Walter Dean Myers

1222 Words3 Pages

In this research paper I will be talking about Walter Dean Myers. I will be talking about his life from when he was born, until his life in the present day. This paper will inform you alot on Walter Dean Myers.

Walter Milton Myers was born August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but he was raised in Harlem. His father's name was Geoorge Ambrose and his birth mother's name was Mary Myers. Walter Myers was an only child. He didn't really know his family.Walters mother died when he was very young, about 3 years old. His father was very poor. So Walter was raised as a foster child by the Dean family, which is where he gained his 2nd last name. He was adoped by Herbert Julius, who was a shopping clerk, and Florence Dean who was a factory worker.

The Dean family moved him to Harlem. Myers gained a habit of writing poetry and short stories.From his foster parents, he received the love that was ultimately to strengthen him, even when he had forgotten its source. His foster mother, a half-Indian and half-German woman, who taught Walter to read, even though she was barely literate. She read to him everyday from True Romance Magazine.. In due time Walter learned to read well enough to start reading the newspaper to his mother.

After that, Walter started reading everything he could. His favorite thing to read at that time was comic books, but he read almost anything with words. One day in class he ws reading a comic book, his teacher saw him reading it, took it and then ripped it up. But in returnshe broght him a pile of books from her personal library. On that day is when the books took him.

His favorite place during his childhood besides the basketball courts was the library. The library ended up being his favorite place because he couldn't believe that one of the things he enjoyed most to do, which was sit in a place and read all he wanted was free.

During the time when Walter stareded gong to high schoolm those years were hard for him, for the fact that he suffered from a speech impediment. But that minor problem didn't stop him from writing. In high school he was a good student and could read well but he had a behavioral problem. In school he had a very severe speech difficulty, and he said he arrived at

Show More
Related

  • 'Bad Boy' Roots By Walter Dean Myers: Chapter Analysis

    219 Words  | 1 Pages

    In chapter one of “Bad boy” “Roots”, Walter Dean Myers explains his background. In “Roots” Walter Dean Myers, explains where he came from and about his family. He comes from a semi large family, a total of 6 siblings. His birth mother, Mary Dolly Green, died shortly after the birth of her last child, Imogene. After she passed George Myers, Walters father, was left with seven children, two of which came from a previous marriage. The two kids were both girls Geraldine and Viola. When Walter thinks of his mother he thinks of George’s first wife, Florence Dean, stated on page 3. Later in the chapter 5 it talks about the marriage of Walter’s father and Florence, ending in a divorce.

    Read More

  • Jean Toomer- An African American Writer

    1177 Words  | 3 Pages

    When he was fifteen years old, his mother died from appendicitis. From fifteen years of age to his college years, he lived in an all-white neighborhood. From 1914-1917, he shifted from many colleges and academic courses of study as well as he changed his cultural identity growing up. He studied physical education, agriculture, and literature at a total of six colleges and universities from Wisconsin to New York. Although he never completed a degree, his educational pursuits laid the foundation for his writing career.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of A Raisin In The Sun By Lorraine Hansberry

    1092 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... a man because of it. The judgment from his family also caused Walter to drown himself into deep depression. Suffering from this Walters entire attitude changed causing him to become more violent then ever before. Hansberry believed that this form of judgment was the issue with so many African American men during that time frame. Already dealing with the discrimination of society, African American men also had to deal with the negative support they received from their family members.

    Read More

  • John Wilkes Booth

    1518 Words  | 4 Pages

    Without any question, most people have a very clear and distinct picture of John Wilkes Booth a in their minds. It is April 1865, the night president Lincoln decides to take a much-needed night off, to attend a stage play. Before anyone knows it a lunatic third-rate actor creeps into Lincoln's box at Ford's theater and kills the president. Leaping to the stage, he runs past a confused audience and flees into the night, only to suffer a coward’s death Selma asset some two weeks later. From the very moment that Booth pulled the trigger, the victors of the Civil War had a new enemy on their hands, and a good concept of whom they were dealing with. A close examination of the facts, however, paint a different view of Booth, a picture that is far less black and white, but a picture with many shades of gray.

    Read More

  • Essay on Death and Sorrow in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    679 Words  | 2 Pages

    Walter has an interesting turn of events towards the end of the book. He is forced to abandon his quest to the North Pole, he is faced with the monster and must hear the monster's plans for self-destruction, he has to watch idly as his new friend, Victor, passes from this world. He has such noble dreams and aspirations, but they are all brought to a halt because of his chance meeting with Frankenstein. Or, was his expedition doom from the start because of the nature of wanting to do what no other man had done? Was it his ambition that led him to untimely failure? The evidence from the text proves that possibly he was never meant to surpass his peers and obtain the glory that he pursued.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Criminological Theories In Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson

    2281 Words  | 5 Pages

    Walter’s innocence, until one day he is finally released from death row. Mr. Stevenson’s book

    Read More

  • Comparing Reality and Illusion in Glass Menagerie, Death of a Salesman, and A Raisin in the Sun

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    Walter Lee probably has the best grasp on reality and the highest hill to climb of all the dreamers in these stories. This story could probably only take place in a northern city in the United States at that time. His reality check comes from Lena Younger, his mother, a highly spiritual woman with a strong sense of what right and wrong is. Lena has raised Walter Lee to be a good man but he is eager to find a shortcut out of the ghetto and be treated with respect.

