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Big Meeting

In the passage, the “Big Meeting” the narrator and and his friend Bud are presented a tough situation. There were several people making racial slurs towards the narrator's mother. The narrator shows how he is strong willed by not acting out against these people, despite how badly he wanted to. "Something about the way she laughed made my blood boil." (Hughes 9.) Although it was not unusual for Caucasian people to listen and slightly admire the church goers praise, these Caucasian people were not admiring, they were there to watch and judge. Although the narrators mom could not here these mean comments, he felt the emotions for his mom. " And I didn't want any white folks, especially whites who wouldn't let a negro drink a glass of soda in their drugstore or give one a job, sitting in a car laughing at Mama." (Hughes 11.) The narrator stays true to himself and does not let his feelings over come him and is strong willed thus not reacting out of anger.

The Conscience of the Court

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In the passage “The Conscience of the Court” Laura Lee Kimble was at trial for hurting a man who tried to trespass and steal from the house she was left to watch over. Mrs. Clairborne or Laura's friend left her in charge of her house while she went away. Laura Lee despite the immense amount of trouble she could have gotten into continues to stay strong willed and protects something important to her. Laura Lee was put onto trial, but the judge discovered that Laura Lee was innocent and that Beasley had no right to do what he did. "I hit the man after he hit me." (Hurston 15.) Luckily Laura Lee was allowed to have her voice heard and was declared innocent. Laura Lee was strong and held her ground and did not allow Beasley to win this battle. Laura Lee showed loyalty by being strong willed and not allowing anyone, to take advantage of her or the people she loves. ".. I always placed other folks's cares in front of my own." (Hurston 17.) This quote shows that Laura Lee knows that she caresso deeply for others and is willing to do whatever it takes to help people, even putting her life in jeopardy.

The Conversion of the Jews

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In this passage, the main character exemplifies a strong-willed student with the name of Oscar Freedman, or Ozzie. Ozzie attends a Jewish Synagogue school, where he is a student. Ozzie has many questions regarding his faith and what God is capable of. Although Ozzie was raised to not question his mentors, he is so strong willed that he refuses to follow the norm. "What Ozzie wanted to know was always different." (Roth 21.) When Ozzie's character is questioned he feels threatened and revolts. Ozzie shows how head strong he is by asking questions out of the norm and now conforming to the norm around him. The main character Ozzie is almost an inspiration to others epically in today's society to not conform to everyone else around them. Ozzie was head strong and different than those around him, even when his teacher tried to make him forget all the abnormal things he was thinking, Ozzie would not conform. "Next, Ozzie made everybody say it." (Roth 26.) This quote shows not only does Ozzie have different opinions and thoughts as everyone else, he wants to be understood.

Tony's Story

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In "Tony’s Story", we see the common theme on unjustness or unfairness. The narrator and his friend are continuously being pursued by a state cop. The state cop makes many racial slurs and has no evidential proof that either of these boys did anything wrong doings. The cop threatens the boys, pulls them over for no reason multiple times and this is why we see the theme injustice. In the story, the cop says “I don’t like smart guys, Indian. It’s because of you bastards that I’m here. They transferred me here because of Indians. They thought there wouldn’t be as many for me here. But I find them.” (Silko 45.) This quote supports the main theme of injustice. The cop notes that he deliberately tries to find Native Americans to punish. He makes it obvious he is not fond of Native Americans. Because of that and his authority he has, he uses it to his advantage and treats these boys poorly despite there being no wrong doing. "He raised the billy club slowly. "I like to beat Indians with this." (Silko 47.) In no way was this okay to say, it is clear this cop is treating these kids unfailry soley do to their ethnicity.

