English 48b
February 8, 2008
Professor Lankford
Quote:
I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has learned in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed… he gets a strength, a confidence.
Summary:
This is one of the famous statements from Washington. It mentions how he felt about success.
Response:
What is your definition of success? In “Up From Slavery”, Washington said that success is not measured by the position since different people might have different backgrounds. On the other hand, according to Washington’s definition, it would be better to rate success “by the obstacles which [somebody] has overcome while trying to succeed”. It is absolutely right. In Washington’s age, being born in a white family was a pleasure while being born in a black family was a misery. A black or a slave at that time had to encounter far more troubles than the whites. They had fewer opportunities in many aspects, for example in schools or in work places.
In the story, Washington was born as a slave but he did not give up. He was “intense longing” to study at school. Therefore, he worked as “salt packer, coal minter, and house servant” in order to support his schooling (Norton 664). Finally, he became an American educator, author and leader of the African American community. In many people’s mind, his position might not be high enough. However, he had overcome so many troubles in order to leave from the poverty. He did not have to depend on his family in order to become the leader of the African American community. Apart from this quote, Washington’s life was another learning material for the blacks to learn from. After they knew that even a slave could become an author and leader of the African American community, they would be more willing to start improving their lives.
2 comments:
0/20 Ok Jimmy, I'm going to ask you to re-post this journal also. Not that it's not thoughtful or interesting (it really is). However I have two problems I want you to address:
1) There's really very little here about Washington or his life or his writing. It veers off into your own ideas and opinions exclusively.
2) I wonder if you realize, when you ask if I've heard of Bruce Lee, that he was and Asian-American born right here in San Francisco and that went to school at least half of his life here in the U.S., not in Hong Kong -- where he also lived for some time. Or that all his first acting roles were here in U.S. television, which he also influenced deeply (usually without being given much credit). Or that he didn't so much "make Kung Fu popular" as he started a new direction in the previously successful HK film industry, etc. Or that no male American of my generation would possibly fail to recognize Bruce Lee :)
In other words, I'm not even convinced that your journal is very accurate.
Don't get too worried: it's my job as a teacher to push you a bit harder. I do enjoy your ideas but I think you're wandering way too far off topic and I don't always think you're working very hard to be accurate in your knowledge either, or to do some easy background research, or to demonstrate a truly strong grasp of the reading.
20/20 much better :)
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