Life With Daughters: Watching the Miss America Pageant (1990)

Life With Daughters: Watching the Miss America Pageant is about the emphasis of white beauty in society and how black beauty is taught to be inferior to the "white barbie doll" look. The essay is written by Gerald Early, he is an American writer and essayist. He is currently the Merle Kling Professor of Modern letters, of English, African studies, African American studies, American culture studies at Washington University. Early's key audience in this essay is American women as the piece mainly focuses on the beauty expectations and roles for women in American culture. His overall message is that mainstream black beauty is lacking in American media and culture. Specifically the preference of stereotypical white features being deemed beautiful and stereotypical black features being deemed ugly. Early uses anecdotes to convey his message. Throughout the piece he talks about his wife and young daughters and how they were subjected to the preference of white beauty. This most notably in the annual watching of the Miss America Pageant which historically shows a preference of white beauty and how significant is was to his family when a black women, Vanessa William, won this pageant in 1983. By using anecdotes Early achieved his purpose of showing real life women struggle with these racial roles and how the media supports White beauty over black beauty. These stories are able to make a connection with his audience to ultimately validate his message.

Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood by Richard Rodriguez (1980)

(c)2002 Mount Holyoke College Margaret Scott 

Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood is about the childhood of the author Richard Rodriguez as he struggled to grow up speaking in both English and Spanish. In particular the fact that while learning to speak perfect English in school, he lost his ability to speak Spanish. Thus, loosing his culture and heritage. The author Richard Rodriguez is an American writer. Most famous for his work Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez which was met with critical acclaim and several literary awards. He is most known for his opposition of bilingual education. His main audience in this essay is American educators, as his essay talks mostly about the ill-advised way at which they teach bilingual children. His overall message is the the opposition to bilingual education.  He supports this message through the use of Pathos. Throughout this essay Rodriguez writes about assimilating to American culture. He illustrates the immediate shift from Spanish to English in school and how his American identity was only found by separating himself from his family, culture and heritage. I do think his use of pathos was affective, only because it highlights these struggles and makes the audience feel bad for Rodriguez's loss of heritage. Overall showing the ill-advised ways of teaching and Americanizing bilingual children.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing by Maya Angelou (1970)

Selma to Montgomery March

 
The Essay I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is an autobiographical piece about Angelou's childhood in Stamps, Arkansas. She talks about the hardships and oppression that black southern families, in particular her family, had to face during segregation . The author Maya Angelou is an African American author, poet and civil rights activist. She has seven autobiographies published and three books of essays. Her first book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was met with critical acclaim and international recognition. She remains today one of the most influential figures in American history. Angelou's key audience in this essay is civil rights activist as she supports and illustrates non-violent protest and self-betterment. The purpose of this essay is to show how nonviolence in the face of adversity is more effective than fighting fire with fire. A key way Angelou shows her purpose is through anecdotes of her childhood. Specifically when her grandmother is being teased by white children and chooses to ignore them rather than strike back. I do believe she was effective in showing her purpose. While subtly showing her message through anecdotes she shows real life examples and lessons that convey her theme perfectly. With the autobiographical elements, Angelou first hand shows and teaches nonviolence. This better connects her with her audience. Overall I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a well-written and powerful essay that shows that nonviolence in the face of adversity is best.