Malcolm X Essay

                When I was younger the subject in school which gave me the most trouble was Math.  I had many different tutors helping me grasp the technique and theory of it all.  I worked hard through the subject for as long as I could on my own until I entered high school and it started to come together.

                I made it through Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 easily, but I still didn’t have an in-depth understanding of the subject.  When I entered into Algebra 2 I thought it would be very challenging, but my teacher was very inspiring and taught the subject very well.  His method of teaching was compatible with my method of learning which helped me to better understand the subject matter.  Once I realized I was finally grasping the material, I was able to gain confidence to further my studies.

                When I entered college I tested into College Algebra which was the average math class freshmen were supposed to take.  This meant I didn’t need lower level courses to prepare myself for the class, and I understood the material.  The knowledge I had gained over the course of High School up until college helped me embark on a path of actually wanting to understand and further my knowledge of Mathematics.

                I started my freshmen year with a major in Radiology then switched to Accounting.  This prompted another math class, Survey to Calculus, which USI required all business students to complete.  Survey to Calculus is a course which gives students a touch of Calculus before they enter into an actual Calculus class.  I scored above the student average on the first exam which prompted me to work even harder to improve my test scores and excel in the class.  I thoroughly worked through my homework, re-read the material, went to the professor’s office, and got extra help through a free tutoring service on campus in order to better my grade.

                In order to excel in this class I focused on every aspect that would help me better my grade.  If I didn’t understand a certain problem I went to the professor’s office, or the tutoring service.  Throughout the semester my grades thoroughly improved before taking the final exam.  I studied and prepared myself as best I could when it came time to take it.  As nervous as I was walking into the exam I was very eager to take the challenge.

                A few days after the exam, I checked to see my final exam score as well as the final grade in the class.  I was astonished to see my final grade on the exam was a 98%, and my final grade in the course was a B plus.  After this class I have gained confidence in the ability to teach myself and seek help in different resources that may further my understanding of the specific material.  I am more dedicated to my studies and am proud of all my accomplishments that have led me to this point in my life.

Malcolm X Respons Answers

1.      Who or what motivated Malcolm X to begin his studies?

Malcolm X received the motivation to begin his studies through jealousy of his colleague Bimbi’s knowledge.  When he was in prison he would try to emulate Bimbi, but because of his lack of knowledge he was unable to keep up.  This prompted his reading which then led to the copying of dictionaries improving his vocabulary along with penmanship.  When he began writing letters to Elijah Muhammad and he wasn’t able to express himself with words he copied the dictionary.  This prompted him to be able to express himself in letters to Elijah Muhammad, head of the Black Muslim Movement.

2.      What did Malcolm X do to increase his vocabulary?

Malcolm X first started reading books to increase his knowledge which frustrated him because of his lack of vocabulary.  Eventually he started writing out the words in the dictionary to develop a sense of vocabulary along with increasing his penmanship.  After completing a section in the dictionary he then began to read his handwriting out loud to connect the meaning with the word.

3.      This piece is sometimes printed under the title “Prison Studies”; what’s the difference between the initial responses a reader might have for an essay called “Homemade Education” vs. one entitled “Prison Studies”?

The title “Prison Studies” implies that the studies were incurred during imprisonment versus the title of “Homemade Education” which implies being taught by oneself.  The reader might not be as interested in the work under the title of “Prison Studies” versus “Homemade Education”.  In my personal opinion, I wouldn’t be as interested in an essay with Prison in the title.

4.      What are the different ways someone might react to the term “homemade”? What does the word mean to you, in terms of the way you were raised? (think food, clothes, or family projects…both positive and negative)

The term “Homemade” in my opinion refers to something you cannot purchase, and is made with materials around the house placed together to form an item.  One example of a homemade item is waffles.  When I was younger and stayed with my Nana she would get up every morning and fix homemade waffles for my brother and me.  She mixed the flour, baking powder, and other ingredients to make waffles instead of buying Bisquick and simply adding water.

5.      At the end of the essay, Malcolm X states that even though he was in prison, he “had never been so truly free.” What do you think he means by this…how is this possible?

I think since he was able to teach himself a whole new vocabulary while he was in prison he didn’t think about his imprisonment.  This opened up so many opportunities in his life and once he got out of prison he was free to make better choices.  He was free from his old life because he had the opportunity to sit down and make himself learn.  With this new knowledge he was able to communicate with people he previously only dreamed about.  This opened so many doors for him and made his confidence grow so he didn’t have time to think about the fact that he was still in prison.

Shame Essay

                It was my sophomore year in college and after recently changing my major to business I was forced to take another speech class.  The professor told us we had to compose a speech and present it to the class based on an issue which would persuade the class to perform a certain action.  My speech was to persuade people to abolish animal testing.

                I remember walking to class that day my heart beating faster with every step that brought me closer to the library.  I wore a red shirt because my teacher told us the color red draws people’s attention more towards you.  My class was in the basement of the library on USI’s campus.  When I reached the classroom I loaded my power point and went over my note cards one last time.  When the professor arrived I started to feel faint because I was the first one to present that class period.

