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Dream From my Father

Yohandris Rodriguez

What it's about

This book is a memoir, written by Barack Obama about his not so recent life. It deals diverse topics like racial woes he has undergone, issues with his heritage, the struggles of being a community organizer in inner city Chicago, and the unfair distribution of wealth and power in poor countries such as Kenya.. his homeland.

Summary

It appeared on the New York Times best-seller list, and Obama's audiobook edition won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album.

Where and when does it take place?

"Dreams from My Father" takes place amid the many places Mr. Obama has lived throughout his life. It starts off mainly in Hawaii and Indonesia from the mid-60 s to late 70 s, where Obama spent most of his childhood and adolescence.

As an adult, Obama's experiences in poorer areas of Chicago in the 80 s are detailed, as well as the vast rural lands of Kenya, where he embarks on a homecoming trip.

characters

Main Characters

Barack Obama

Hailing from Kansas, Obama's maternal grandfather was quite ambitious throughout his entire life, moving from city to city with the prospects of business opportunity before settling more permanently in Honolulu. He is very open-minded and unique in sharing bonds and friendships with people of all races. He, along with his wife, Obama's grandmother "Toot", are very nurturing and make young Obama feel accepted in a mostly white world.

CThen they moved to Indonesia.

10 years old, Ann became worried about Obama's education and safety.

Obama went to Hawaii to live with his grandparents and attend Punahou Academy.

There, he discovered racism as he was one of three African-Americans in the school

He's the narrator whom the story is about. He is quite thoughtful, and yearns to gain a peace of mind and understanding about his place in the world, especially in regards to his race. He attempts to gain this understanding and sense of accomplishment by becoming a community organizer in Chicago, where he works hard to get funding for the Altgeld Gardens projects and other surrounding poor black communities. His internal conflict is rooted in the absence of his father, a figure whom he comes to understand more and more as he gets older.

Main Characters

Barack Obama Sr.

Characters

Although he is never alive when the book was written, Obama's father is vital to his story. He was a mysterious and unclear figure to his son, who had only met him once when he was young. Bright and inspired as a young boy in Kenya, Obama Sr. got the opportunity to study in America, where he met a Caucasian woman and had a son. Because of his family's requests, he had to go back, leaving this short-lived family behind. His son had been inspired in a way to be like or at least understand his father,

Auma

Themes

One central theme in Dreams from My Father is how race can play a large role in one's determination of identity and place in society. Since Obama is born to a white mother and black father, race becomes an integral part of figuring out who he is as he grows up. Obama analyzes the differences, obvious and subtle between blacks and whites and how they feel towards each other. He grows up mostly around white people, but comes to identify himself with African-Americans. Even so, he still recognizes the impact being raised by whites has on how he is raised and given opportunity. In Chicago, Obama observes the culture and lives of lower income blacks and how their own feeling's of their race affect their mindset and how they live.

Themes

Another theme is that family and knowing one's inheritance can bring about a sense of appreciation and completeness. Obama has a lost feeling through much of the beginning of his life since he never really got to know his father, and it's only when he visited Kenya and learned the story of his father and grandfather's lives that he came to an understanding, easing the troubles in his mind. Obama's journey to Kenya also changes his life by getting to meet his very welcoming and extensive family. This experience, along with the friendly nature of the people of this culture gives Obama a new perspective on family and leads him to more greatly appreciate the concept.

Why Read "Dreams from My Father"?

Why

  • It is an insightful look into the unique past of the current president of our country.
  • As a biography, the book is very well written, with a voice that is clear and events that are fluidly and vividly described.
  • It offers excellent and extensive analysis on race, particularly with the culture of Africans and African-Americans.
  • The book which its rich details helps people learn about Africa's history and its culture, which people very often know little about.
  • The themes discussed are thought-provoking to the reader, and leads them to question how race and inheritance impacts their life.
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