One’s judgement of others is a commonality amongst all people; however, to admit one is wrong about one’s perceptions is infrequent. In both essays, “The Estrangement” by Jamaica Kincaid, and “My Speech at West Point” by Marjane Satrapi in the book The Writer’s Presence, the writers make comment on their life experiences particularly about their bad judgment of others and the impact that has had on them. Kincaid’s essay is about the rough relationship she had with her mother and how her criticism of her changed after her experience as a mother. Similarly, Satrapi writes about the point in her life she began learning one she realizes that the view she had of the people in her country was wrong during her time at West Point. Both provide …show more content…
Nevertheless, she accepts her mistake and learns from her experience by acknowledging it, “I don’t know anything” (Kincaid 249). Ultimately, Satrapi conveys that there not only needs to be progress in her country, but in her thinking as well. This brings to light how the only way to diminish social issues, our opinions need to be altered.
Likewise, Kincaid wrongly judges her mother. In her essay, “The Estrangement’” she tells that she stopped talking to her mother after she spoke unkindly about her in a conversation they had through the phone. She describes her mother as a person that was seen as nice by others, but not by her nor her younger siblings. She asserts that her mother, “said horrible things to us more often than not” and that the nice person everyone saw in her “was not at all known to us” (Kincaid 170). In other words, her mother was unaffectionate to them. A statement she makes evident when she tells about the time his step-father was buried next to her mother and her uncertainty of whether he would have liked that based on her and her siblings preferences. She claims, “we would rather be dead than spend eternity lying next to her” (Kincaid 170). In other terms, they despised her mother for the treatment she gave them. However, later in the text, there is a shift in tone: from hate to acknowledgement and love. Her perception of her mother changes after she realizes how
Unlike Ed, her “hot tempered” nature and her inability to empathise with her son, has meant that she is unable to adapt to the demands of Christopher’s social barriers. This is evident in a letter in chapter 157 where she states “ Maybe if things had been differant, maybe if you'd been differant i might have been better at it. But thats just the way things turned out”. The repetition of ‘maybe’ demonstrates the initial complexity of human communication which in Christophers case, was further complicated by his social demands. Through Mark Haddon’s incorporation of a letter in this chapter, the difficulties in human communication is shown as his mother has resorted to indirect communication in explaining her reasoning for his abandonment. Although Judy lovingly and diligently cares for Christopher she struggles with the frustration she feels as a result of not always being able to understand her son’s behaviour. This ideology is further reiterated through the comparison in the letter between Ed and Judy seen in “Your father is a much more pacient person. He just gets on with things.. But that’s not the way i am…” Haddon’s characterisation of Christopher’s parents presents to the responder the conflicting side of love, the multi-faceted and complicated nature of human interaction, and the opposing approaches of both parents in communicating and dealing with Christopher’s condition, as part of their
The reader cannot help but feel the burden the daughter will be sharing with the mother. And while the plight of the mother is real, the reader cannot ignore how the isolation and loneliness of this type of community, or lack there of, has effected Tome's judgment in mothering.
The passage “Talking Wrong” by Patricia Smith is a reflection of the author's memories and knowledge of her mother. She talks on how her mother has a need to start speaking ‘right’ and is going to take classes on correcting the way she articulates her words and formation of sentences. The author believes that her mother’s desire ‘to speak right’ is threatening and sad because she does not want her mother to be ashamed of her journey from Alabama to Chicago which makes her who she is. Smith starts reflecting on her views of her mother and her mother's perspective of herself through flashbacks and opinions of her mother to persuade the reader of her argument. This narrative offers the comparison of the author and her mother and the strategies
The mother in the story also proves that people are judging. Through the use of characterization by Edward P Jones’ “The
While in Kincaid´s she grew up with a mother who was the worst in her opinion, and the way she was treated caused her to want to treat her children better. She wanted to treat them with more love and approval than her mother gave to her. While discussing if it was a bad idea to bury her mother alongside her brother she
All humans judge; however, to admit one is wrong about one’s perceptions is infrequent. In “My Speech at West Point” by Marjane Satrapi and “The Estrangement” by Jamaica Kincaid, the writers make comment on their life experiences. Each addresses their poor judgment
It can be said that money is power in the United States, and this is brought out in the essay, “Class in America---2012” written by Gregory Mantsios. He says that even though many Americans do not like to discuss class, “it can determine where people live, who their friends are, how well they are educated, and what they do for a living” (Mantsios). Many Americans do not speak about class type, and most find it unacceptable (Mantsios). Unfortunately, we can see that there are laws that are built to help and better the wealthy, while it cripples the rest of us. According to the Economic Policy Institute, “The richest twenty percent of Americans hold nearly ninety percent of the total household wealth in this county” (Institute) Gregory Mantsios without reserve describes the majority of people are at a disadvantage in their social class, while the upper class is compensated.
