fire in the basement

1.         Why do you think Bob Herbert titles his essay “A Fire in the Basement”? Exactly what kind of crisis is he referring to? What view about the present condition of the United States is he arguing against?

Herbert clarifies his choice of title in his final paragraph. He believes the United States is going through a crisis of conscience, spirit, and will that undermines the fundamental human values of liberty and fairness on which its democracy is based. This is the fire. It is “in the basement” metaphorically because, unlike the threat of outside attack with which the country has become obsessed, it is a danger that comes from within, and it is potentially more destructive than any outside threat could ever be.

2.         Herbert provides many examples of people suffering, in trouble, or being treated unfairly. What, in his opinion, is the underlying cause of these problems?

In Herbert’s words, these stories of people suffering and being treated unfairly are representative because “[t]he nation has grown largely indifferent to abuses of power and social injustice” and no longer pursues “the ideals of freedom, justice, equality, and opportunity” (par. 15); “we let the selfish, the vain, the greedy, and the incompetent take control of our nation” (par. 26).

3.         Reread paragraph 22 through 25, about the rebuilding of the United States in the decades after World War II. How does this brief discussion of postwar history fit into Herbert’s larger argument about the present situation?

Herbert’s survey of postwar history in these paragraphs—decades he describes as marked by optimism, a sense of expansion and renewal, and important increases in terms of social justice and citizens’ access to the American dream—serves to provide a stark contrast to the United States as he sees it today. His point is that Americans in the past have called on their better selves, so this is within their capability.

4.         Can you find any naysayers, or possible objections to Herbert’s own argument, anywhere in the text? If not, try to come up with two or three and figure out where you could introduce them appropriately in his essay.

Herbert doesn’t really offer any objections to his argument, though he does admit that “[t]here are still plenty of valiant individuals who head out each day and put up a terrific fight on behalf of the poor and the oppressed and anyone else who might need a boost or a hand—or just a fair shake” (par. 28). Students might see that Herbert could have introduced possible objections at the beginning of paragraph 5 (for example, “Some politicians might try to convince us that we are still moving in the right direction, that the country is still guided by the same values as it has always been”) and at the end of paragraph 14 (for example, “The argument is that the government must have every power at its disposal to secure our freedom. But freedom cannot be secured for all if it is so blatantly taken away from even a few”). There are, of course, other acceptable responses.