Apparitions

We see the main theme on unjustness or unfairness within a couple of different instances in the story "Apparitions." The unfairness is shown when Wanda and her mother Marie interact with a sales associate. The clerk is dismissive, uncooperative and not friendly (or just plain mean.) "The store clerk answered "Horses? It figures." (Walters 49.) This racial comment made by the clerk, shows that the clerk was being unfair and unkind to Marie because of her ethnicity. Secondly, Wanda was left alone with a male sales associate to try on shoes, he is aware that Wanda does not speak much English and that she is young. The male tries to take advantage of Wanda right before her mother met back up with Wanda. “He was talking to her. Wanda didn’t know what to say.” (Walters 49.) This shows that he and Wanda both knew she would not speak up for what was going on, the male was being unfair because of the disadvantages Wanda had. Being treated unfailry is shown throughout so many instances in this story, specifically unjsut becasue of a difffernce of ethnicity.

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Trespass

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We see the main theme on unjustness and unfairness several times throughout the story "Trespass." Carla and her family have only lived in the United States for roughly a year. So, Carla and her family struggle with English, especially Carla. The first instance we see injustice portrayed in this story is when a group of boy’s gang up on Carla at school. “Go back to where you came from, you dirty spic." (Alvarez 52.) is what one boy said from the group, meanwhile chasing Carla and throwing rocks at her feet. By the comment made by this boy and the actions from the gang we see how they are treating Carla unjustly due to her race. Secondly, we see an instance where a naked man in a car approcahes Carla and asks her to go with him. It does not say in the story necessarily why this man pursued Carla, but personally I believe it was because she was a young girl walking home alone. Lastly, the last instance where we are showed injustice is when the cops arrived at Carla’s home. “Carla was forced to confront the cop’s face. It was indeed an adult version of the sickly white faces of the boys in the playground.” Although the cops did take a report from Carla, regarding the naked man, one cop continued to get frustrated with the lack of English that Carla had. Overall, we see many instannces of injustness in "Trespass" due to racism, age and gender.

Woman Hollering Creek

We see the main theme identity shown throughout the main character in the story “Woman Hollering Creek". The main character, Cleófilas Enriqueta Deleón Hernández is abused mentally and physically, she goes through pain no woman should have to go through. Cleófilas is a mother, a wife and caretaker of her family. She continued to stay because she had an obligation to her children and family “He had thrown a book. Hers. From across the room. A hot welt across the cheek. She could forgive that” (Cisneros 62.) Identity is shown throughout this story by Cleófilas staying to take care of her family and providing for her children even when the going got hard. Cleófilas knows that she was put on this earth to be a mother and despite the situation she is in, she will not leave. She continues to care for her family despite everything, “She has to remind herself why she loves him when she changes the babies pampers, or when she mops the bathroom floor...” (Cisneros 61.) Cleófilas sticks to her identity of being a mother and powers through all the hard things that she has to endure.

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Borders

In the short story “Borders” identity is shown in immense ways. In this story, the narrator and his mother’s identity is questioned and although it is hard to stick to one’s identity, the narrator’s mother does a great job. “Pride is a good thing to have, you know” (King 68.) The narrator and his mother tried to cross the border from Canada into the United states. Once they reached the border they were asked to state their citizenship, when the narrator’s mother states “Blackfoot” the guards do not accept this. This cycle went on for several days, trying to cross the border and not being able to because they stuck to their culture and identity of being a Blackfoot Native American. Finally, they are allowed through after much turmoil and the press causing a scene. “… my mother did not want us crossing the border looking like Americans.” (King 66.) this quote shows that despite anything they stuck true to their identity. The narrator’s mother stayed prideful and stuck true to her identity by not allowing the guards to take away her Native American rights.

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Sufficing

In the short story “Sufficing” we see a struggle for identity through the main character, Layla and also her daughter, Hanan. Layla comes from a rich culture from a Middle Eastern country and her daughter and husband were born in the United States. Hanan the daughter in the story, is ashamed of her mother for her ethnic background because she was so different from her American friend’s parents. “’..You’ll talk differently from the other parents and that’ll get me teased for at least a month,”” (Darraj 81.) We see the struggle for identity from the Layla because she feels inadequate as a mother and does not feel good enough because she is so ethnically different from the other people in her daughter’s life. “I’m afraid that I will not be enough for her” (Darraj 83.) We also see a lack of identity from Hanan, she rarely embraces her culture, in fact almost shuns her culture.

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