A True Friend Desmond Harris Analysis

To engage a large audience, Staples appeals to readers with his use to two different points of views throughout the essay: societal views and black views. Staples tries to connect with the readers by giving examples of unconscious thoughts that run through the minds of most people when in the same situation as the “white women.” In his opening sentence, Staples calls the women a “victim.” In her own eyes, she herself was “victim” due to the influence of generalized stereotypes presented in our culture. She becomes quick to judge based on Staples appearance: his skin tone. Because of his color, his every action becomes nothing but threats and anxiety on the women. “She casted a back worried glance. To her, the youngish black- broad six feet two inches with a beard and billowing hair, both hands shoved into the pockets of a

After reading chapters 4 through 6 in Matthew Desmond’s Evicted it was very interesting to learn about the goals and stories of those affected in the book. In chapter 4, Desmond focuses on a trailer park owner, Tobin Charney who is told by the Common Council that he has to begin evicting some of his tenants. Throughout this chapter, it is evident to recognize how Desmond focuses on how the city has been threatening to close down Charney’s trailer park if he did not follow through with evicting his tenants, who were known as troublemakers. Two of the noted people from the book were Pam and Ned. Pam had a very tough childhood and upbringing which led to her becoming a crack addict. The eviction of Pam and Ned was an important part of the chapter because Tobin filed for eviction against his tenants for not paying the rent. Tobin originally gives them 28 day notice but he managed to get them out in 5 days. This chapter was eye-opening because of the way Tobin reacted to his tenants, particularly Pam and Ned. I believe Tobin reacted like this because he was afraid to lose his trailer park to the town and cause problems with the council. Also it was eye-opening to see that Tobin only evicted this couple and not others who did not pay their rent, and in my opinion he did that because they were deemed as troublemakers. Later on in the chapter the goals that I noticed were that Tobin evicted Pam and Ned because of them being seen as troublemakers but used the reason of violations which covered that up.

In Alan T. Nolan’s work, Lee Considered: General Robert E. Lee and Civil War History, Nolan reexamines historical sources, including Lee’s official and personal correspondence and many other writings on Lee. Nolan states, without going too far into his own background, that he is “suspicious of saints,” and this suspicion is what led Nolan’s desire to review long held beliefs about Lee. Nolan examines Lee’s views on slavery and points out that Lee believed that slavery benefited the “African,” associating the black race with degradation and believed that the races were best separated. Nolan argues that as a general, Lee, though brutally effective on the battlefield, lacked an understanding of national strategy. Nolan would have readers believe

It is the summer of 1968 and a young girl by the name Delphine accompanies her younger sisters to Oakland, California to see their mother Cecile who abandoned her and her younger sisters at a very young age. Delphine and her little sisters are discouraged to go to Oakland by Big Ma, their grandmother because Big Ma says that Oakland is “a boiling pot of trouble cooking.” Dolphin’s father thinks it is important that the girls know their mother. Once in Oakland and reunited with their mother Cecile, Delphine notices right away that their mother doesn’t make them feel very welcome and they are sent away everyday to be fed breakfast at a camp run by the Black Panthers. Delphine has lost hope that their mother wants anything to do with them but

The only role model Mary`s younger son had was his older brother Tony, a drug dealer that tried to save Wes from the streets. Wes Moore`s careless attitude and lack of discipline led him to want the instant gratification and “respect” he got from the drug game. Nikki`s younger brother, on the other hand, turned to disorderly conduct in school that reflected the missing piece his father would have implemented in him if he were still alive. Luckily his mother stepped in before he headed down the wrong path because wanted she best for him. Later on the Westley`s Uncle Howard would replace this void slowly building up the narrator`s sense of respect, manhood, and aspirations in

After living in Michigan, Malcolm X moves in with his half-sister, Ella, in Boston. Malcolm X described the move as “pivotal or profound in its repercussions” (38). When he gets to

She then goes on to talk about how the justice system criminalizes these deceased black men into “big” and “scary” to try to make them look guilty or deserving of whatever happened to them and save the officers involved. Anderson really focuses on this one case and how it impacted her thoughts and feelings towards the white America.

