Literacy v Bigotry Anonymous 11th Grade

It is difficult to embrace oneself when surrounded by rejection. Abraham Maslow, American psychologist, crafted his “Hierarchy of Needs” in 1943. The pyramidal structure caps off with the necessity of “self-actualization,” which stresses the importance of identity and self acceptance. Throughout the lives of James McBride, Richard Wright, and Brent Staples, the three black men struggle achieving this final need. Fortunately, these writers of “The Color of Water,” “Black Boy,” and “Black Men and Public Space” escape from their ill-fated destiny to success, aided by their passion of literature and education.

Literature and education first serve as a way to keep the writers out of trouble. The childhood living standards of McBride, Wright, and Staples is a recipe for failure. The writers grow up in impoverished and corrupted neighborhoods. McBride is raised in a chaotic household of twelve children. His mother, Ruth, instills the importance of education in his siblings and him from a young age. Ruth’s mantra, “educate yourself or you’ll be a nobody,” and authoritative parenting style allows her children to thrive despite inferiority and attain multiple degrees (McBride 92). However, when Ruth is depressed over the death of her...