Detestation Relationships

Notes of a Native Son Discussion Question #2

Life is not always easy when growing up. Everyone you talk to would say that they remember at least one bad thing about their childhood or regret one thing in their childhood that they would wish they would change. In the essay “Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin, Baldwin talks about two different relationships. He talks about the relationship between himself and his father and the relationship between blacks and white Americans. Baldwin relates the relationship with his father with the relationship of black and white Americans by both accepting and judging.

Baldwin’s relationship with his father relates to the relationship with black and white Americans because they are both judging each other and have hatred towards one another. Baldwin judges his father and will not accept the fact that his father is a human being just like everyone else. Baldwin did not accept the fact that his father was ill and did not want to change how he felt about him. Both relationships mention hatred. “I told my mother that I did not want to see him because I hated him. But this was not true. It was only that I had hated him and I wanted to hold on to that hatred. “ this quote shows how stubborn Baldwin was in accepting the fact that his father was ill and shows how he still hates his father because he wants to hold on to that hatred. Just like with blacks and white Americans who have hatred amongst themselves and cannot deal with the fact that they need to accept people for who they are. Blacks and white Americans are judging each other and treating each other based on their skin color. In the end of both relationships they finally realize that their hatred is not worth it and that they need to accept each other for who they are. “I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched his face for the answers which only the future would give me now.” This quote shows how the time you spent hating a person can lose valuable time of actually getting to know that individual.

Overall the relationships Baldwin described related to each other in both accepting and judging each other. I enjoyed reading Baldwin’s essay because he describes his true emotions. I also liked reading about how the relationships related to each other. I hope that we could all learn to accept each other and not build hatred amongst each other.

Great Determination

Great determination and confidence is a key value of what we need to have in our lives and when we grow up. Without determination, confidence and a goal in life then your life wouldn’t be exciting and interesting. In the essay “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris shows how one individual strives to achieve what he came to accomplish. The main characters goal was to learn French. I enjoyed this novel because I could relate to the character because we both have great determination and desires for what we truly believe we are capable of doing.
In the essay David showed how he was determined by studying more and getting to know the language better so that he could prove to his French teacher that he was capable of learning the language. He also showed great desires for his work by doing everything he could do to learn the French language. My favorite part of the essay was at the end when David’s French teacher was criticizing him in French and not knowing that he understood everything she was talking about. I could reflect and relate to David because we are both determined. Just like David I am determined to strive and prove to myself and others that I am strong and capable of doing what I set as my goals to be. Many people believe that I might drop out of the nursing program or change my major just because it seems impossible to pass the required courses, but I know that with the determination I have I will not let anything get in the way of doing what I truly desire. With that being said, I think David and I are very similar. He was determined to learn the French language and not let anyone bring him down and I am determined to become a nurse and still in the process of making sure no one brings me down.
Overall I enjoyed what David had to say and enjoyed reading about his experiences. Before reading this essay I was very confused about what I should do with my future. I was not sure whether or not I should change my major from nursing to another major because many people say that the Nursing program is really hard to get into and people have doubts about making it but after reading about what David had to say and reading about his experience I now feel more confident. His determination for his goal has made me realize that anything is possible if you stay determined and set your mind to it.

Change

Change

How do you adapt to change? Do you think our world needs a change in order for things to go the way we want them to go? Change is a big word. The meaning of change is to be different, transform or convert. I think that it’s never too late for change. Without change our lives wouldn’t be as interesting and worth wild. I believe that change is a good thing. Change allows people to experience new things, explore and feel free. Most people are afraid of change because they are scared of the outcomes but why should they if they never give anything a try. Some people have hard times adapting to little changes such as ordering something different off the menu.

As I woke up and turned on the news this morning I was very excited. I was excited because I had heard that our country had elected Barack Obama for President. He will be our country’s first African American President. I feel that our world needs change and by electing Obama as President is a change that we will never forget. I am very thrilled and cheerful that our country has finally come through and made some change in history. Our world has made one step closer to accepting change by electing an African American male to become our first African American president. This is change that will go down in history and will be remembered by all young voters who participated in this year’s 2008 presidential election. Change is a good thing. Having an African American as President is one of the first changes that we as a country have gladly accepted.

Discussion Questions: Coffee will Make you Black

Discussion Questions

9A.) One character in this novel Coffee will make you Black, by April Sinclair that interested me the most is Roland. Roland interests me the most because he likes to fight for what he believes in and doesn’t care what others think of him. He is also a good friend and intelligent. Roland’s actions bring him to life because he has shown that by joining the Afro American club he is free to speak his mind and fight for his right. I like Roland because he doesn’t let anyone bring him down. Roland shows throughout the novel that he is very independent and a very good friend to Stevie. Reading about a character like Roland makes me wish that I was Stevie because she is very lucky to have him as a friend.

B.) One minor character I dislike in this novel is Mr. Donaldson. Mr. Donaldson is Mr. Stevenson’s boss. I dislike him because he puts Mr. Stevenson down by saying rude remarks that brings him down. One of the rude remarks he tells Mr. Stevenson is, “My ten-year old kid could’ve figured it out, and it’s that simple.” If someone I worked for brings me down like how Mr. Donaldson brought down Mr. Stevenson I don’t think I would ever be the same working for that person. Mr. Donaldson is prejudice and selfish; he won’t give Mr. Stevenson a higher position because he’s black. Instead of giving the better and skilled worker the job Mr. Donaldson gave an unskilled white man the higher position.