    Read More

  • Wait Till Next Year Sparknotes

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although her father got her interested in storytelling it was Goodwin’s mother that got her interested in books. She goes on to tell that if her mother was not doing anything else she would always be reading no matter what time it was. Goodwin writes that every night before bedtime her mother would come and read to her. Goodwin’s favorite times with her mother though were when her mother would tell her real life stories about when she was younger. During this time Goodwin liked to believe that her mother forgot about the pain that she went through constantly due to her bad health.

    Read More

  • The Protagonist in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

    1196 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first reason I believe that Walter is the protagonist is because he isn’t a selfish man. What I mean by this is when he is talking about issues he tends to discuss family issues above his own personal things. Though at times in the play when he is drunk and loses his temper he does start speaking selfishly, I believe that his overall attitude in the play is for his family to move up the world. I believe that Walter’s son Travis is the main reason why he acts so unselfishly. He seems to want the best for this son and doesn’t want his son to feel that there isn’t anything he can’t have or do.

    Read More

  • A Raisin In The Sun Environment Essay

    650 Words  | 2 Pages

    Living in a poverty stricken area, Walter can only think about one of the many things he lacks, money. On the contrary, there are African Americans on the other side of Chicago who do have money and run large businesses. This pushes Walter to not only want to provide more for his family, but also dream big and become determined. The only way that he sees fit for him to make his dream come true and earn more

    Read More

  • Free Essays - A Raisin in the Sun

    1704 Words  | 4 Pages

    Walter has a steady, but low paying job and wishes that he could do more for his family.  The money he makes hardly provides enough for his family to survive.  He is constantly thinking about get rich quick schemes to insure a better life.  He doesn’t want to be a poor back man all of his life and wishes that he could fit in with rich whites.  He doesn’t realize that people won’t give him the same opportunities, as they would if he were white (Decker).  Walter feels that he needs to provide more for his family and starts to ask around on how to make some money.  He gets the idea of opening up a liquor store and has his heart set on it.  Because he wants to please everybody he loses his better judgment and acts without thinking of the long-term effects.  He is ready for a change and feels the store will bring his family a better life (Hyzak).  “Mama, a job? I open and close car doors all day long.  I drive a man around in his Limousine and say, Yes, sir; no, sir; very good sir; shall I take the drive, sir?  Mama, that ain’t no kind of job ... that ain’t nothing at all” ( Hansberry 1755).

    Read More

  • Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    No matter how hard they try, there are some people who cannot get ahead in life. Walter Lee Younger is a man who is frustrated with his current position in life, and every disappointment he has encountered thus far. Although he tries to be a loving man, sometimes he does not know how to show the idea of love, 'Sometimes...sometimes...I don't even know how to try' (Hansberry 89). His position in life can be regarded as symbolic of every black male struggling to provide for his family by any means necessary. Although Walter has a job, it seems inadequate for his survival. As a result, he has become frustrated and lacks good judgement. Throughout this play Walter searches for the key ingredient that will make his life blissful. His frustrations stem from him not being able to act as a man and provide for his family and grasp hold of his ideals to watch them manifest into a positive situation. Walter Lee Younger, a man who is vehement for his family, has many ambitions in life, and dreams of the biggest dreams out of anyone else in the play.

    Read More

  • Rorschach In Alan Moore's The Watchmen

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... therefore he is taught and did not inherit. Moore explores both of these issues in depth, and creates a third element. This third element is the most controversy. People are not born to be good or bad, nor are they raised to be good or bad. Psychologists would say they are either natured or nurtured to be good or bad. Rorschach is a good example of both of those. He is also a confusion in the argument because he develops himself into a super hero. His mother did not influence him in anyway, either through gene heritage or observational learning to become a super hero. Through creation of this alter ego Walter receives attention. When he is dressed up he is no longer vulnerable to his mother or society, now he is feared and respected. He can hide from his memories of abuse because his sole concentration is on being a super hero. Even though he can forget, the memories still exist and therefore effect the rest of his life. Moore adds the third element to a psychological argument that disrupts the whole concept of either beliefs. Rorschach is a developed image in Walter’s mind that allows him to act as what he sees as a psychologically sound human being, with an average up bringing.

    Read More

  • Walter Lee's Dreams in A Raisin in The Sun

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    Initially, Walter?s sole focus on his dreams lead to impaired judgment. One way Walter portrays his impaired judgment is when he makes assorted empty promises. In the Yo...

    Read More

  • Free Raisin in the Sun Essays: Pride and Dignity

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    This episode illustrates a major conflict throughout the story. As Walter dreams bigger and bigger he seems to leave the 'smaller' things such as his family behind. This movement away from the family is against the furtherance of the values and morals of the family. While his father would have been happy simply working and caring for his family, Walter is more concerned with becoming a 'mover and shaker' without thinking about the resulting consequences for his family.

    Read More

More about Walter Dean Myers

Open Document