Why does Coates make connections to Catholic, Corsican, Welsh, Mennonite, and Jewish people before they were white? How are they white now but not before?

What is the purpose of schools concealing the truth and not getting us ready to go into the real world? What benefits comes from that compared to its impediments?

Why is "Good intention" abused throughout history to excuse the mistreatment against people of color? How is "good intention" "a sleeping pill that ensures the Dream" and how is it that a sleeping pill is needed instead of a reality check that comes with action?

-How does Coates’ perspective and personal experiences impact his perspective and message to his son? How does it compare to other personal beliefs?

-Why did Coates’ write a letter to his son? Why could he not have spoken these words to him personally?

-How does Coates’ being a male or his child being a boy impact the message, if at all? What would the letter be like if it was written or told to a woman, or someone of a different race?

-Why didn’t Coates bother to comfort his son even if he didn’t believe things would be okay?

-If Coates saw all of these things around him (public fights, police brutality, etc.), why did he not consider having the talk with his son sooner?

What personal experiences does the writer have to know what advice to give to his son including his references of "body"?

On page 25, what did he mean by "educated children", why did he not fit into this category?

-By comparing racism to a violent attack against the body and soul, is Coates trying to give a visual of how harmful racism is?

-While he references the "American dream" is Coates trying to say that America is ignorant to the problem at hand while chasing a false dream/reality about America?

-What could one infer about Coates experience growing up through his description of what he had to learn to survive?

-Through Coates speech about guns, can one infer that America/Americans are only truthful through violence?

Why did it have to be written was there a specific reason as to why Coates was not able to talk to his son in person about these crazy situations he could possibly go through?

-Why does Coates put his message in a letter for his son rather than talking face-to-face?

-How could this letter prepare his son for the world, how much impact would it have in his life later on?

-Why would Coates inform his son about the cruelty and discrimination around the age of 15, why not earlier in age?

Why did Coates wait so long to inform his son about the reality of the world?, and why didn't he speak directly to his son about this issue?

Would his advice have changed if his son was a daughter, if he had had him at a later time or earlier time in his life, or if he was using a different format?

What was meant by personal responsibility vs criminal responsibility? Why was it included in this section of the letter?

Did the father's discussion with his son cause the son to have a deeper understanding of racism?

What is the son's view on his past on education now? Does he still reflect upon it as poison'?

How did the son come to the conclusion that even though racism warps his perception of beauty, he still sees black as beautiful, is it due to his environment?

Why does the narrator feel like questioning the stories being told by schools is essential?

How does Malcom X inspire the narrator?

-Is Coates's only message to his son to expose him to America's harsh realities? Or is there another underlying message?

-What does Coates hope will happen by explaining his traumas and fears in the letter? Is it to educate his son, scare him, or encourage him?

-How do the letters that Coates writes depict how racism has not disappeared but evolved into a more subtle nature that still affects the oppressed?

-What is the purpose of writing his son letters explaining the realities of harsh America, knowing his son has already seen and experienced it, and why letters?

-Where is Coates' location