Question

what does du bois mean by the fact that every african american \ever feels his twoness\?
african americans feel like both free americans and enslaved people
african americans feel like both americans and africans
african americans feel as though they are being judged and measured
done
the negro is ... always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. one ever feels his twoness,—an american, a negro; two warring souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled unbalanced strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body ... the history of the american negro is the history of this strife,—this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. he would not bleach his negro soul in a flood of white americanism for he knows that negro blood has a message for the world. he...

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of Du Bois' "twoness", we analyze the quote: "an American, a Negro; two warring souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled [unbalanced] strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body". The first option incorrectly links it to enslaved people. The second option focuses on being American and African, but the quote emphasizes "American" and "Negro" (not just geographic African identity). The third option aligns with "looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity", showing they feel judged/measured. Wait, no—wait, the second option: "African Americans feel like both Americans and Africans" vs the quote's "American, a Negro". Wait, re - reading: the quote says "an American, a Negro"—so the two identities are American and Negro (African - American). Wait, the second option is "African Americans feel like both Americans and Africans"—but the quote is about American and Negro (the racial/cultural identity in America). Wait, no, let's re - evaluate. The key part: "two warring souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled [unbalanced] strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body" and "looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world...". Wait, the options:

1. African Americans feel like both free Americans and enslaved people—this is incorrect, as the quote doesn't mention enslaved vs free.

1. African Americans feel like both Americans and Africans—wait, the quote says "an American, a Negro"—"Negro" here refers to their African - American identity, so being both American (national identity) and African - American (racial/cultural identity in America). So this option is about being American and African (the ethnic/racial root).

1. African Americans feel as though they are being judged and measured—this is part of the experience, but the "twoness" is about the two identities (American and Negro), not just the judgment. Wait, no, the quote says "one ever feels his twoness,—an American, a Negro; two warring souls...". So the two identities are American (the national identity) and Negro (the African - American racial/cultural identity, which has roots in Africa). So the second option: "African Americans feel like both Americans and Africans" matches the two identities (American and African - derived Negro identity). The third option is about the experience of being judged, which is part of the context but not the definition of "twoness". The first option is incorrect. So the correct answer is the second option: "African Americans feel like both Americans and Africans".

Answer:

B. African Americans feel like both Americans and Africans (assuming the options are labeled A, B, C with A being the first, B the second, C the third)