Analysis Of The Book ' Keepin ' It Real ' By Prudence Carter Essay

Marta Salinas’s realistic fiction story, “The Scholarship Jacket” is the story of a Mexican-American girl who lives in Texas. Marta is not at all part of the wealthiest family, but she still strives to maintain the highest grades possible in order to receive a scholarship jacket. This scholarship jacket was awarded to the class valedictorian, but Marta’s race seems to get in the way, making a tough conflict for her and her family. This conflict helps convey the theme of wisdom can teach life lessons and is demonstrated by various craft moves throughout the story like imagery and having Marta question herself.

Jonathan Kozol’s Fire in the Ashes is an honest depiction of the hardships and triumphs of families in the South Bronx, New York. In this book, Kozol introduces us to several Hispanic and Black families that he originally met in the Mott Haven/Martinique Hotel in the 1980’s and allows us to view their trajectory in the proceeding 25 years. By allowing the reader a look into the lives of these families, he provides us with a realistic depiction of the disadvantages families living in poverty encounter despite interventions from charity organizations and philanthropic donors. Kozol identifies that without “systematic justice and systematic equity in public education” (Kozol, 2013, pg 304) students in these impoverished neighborhoods will continue to lack the same economic opportunities that may potentially lead them out of the welfare system. Kozol emphasizes lack of stable housing, and unequal educational opportunities, as primarily conditions to perpetuating poverty. Despite the challenges that the families endure, Kozol is able to show that they are resilient.

In the student essay “It’s Hard Enough Being Me” written by Anna Lisa Raya, the author portrays herself as a credible source for understanding the role of identity in an educational setting. Raya then appeals to an audience of Latinos and other minorities through her emotions such as stating, “I had never questioned who I was or where I was from” (Raya 121). In the end, she resolves the life-longing issues of identity crisis and cultural shock by staying true to herself and “Soy yo and no one else…Punto” (Raya 122). The author asserts the idea of “not only experienced culture shock, but for the first time I had to define myself according to the broad term “Latina”” (Raya 121) throughout the essay. Raya then appeals to her audience through

On the very first day of the class, Introduction to the Black Experience, we learned that people are defined by their culture and geography. We are also defined by the gaze of others and our own gaze. This realization led me to contemplate what the “black experience” means to me. As a first generation Haitian-American woman at Wellesley College, it has become clearer to me how important the language and culture of parents has been in shaping my identity. I have also begun to think more critically about how my identity as a woman of color separates me from black brothers as well as my white peers at Wellesley.

This powerful memoir is a testament to the potential love and determination that can be exhibited despite being on the cusp of a nation's racial conflicts and confusions, one that lifts a young person above

The occasion was in the year 1996 in the gang-ridden streets of South Central, Los Angeles while California was on the ballot for affirmative action. Corwin, a newspaper reporter, was covering the shooting of a teenage boy. The victim turned out to be John Doe, a student from Crenshaw high school. In his pocket revealed an “A” paper on the French Revolution; he was a gifted student who had a bright future ahead of him. Before he knew it, Corwin realized that South Central isn’t just a place full of gang activity, but rather a place filled with hidden successes. This motivated the author to approach the high school the boy had attended to shine light on the students who shared a similar background story. Miles Corwin decided to set the location at a predominately black school such as Crenshaw because it would be an ideal place to set his book. Afterward, Corwin successfully explained how “affirmative action” put these gifted students at a disadvantage. Furthermore, he was able to describe the obstacles these students would have to deal with such as abuse, financial instability, and the poor education system. Thus, Corwin would set his tone as concerned and hopeless of the students who faced the impending, one-way trip they will be part of : graduation

One of Beverly Tatum’s most popular works, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?, outlines racial identity development and shows us what it means to be Black in today’s society. Tatum uses reasonable examples of her experience both as a parent and as a college professor. She is able to get readers to think in ways that might not be comfortable but are necessary and compelling. Recognizing understanding and embracing

Spike Lee’s ‘School Daze’ has certainly done good for introducing historically black colleges and black modern culture to Central America than I have seen any other movie about colleges especially black colleges at that it is through this film that I have realize that the media plays a big part in educating us but also can be the cause of not only bitterness that will be built up but also enlightening us black people of our history and also our actions against each other. In the movie ‘School daze’ the themes of life versus dark skin the refusal of one to recognize his own race Are two themes that stood out throughout the film. And it’s only school these confront a lot of issues that aren’t

This novel actively demonstrates the choices we make in our everyday life, resulting in consequences that ultimately make or break our futures. The fates of two African American

In Richard Rodriguez’s “The Achievement of Desire,” he compares himself to author Richard Hoggart’s “scholarship boy,” the type of student anyone can become. The “scholarship boy” is “anxious and eager to learn,” but is overbearing in his ways of learning and conveying knowledge (Rodriguez 534). Born as a son of two Mexican immigrants, Rodriguez quickly detached his life at school from his life at home. Hoggart helped Rodriguez to see near the end of his education exactly how harmful this type of lifestyle would become for Rodriguez’s learning. In my own experience, and specifically in my four years of high school, I tried my best to avoid being a “scholarship boy,” because that would prove detrimental to myself in relationships, my education, and my health and wholeness.

There are many people who have shown extremely strong values of persistence and hope, and learning about where these values come from can help us bring them out in ourselves. In the novel Warriors Don’t Cry, by Melba Pattillo Beals, Melba faces many hardships while attending Central High School. However, her motivation to continue attending despite the hardships come from many different sources. Melba is motivated by strong spiritual values and the belief that God is on her side. She is also motivated by her family and friends, including Grandma India, Mother Lois as well as Melba’s boyfriend Vince. Finally, she is driven because she knows that her actions are helping African-American society as a whole and that she is making a sacrifice for the greater good. It is important to understand Melba’s motivations because if she did not persist so well, integration may not have been possible.

Crossroads and “Champion of the World” both explore African American culture, the competition between races, and the different African American careers, which helps the reader remove racial biases with a richer understanding of the diversity of their culture.

Throughout the essay, Lugo-Lugo uses personal experiences and builds bridges with her audience to further establish emotional appeals. Carmen Lugo-Lugo is a woman of color, specifically a Latina. Latinos have become so stereotyped, that people’s portrayals and descriptions of them have become so ingrained in their minds that

A Grounded Identidad: Making New Lives in Chicago’s Puerto Rican neighborhoods, by Merida M. Rua focuses on the history of Puerto Rican communities in Chicago. This captures an analysis between the memory and the history to comprehend Puerto Ricans in the essence of the way they lived in Chicago. The focus on the different communities causes a touch on many different topics like for example, gentrification, family and the community. This causes each piece to be looked as how it can affect gender, class, or race. The author, Merida M. Rua gives the reader a well understanding of what it is like to be a Puerto Rican in a Chicago neighborhood. Rua represents herself as an ethnographer where she uses archival research. Even though the Puerto Rican individuals come to the United States for a better living, it is not what they imagine. The individuals living in these minority neighborhoods causes them to face many complications and problems due to poverty and especially where dislocation keeps occurring in each situation. These conditions are just the beginning and what Rua explains is that it is not something that is under the hands of the Puerto Ricans because they don’t have the control to change it. This book relates the significance of identity and how it is shaped. Destination is also an important aspect to reflect upon because of the fact of living in the same place for a year. These Puerto Rican individuals are at

The strength of Ellison’s novel lies in the fact that it is not written merely as a black vs. white man’s story; rather it is concerned with the experiences of the average American in its entirety and misconceptions. Consequently, the use of a nameless narrator allows anyone of any cultural background to envision themselves in the experiences of the