Jerry Baldwin

always have at hand which is simply education. This proves to be true when the narrator states “ I gave up. I decided, if he didn't change his mind, that we could always talk about it later. “in the meantime,” I said, “you got to finish school.” (Baldwin,…

which were gaining her strong reviews. Angelou moved on to other pursuits, spending much of the 1960s abroad; she first lived in Egypt and then in Ghana, working as an editor and a freelance writer. Angelou was urged by friend and fellow writer James Baldwin to write about her life experiences. Her efforts resulted in the enormously successful 1969 memoir about her childhood and young adult years, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, which made literary history as the first nonfiction best-seller…

After reading the essays and having discussions in class, my favorite essay was “A Plague of Tics” by David Sedaris. In the excerpt, Sedaris uses a witty tone when writing about his obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders because his disability often makes people uncomfortable. Sedaris takes the audience through a series of examples of his obsessive compulsive behavior and the reactions of his teachers, family, and friends as they tried to deal with it. Sedaris, a satirist, chose humor to…

Identity is comprised of the qualities or beliefs that make a particular person or group different from others. It is a crucial factor in a person’s life because it allows him or her to stand out as an individual and helps the person develop a sense of well-being and importance. There are many aspects that can create someone’s identity whether it is by social class, culture, family, or faith. The biggest contributor to develop one’s identity is race. The literary pieces, Raisin in the Sun, by…

going through your head at that time; will my parents believe me? Why did the police come after me? Who did they kill? How did they kill them? In May 5 ,1993 three teenagers were convicted of three murders are Damien Echols was 18 Jason Baldwin was 16 and Jessie Misskelley was 17: and one of them was ordered to serve a life time in prison . Echols who was sentenced to death. That involved three boys from West Memphis. They were an easy…

Sonny 's Blues Sonny 's Blues by James Baldwin chronicles the relationship between Sonny, a troubled musician, and his brother, the main character and narrator of the story. The tale begins with the narrator learning through a newspaper that his brother, Sonny, has been arrested for heroin possession. Previously estranged from his brother, the narrator does not make any effort to get in contact with Sonny after his arrest until the narrator 's daughter, Grace, passes away which results in him…

She uses archetype to convey a wealth of meaning toward the changing positions that women have undergone during this time. “Women were long considered naturally weaker than men, squeamish, and unable to perform work requiring muscular or intellectual development” (Women’s History in America). Though Beneatha matured observing Mama’s relationship with Walter Sr., her actions rebel against the archetypical ideal molded by Mama. She developed her own ideal mindset. Just as in “Phenomenal Women”,…

Maya Angelou once said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” In her poem called “Alone”, she gives an extended example of a reason as to why some people are unable to thrive in life and why others do. “Alone” is about the fact that no one can survive in this rough, cruel world alone, and Maya Angelou depicts this through mood, figurative language, and symbolism. First of all, stanza one of…

The story Sonny 's Blues by James Baldwin (1957) investigates the topic of misery experienced by Black Americans as people shackled by separation, unemployment, lodging issues, tranquilize dependence, detainment and suicide. It includes the battle of two siblings isolated and got in the traps of time, space and beliefs. The anonymous Narrator who is generally fortunate between the two kin battles to comprehend his self-destructive yet skilled sibling Sonny while the last discovers trouble in…

“All the people like us are we, and everyone else is They” (Kipling). This quote by Rudyard Kipling is the essence of the problems facing strangers every day. In the articles “Strangers” by Toni Morrison and “Stranger in the Village” by James Baldwin, the latter serves to provide a first-person point-of-view of the experiences in Morrison’s essay. By examining James Baldwin’s experience as a stranger in a secluded Swiss village, which serves to strengthen the theme of “Strangers,” Baldwin’s…