These short and simple paragraphs convey Christopher’s thoughts and opinions towards his mother’s death. However, strangely there is no emotions conveyed in this passage which suggests that Christopher has a very different way of thinking and processing events to a ‘normal’ person. He did not seem to be upset with the loss of his mother at all.
The Declerlation of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” The word, equality is pushed down humans every single day. Every person has an unique set of skill. On the contrary, every person also has an unique set of challenges. This is just how we are born. This does not mean we don’t all have the chance to successed. Wes Moore did not come from the stereotypical eastern rich white kid going to an expensive private school. He was an inner city kid growing up with a single mom while trying to sustane being the head of the family. HIs ride was bumby with several rode blocks but proves that the place you come from does not define your future.
"You think because I am her mother I have a key, or that in some way you could use me as a key? She has lived for nineteen years. Over and over, we are told of the limitations on choice--"it was the only way"; "They persuaded me" and verbs of necessity recur for descriptions of both the mother's and Emily's behavior. " In such statements as "my wisdom ! came too late," the story verges on becoming an analysis of parental guilt. With the narrator, we construct an image of the mother's own development: her difficulties as a young mother alone with her daughter and barely surviving during the early years of the depression; her painful months of enforced separation from her daughter; her gradual and partial relaxation in response to a new husband and a new family as more children follow; her increasingly complex anxieties about her first child; and finally her sense of family balance which surrounds but does not quite include the early memories of herself and Emily in the grips of survival needs. In doing so she has neither trivialized nor romanticized the experience of motherhood; she has indicated the wealth of experience yet to be explored in the story’s possibilities of experiences, like motherhood, which have rarely been granted serious literary consideration. Rather she is searching for
My Mortal Enemy was written by Willa Cather in the early 1900s. She wrote this novella after dealing with S.S. and Hattie McClure. She actually worked for McClure at one time, and this is when she experienced their lives the most. After learning all about their lives, she decided to write about them. In substitution of the McClures she used the Henshawes.
The mother-daughter relationship is often scrutinized, publicized, and capitalized on. Whether from tell-all biographies, to humorous sit-coms, or private therapy sessions, this particular relationship dynamic gives some of the most emotion-activating memories. When female authors reflect and write about their relationships with their mothers, they have a tendency to taint their reflections with the opinions they have as an adult, reviewing the actions of their mother when they were young. These opinions set the tone of the story independently and in conjunction with the relationship itself and manifest in creative literary styles that weave an even more intricate story. Case in point, when reviewing the two literary works “I Stand Here
She berated herself for her misjudgements and for being blinded by appearance to Wickham's untrustworthiness, which should have been evident in the discrepancy between his words and actions. She was "absolutely ashamed" of herself, and attained self-knowledge -- "Till this moment I never truly knew myself." She faced up to the unpalatable truth about herself, and determined to change. Her courage and strength are commendable. This is in contrast to, most strikingly, Mr. Collins, who completely lacks the capacity for reflection and self-awareness. The reader laughs at his self-importance and ridiculously obsequious, sycophantic manner.
After months of disagreement, Anne and her mother finally start to get along. Anne becomes more sympathetic to her mother, and realizes that some of her past entries about her mother were very cruel and hotheaded. Now, Anne does her best to care for her mother and also keep her mouth shut at times. She tries not to take things as serious, as well. She does her best to mature when it comes to her and her mother’s relationship.
North and south is considered as the significant piece of Victorian literature, written by Elizabeth Gaskell. Elizabeth Gaskell was a novelist and short story writer. Her stories usually have a contemporary attitude she emphasized more on the women’s role, complex and realistic female characters. North and south is considered as her best known work .It features a strong lead female ,a mature love story and relevant social and political explanation about industrialization and class conflict present in mid-19th century in England. Through, North and south, Elizabeth Gaskell challenges the limiting gender roles of the Victorian era , by giving her heroin , Margaret both the feminine qualities of virtue and selflessness and Masculine qualities of independence and action . Gaskell perfectly balances her heroin between feminine and the masculine world as to not to appear “unwomanly” and subtly influence the readers and call for changing gender norms.