The essay uses this staggering number to anchor a broader critique of:
In the context of the essay, represents the official U.S. death toll from COVID-19 as of the specific day Laymon was writing (late June 2020). Key Themes 125039
that address the intersection of race and the pandemic. How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America: Essays The essay uses this staggering number to anchor
The number is a central recurring figure in the essay "Day 10," written by Kiese Laymon . This piece is part of his 2020 collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America: Essays . Meaning of the Number How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in
he uses to blend personal memoir with political commentary.
He reflects on the danger posed to his ninety-year-old grandmother, a Black woman from Mississippi with a compromised immune system, whose caregiver had contracted the virus.
He notes the disparity between the wealth generated by his speaking tours and the grueling manual labor his grandmother performed for decades to earn the same amount. If you'd like to dive deeper, I can help you with: Summarizing other essays in Laymon's collection.