A fuller understanding of the complexity of the racial evolution of the 1960s is better realized by examining the first-hand accounts of those individuals directly affected by the racial upheaval of the time period. Eldridge Cleaver's autobiographical letters in Soul on Ice provide an insightful perspective of a black prison inmate trapped in a world ruled by white bigotry during the 1960s.

In this essay, I will examine Eldridge Cleaver's Soul on Ice in three parts:

2. Demonstrate how he rhetorically develops his themes;

3. Draw conclusions about the questions his work poses.

While Cleaver's assorted letters address a variety of topics, several general themes arise from the totality of his work. I will briefly discuss these general themes, and in the next section, demonstrate how Cleaver develops these themes rhetorically.

Cleaver's letters serve as a personal healing mechanism that allow him to can cope with the harsh realities that define his existence. He confronts head-on the identity crisis that faces black and white America as their two worlds clash during the turbulent 1960s. And, after examining the bitterness of his anger

While Cleaver espouses an array of different ideas throughout his letters, three themes surface throughout his work: personal coping through the written word; exploring America's identity crisis as seen through sexual tensions; and finally hope for racial progress.

Cleaver, fed up with oppressive white supremacy, deplores the views of the Uncle Tom "Negro leaders" because they acquiesce to the white power structure. Cleaver issues a broad critique of the black elite for accepting the white power structure and condemns them for standing in the way of real progress. "The 'Negro leaders' and the whites who depended upon them to control their people, were outraged by the impudence of the students. Calling for a moratorium on student initiative, they were greeted instead by an encore of sit-ins, and retired to their ivory towers to contemplate the new phenomenon" (71).

Cleaver's use of autobiographical narrative effectively helps develop the themes of personal coping and hope for racial progress. As seen in the earlier quote about his need to write, the reader watches Cleaver's evolution unfold before the reader's eyes. Cleaver first describes his innate desire for sexual conquest over white women, only to later discover the error of his ways. The reader is better able to understand Cleaver's earlier motivations and the later admissions because Cleaver has engaged the reader with the deeply personal autobiographical narrative. The reader finds himself coping alongside Cleaver, almost sympathizing and hoping for Cleaver's salvation as Cleaver begins to write. Secondly, the autobiographical narrative provides the reader with a front row seat to Cleaver's changing views on America's racial standings during the 1960's. While at first Cleaver views white men as innately evil and yearns for white men's blood, Cleaver later begins to express!

towards America's racial caste system, Cleaver attempts to offer a foundation for racial progress and hope for future generations.

While Cleaver employs an array of rhetorical devices to develop his themes, for the sake of time in this essay, I will examine two examples in particular that help define Cleaver's style. First, Cleaver uses an autobiographical and deeply personal narrative of his own life to provide a human face to the effects of the racial caste system on the psyche of the American black man. Secondly, and more importantly, Cleaver unabashedly uses blunt and unpleasant imagery to probe and shock the reader so as to demonstrate the real, but often ignored, effects of racial bigotry.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Ice Cleaver's, Tom Negro, Based Cleaver's, Themes Cleaver's, True Cleaver's, Soul Ice, Eldridge Cleaver's, Devices Cleaver, Conclusions Cleaver's, Finally Cleaver's, autobiographical narrative, identity crisis, white women, civil rights, sexual tension, racial progress, america's racial, hope racial, soul ice, racial caste system, caste system, hope racial progress, cleaver issues broad, cleaver's autobiographical narrative, white power structure,
Approximate Word count = 2021
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)