                After our “nerve relieving” exercises she made us do every speech day, I proceeded to walk to the front of the classroom and begin my speech.  I brought up my power point and walked back to the front of the class.  After the timer started I began with the first line of my speech which included an appalling statistic of animal testing.

                I made it through my speech without skipping a line, stumbling, using any type of filler, or exceeding my time limit.  I walked around the room, kept eye contact with the students as well as the professor.  Once I had finished my speech, the class applauded and my professor walked to the front of the room.  She told the class what an excellent speech I gave, and to model their future speeches after my performance.  She proceeded to tell the class what a spectacular job I did on my speech and how it was obvious I practiced and cared about the class.

                The next time I was in her class she took my speech as an example for the students and explained how great of a job I did and how I exceeded her expectations.  She also made me her student helper for the remainder of the class period to evaluate the other student’s speeches and give my opinions on their overall performances.

                I still think of that particular moment right after my speech when my professor bragged to the class about the wonderful job I had done.  This moment has given me so much more confidence in not only my speeches which followed that class, but also life in general.  I realized I had overcome my fear of giving presentations to groups of people.  The aspect of speaking which I had feared the most before the class was demolished after a simple ten minute persuasive speech. 

Since this incident, if I learn I have the chance to give presentations in classes I am not mortified by the idea.  I am now willing to accept the challenge and give a presentation to the best of my abilities keeping the tips I have learned and confidence I have gained through Speech 101 in mind.

Shame Response Answers

1.       What’s unexpected or surprising about where Richard Gregory first experienced shame?

Richard Gregory first experienced shame in the classroom after “Negro Payday”.  This is surprising because he was in a classroom when he experienced shame which overtook his life for quite some time after the event. 

2.      How long did Gregory’s shame last? What (or who) finally allowed him to overcome his shame?

Richard Gregory’s shame lasted up until he was 29 years old.  He first experienced shame at the age of seven which stayed with him until he was 29 years old and married.  Helene was a little girl present in Richard’s class when he first experienced shame.  Her face stayed with him until he overcame his shame when he was married and making a living for his family.  The act of becoming his own person and providing for his family enabled him to overcome his shame.

3.       What all does Gregory do in order to impress Helene Tucker?

Richard tries to impress Helene Tucker in various ways throughout the story.  He brushed his hair and kept himself presentable when he knew he would see her.  He purchased a handkerchief so she wouldn’t see him wipe his nose on his hand.  He also suffered being ill in order to wash his clothes during the winter to keep them clean for her.  He followed her home, shoveled off her walkway when it snowed, and tried to become friends with her mother and other relatives.  He also would drop off money on her porch late at night when he was on his way home from his shoe shining job.  The last event in which he tried to impress Helene was pledging more money from his “daddy” than Helene’s dad had pledged.  This caused the shame he endured for the next 22 years of his life.

4.      There are three main characters in the story, don’t you agree? The protagonist and antagonist in this narrative are pretty clear, but what’s interesting is that one of these main characters isn’t actually given a proper name…why do you think Gregory made this choice?

The protagonist is Richard Gregory and the antagonist is his teacher.  The teacher is the character which is not given a name in the story.  I think Gregory made this choice because he didn’t want to segregate the teacher with a name.  I think he wanted to leave the name of the teacher up to the reader since we’ve all experienced bad teachers we can better relate from experience than imagining up a new character.

5.       Gregory uses a lot of dialogue to tell his story—what effect does it have on a reader?

Dialogue enables the reader to feel more engaged in the story.  When an author uses actual conversations in the story it helps the reader paint a more precise picture of how the dialogue happened the way the author intended.  I enjoyed the story and thought the dialogue helped engage me more in the actual story.

6.      In the final paragraph, Gregory states: “Now there was shame everywhere.” Why do you think he says this? What examples illustrate his point?

After the incident inside the classroom Richard was very ashamed and felt everyone felt sorry for him even outside the classroom because of his skin color.  He says this to emphasize the fact that everyone even outside the classroom would pity him.  So by the event which opened his eyes to the real world he now felt shame not only in the classroom but everywhere he went.  Some specific examples to prove his point include attending the Christmas Dinner, walking down the street wearing the mackinaw, and running around asking people to borrow different items such as food.

Blog #1-About Me

                My name is Chelsea Adams and I am currently a senior at USI with a major in Accounting.  My family lives in Jasper, but we are originally from a small town in Oklahoma.  I grew up in Oklahoma for about ten years until my dad accepted a job offer in New York.  My family and I moved to New York and lived there for about two years until my dad accepted another job offer transferring my family to Jasper, Indiana.  In my spare time I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.  My motto in life is to live life to the fullest today because you never know what tomorrow will bring!

                My weaknesses as a writer include word choice and overall grammar.  I recently composed a 35 page business plan for Business Law 363 last semester which was extensive, but a very rewarding project!  I think my strength as a writer is the ability to make analogies and enable my papers to flow with consistency.

                I usually don’t have the opportunity to read for pleasure over the semester so I like to indulge in reading during the summer.  My favorite author is Nicholas Sparks who caught hold of me after watching the movie “The Notebook”.  I am also a fan of the “Twilight Saga” by Stephanie Meyer as well as “The Innocent Man” by John Grisham.  I am definitely not picky when it comes to reading, and it is also great company on a summer day!