that address the intersection of race and the pandemic. How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America: Essays
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
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 that address the intersection of race and the pandemic
he uses to blend personal memoir with political commentary. Key Themes The number is a central recurring
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.
The essay uses this staggering number to anchor a broader critique of: