The Blind Men and the Elephant

"The Blind Men and the Elephant" is a thoughtful exploration of the complexities of truth and perception, illustrated through a parable that highlights the limitations of individual perspectives. Based on an ancient Indian fable, the story features several blind men who each encounter a different part of an elephant and come away with distinct interpretations of what the creature is, leading to conflict and misunderstanding. James Baldwin uses this narrative to delve into themes of identity, social justice, and the necessity of empathy in understanding others' experiences, urging readers to recognize the multifaceted nature of reality and the importance of listening to diverse voices.

• Short story

								
There were once six blind men who stood by the road-side every day,
and begged from the people who passed. They had often heard of
el-e-phants, but they had never seen one; for, being blind, how could
they?

It so happened one morning that an el-e-phant was driven down the road
where they stood. When they were told that the great beast was before
them, they asked the driver to let him stop so that they might see
him.

Of course they could not see him with their eyes; but they thought
that by touching him they could learn just what kind of animal he was.

The first one happened to put his hand on the elephant's side. "Well,
well!" he said, "now I know all about this beast. He is ex-act-ly like
a wall."

The second felt only of the elephant's tusk. "My brother," he said,
"you are mistaken. He is not at all like a wall. He is round and
smooth and sharp. He is more like a spear than anything else."

The third happened to take hold of the elephant's trunk. "Both of you
are wrong," he said. "Anybody who knows anything can see that this
elephant is like a snake."

The fourth reached out his arms, and grasped one of the elephant's
legs. "Oh, how blind you are!" he said. "It is very plain to me that
he is round and tall like a tree."

The fifth was a very tall man, and he chanced to take hold of the
elephant's ear. "The blind-est man ought to know that this beast is
not like any of the things that you name," he said. "He is ex-act-ly
like a huge fan."

The sixth was very blind indeed, and it was some time before he could
find the elephant at all. At last he seized the animal's tail. "O
foolish fellows!" he cried. "You surely have lost your senses. This
elephant is not like a wall, or a spear, or a snake, or a tree;
neither is he like a fan. But any man with a par-ti-cle of sense can
see that he is exactly like a rope."

Then the elephant moved on, and the six blind men sat by the roadside
all day, and quar-reled about him. Each believed that he knew just how
the animal looked; and each called the others hard names because they
did not agree with him. People who have eyes sometimes act as
foolishly.
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