Comparison/Contrast of Cut and The Fourth of July

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Wilkinson 1 Comparison/Contrast of “Cut” and “The Fourth of July” In the two essays “Cut,” by Bob Greene and “The Fourth of July,” by Audre Lorde they both discuss how disappointments as a child affected their lives. Greene’s essay gives five examples about how five boys were cut from a sports team and how they used that disappointment to become successful as adults. Lorde’s essay differed in that it told one story of how her and her family were on their vacation in Washington D.C. and they were not served at a restaurant because they were black. Both authors discuss feelings of being left out, being discriminated against, and how disappointments affected their lives. However, there are more differences than similarities in the essays. I can relate more to Greene’s essay because I am an athlete; however, I have never been in position of worrying about being cut. Greene and Lorde were similar in that they both faced a form of discrimination on their childhood that helped better them in the future. In “Cut” the boys all went to try out for a high school sports team and all of them were cut from the teams. “For the time in my life, I was told wasn’t good enough” (Greene 56). These boys were discriminated against for not having the ability or talent to be good enough to play on the team. On of the people in the essay, Bob Graham stated, “I know for a fact that it altered my perception of myself. My view of myself was knocked down; my self was lowered” (Greene 57). No one should ever be put into a situation where they face being told they are not good enough. In the other essay, “The Fourth of July,” a different type of discrimination was discussed, racism. Lorde’s family, which is African American, was faced with discrimination on a vacation to Washington D.C. They took the trip because Wilkinson 2 Lorde’s sister Phyllis could not go on her senior class to Washington. “The nuns had given her back her deposit in private, explaining to her that the class, all of whom were white, except Phyllis, would be staying in a hotel where Phyllis ‘would not be happy,’ Daddy explained to her, also in private, that they did not rent rooms to Negroes” (Lorde 202). While in Washington Lorde and her family went out for ice cream to a Breyer’s ice cream shop. They sat down and a waitress, who was white, walked over and... ... middle of paper ... ...t of the season. Not being a starter gave me the determination to work harder and in the end it all paid off. This experience has made me realize that I can do anything as long as I work hard. Wilkinson 5 In conclusion, both Greene and Lorde discuss how disappointments as child have had positive affects on his/her lives as adults. Greene’s essay applied to me more than Lorde’s because I have never been judged by my appearance. I can’t relate to the fact of being cut from a team, but I can relate to the fact being successful with hard work. Wilkinson 6 Works Cited Greene, Bob. “Cut.” The Prentice Hall Reader. 6th ed. Ed. George Miller. Trenton, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2001. 55-60. Lorde, Audre. “The Fourth of July.” Models for Writers. 7th ed. Ed. Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001. 201-204. Comparison/Contrast of “Cut” and “The Fourth of July” by Shane Wilkinson English 110, Section 03 Mrs. Bailey 30 April 2002

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