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

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.

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

he uses to blend personal memoir with political commentary.

The essay uses this staggering number to anchor a broader critique of: The number is a central recurring figure in

While the Mississippi legislature finally agreed to remove the Confederate emblem from the state flag during this period, Laymon weighs this symbolic victory against the ongoing physical and economic toll on Black communities.

He notes the disparity between the wealth generated by his speaking tours and the grueling manual labor his grandmother performed for decades to earn the same amount. If you'd like to dive deeper, I can help you with: Summarizing other essays in Laymon's collection. In the context of the essay, represents the official U

Laymon juxtaposes the mounting death toll with the refusal of leaders, like Donald Trump and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, to mandate masks or acknowledge policy errors.