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Coming Of Age In Mississippi Essay Thesis

Decent Essays

In the autobiography, Coming of Age in Mississippi, by Anne Moody; Anne writes about violence, racial discrimination, and white privileges in the text. Throughout her childhood and adulthood Anne witnessed the murders, beatings, and major moments of civil rights movements during her time in Mississippi. Anne`s narrative gives a vivid description of each hopeless moment during her lifetime. Meanwhile, Moody experiences such despair that she begins to question if Mississippi will ever overcome racial oppression. Thesis: In the text, Anne Moody writes her last paragraph saying, “We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome some day. I WONDER. I really WONDER.” (289). Which makes the reader wonder if racial oppression will really one day be ended, despite what has gone on in the text in …show more content…

A boy from Mississippi would have known better than that. This boy was from Chicago. Negroes up North have no respect for people. They think they can get away with anything” (Moody 220). This quote is directed towards the Emmet Till murder that happen in Mississippi. The boy apparently whistled at a white woman who caused him to lose his life. Mrs. Burke then continues saying, “See that boy was fourteen too. It`s a shame that he had to die so soon” (Moody 220). With this statement alone made Anne felt afraid and distraught for herself, because she was fourteen as well. Mrs. Burke threatened her with his murder basically saying that she better stay in her place and do as she was told. Anne felt in that moment as if there was no hope for her in Mississippi or working for Mrs. Burke. There was another moment in the text that gives the reader a glance of hope, but only to see that despair overcomes again. In this example, Moody is working for Linda Jean who pays her twelve dollars a week. “But, Mama, she does everything. It`s not fair. I don`t do anything around her” (Moody 214). Linda Jean stated this to her mother,

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