Baldwin's essays aim to do more than just inform readers about racial prejudice in America. He seeks to delve into the roots of this bias, understand its origins, and explore ways to address it. He achieves this through various methods, including sharing his personal experiences. In the essay ‘‘Notes of a Native Son,’’ Baldwin recalls an incident where he was refused service at a restaurant. Initially, he was somewhat oblivious to this form of discrimination. He had visited the restaurant several times and didn't realize that the poor treatment was due to his race. He first assumed that the bad service was a fault of the restaurant itself, not a racial issue. However, as he noticed people staring at him in the predominantly white town, he became more aware of the prejudice surrounding him. This growing awareness fueled his anger. One night, when he hurled a water pitcher at a waitress who refused to serve him, he realized the depth of his anger. Shortly after this incident, Baldwin decided to leave the United States to gain a more objective viewpoint, hoping to better understand both the bias and his responses to it.

Baldwin also theorizes about the essence of prejudice. He analyzes situations and draws conclusions, as seen in ‘‘Many Thousands Gone,’’ where he discusses the stereotypical characters of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Tom. Baldwin argues that these figures were created by a white society that wanted to believe all African Americans were loyal, devoted servants without any resentment towards their employers. These stereotypes are dangerously misleading, Baldwin concludes, because they conceal the deep-seated anger and sense of vengeance that many African Americans feel, contrary to the cheerful images that white Americans attempt to project onto them through these stereotypes.

Another way to explore racial prejudice is through comparison. In "Stranger in the Village," Baldwin recounts the relatively innocent prejudice of Swiss villagers in a remote mountain town who have never encountered a Black person before. When the village children shout "Neger!" as Baldwin walks by, he finds it easier to forgive them than he would someone in the United States using the same word. The Swiss children are simply ignorant and naive; they are reacting to the visual difference of Baldwin's dark skin compared to their own pale complexions. In contrast, in the U.S., the word "nigger" carries deeply derogatory connotations. Baldwin attributes this to the historical context of African Americans in the United States, starting with slavery. The negative use of the word "nigger" in the U.S. is intended to sustain the oppression of African Americans.

In this collection of essays, Baldwin frequently delves into themes of both personal and cultural identity. In pieces such as "Autobiographical Notes" and "Notes of a Native Son," he contemplates his own identity, while in other essays, he endeavors to articulate what it means to be African American.

When exploring his personal identity, Baldwin draws upon influences from his parents, the environment of Harlem, and the racial dynamics of being black in the U.S. before the Civil Rights Act. He aims to maintain an impartial viewpoint when discussing his father, attempting to separate himself from the image his father projected onto him. Baldwin seeks to comprehend the poverty and crime that shaped his formative years. Upon moving to Paris, he tries to gain insight into the American society that affected his self-image.

Baldwin's exploration extends beyond the personal, as he seeks to define a wider identity for the African American community. In "The Harlem Ghetto," he investigates the external influences impacting the everyday lives of many black individuals in the North. In "Encounter on the Seine: Black Meets Brown," he underscores the contrasts in self-perception and external perception between African blacks and American blacks.