as seen in Gwendolyn Brooks's poem We Real Cool, we reveal the underlying messages or observations being made. For example, the importance of companionship among the youth, and how it affects the formation of one's identity is a prominent theme observed in the poem.
Lastly, when considering texts from different authors, we have to be cognizant of the diverse intentions and contexts that shape their narrative. The victorious versus the vanquished, for instance, imparts an underlying bias or perspective that inevitably influences the tone of the text.