She argues that when a Black person has the opportunity to gain wealth, they end up diminishing much of the abuse they face due to their skin color. This is clearly presented via the character Macon Dead II. When he interacts with his sister, he pushes her away out of fear that his colleagues will judge him and treat him unfairly. Thus, Macon II’s actions reveal that he must act wealthy and be wealthy to avoid the prejudices of his peers. Furthermore, he teaches his son that the only way to truly be free is to own property.

Introducing important topics like white privilege and racial matters, this story is not just limited to the rapper, Tupac. The author portrays a message much bigger than expected. I personally relate to many aspects of the story. Growing up with my white mother, white stepdad, and white

“White people are afforded special privileges in the ghetto(p.322),” Desmond says as he is explaining the time of felling his neighbors in the trailer park that he will be moving to the north side. Larraine was worried for Desmond when he told her that he was going to move to the North Side she even said “No, Matt. You don’t know how dangerous it is”(p.322). Along with Larraine, Beaker was also distraught. Desmond leaving caused the breaking of an ingroup. The stability was hit and they functionality will soon return, but they were sad he was

Ann is talking to her friend at the beginning of chapter three. Ann’s friend dares her to write a list of one thousand blessings that she is thankful for. Ann takes on this challenge. She stuck with this list until she was done. It helped her to remember to always be thankful, even for the small things in life. Anytime during the day, not matter what she was doing, if Ann saw something she liked, she wrote it down on the list. Every time Ann would write something down, it would make her feel happy. It would help her remember that God loves her. Ann enjoys the biblical act of naming things, naming her gifts from God. She feels like Adam, naming animals. She puts quite a bit of emphasis on making a physical list, on the value of pen and paper.

Many tragic events happen in this short story that allows the reader to create an assumption for an underlying theme of racism. John Baldwin has a way of telling the story of Sonny’s drug problem as a tragic reality of the African American experience. The reader has to depict textual evidence to prove how the lifestyle and Harlem has affected almost everything. The narrator describes Harlem as “... some place I didn’t want to go. I certainly didn’t want to know how it felt. It filled everything, the people, the houses, the music, the dark, quicksilver barmaid, with menace; and this menace was their reality” (Baldwin 60). Another key part in this story is when the narrator and Sonny’s mother is telling the story of a deceased uncle. The mother explains how dad’s brother was drunk crossing the road and got hit by a car full of drunk white men. Baldwin specifically puts emphasis on the word “white” to describe the men for a comparison to the culture of dad and his brother.

As time moves on, so does the love Pauline and Bonbon accumulate for each other. At this point no other man is able to claim her, she now belongs to Bonbon. Having their two twin boys together, Billy and Willie, both Pauline and Bonbon love their children very much. Bonbon not only has children from Pauline, but other daughters of his own. Although white men, at this time were not bashed for sleeping with a black woman, falling in love with a black woman was not something that was normal. Bonbon genuinely cared. “After so many years, Pauline falls in love with Bonbon. She couldn 't help but fall in love with him” (66). Here the reader can understand that even though white men despised black people, Gaines has turned the tables. “He wanted to be with [Pauline]-yes, you could tell from watching them at the table how much he loved her and wanted to be with her; but he had to go to a black man, and a respectful way, and ask that black man for a room. He didn’t know how to do that. He didn’t know how to talk to a black man unless he was given orders” (145). Readers suggest that Bonbon is depicted as a hypercritical person, but change into what may seem as a white man caring for black people. He loves Pauline, as well as his two twins, but cannot fully express his feelings for them. “They looked at each other like they

During his emotional spill, Grant resorts to the maniacal thought that his aunt has something to do with the racism he experiences. Ironically, it is the seemingly racist words of Jefferson's defense attorney that fuels the spectrum of the novel, and the eventual salvation of both Jefferson and Grant.

So what I am trying to say in the first paragraph about Helen is that she so inspirational to a lot of other people besides me because she still can do things like she would pick up her spoon all by herself and at the same time she is blind, deaf, and she can not talk. In the second paragraph I meant that Ron clark is to “inspirational!!” because he always tries to do his best on his students. Clark never will give up on his students until they A’c the exam. Ron clark also made his students successful in life and made them move on to a better life and have a good college school.