Going to Meet the Man, published in 1965, is a collection of eight short stories by American writer James Baldwin. The book, dedicated "for Beauford Delaney", covers many topics related to anti-Black racism in American society, as well as African-American–Jewish relations, childhood, the creative process, criminal justice, drug addiction, family relationships, jazz, lynching, sexuality, and white supremacy. The Rockpile Whilst Roy and John are forbidden to play on the Rockpile as the other boys from the neighborhood do, Roy decides to go anyway once, asking John not to tell anyone as he will be right back. There he gets into a fight and gets hurt, starts bleeding. He is brought back into the house and as the father gets home, he tries to blame the woman and John for letting Roy go there. He favors Roy because he is his biological son and while John, his stepson, serves as the scapegoat. Themes of the story include the feelings of alienation and neglect. The story also touches on the topics of reckless boys, familial love, favoritism, dominance, and abuse. Characters The characters are the same as in Baldwin's earlier novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain. Elizabeth, the mother. Gabriel, the father, who is a preacher. Roy, son of Elizabeth and Gabriel who gets hurt on the rockpile. John, Elizabeth's illegitimate elder son, born out of wedlock. Delilah, daughter of Elizabeth and Gabriel. Paul, son of Elizabeth and Gabriel. Sister McCandless Richard, a boy who drowned in the Bronx River. Aunt Florence, Gabriel's sister, who lives in the Bronx. The Outing On the Fourth of July, parishioners are having a church outing, which, this year, happens to be boat trip up the Hudson River up to Bear Mountain. Johnnie and Roy are brothers going on a religious outing on a boat with their church. Johnnie's father, Gabriel, tells him to be good, and Johnnie replies that he need not reprimand him. Johnnie and Gabriel get in a verbal fight and Johnnie is left visibly angry. Johnnie gets a moment alone with his best friend, David, they embrace and Johnnie tells David he loves him. Everyone on the boat is talking about sin and salvation. There is then a church ceremony on the boat, with an ironic digression on the Bible being based on white symbolism. Later, the boys are waiting for their friend Sylvia to be alone as they have brought