Warriors Dont Cry Analysis

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Warriors Don 't Cry is a memoir written by Melba Pattillo Beals. It is about the author herself as a young girl named Melba, who grew up in a society of segregation. Nine students, including Beals, have the chance to integrate a white school called Central High. Mobs of white people were against it and would harass them and even try to kill them. Three elements used in this memoir are first point of view, character and plot. Furthermore, Warriors Don 't Cry has the theme of courage. First, the use of characters in Warriors Don 't Cry gives it meaning and interest for the readers to read it. Also, characters gives it an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and a resolution. If it didn 't have characters, then its message …show more content…

One example is, "Today is the first time in my life I felt equal to white people. I want more of that feeling. I 'll do whatever I have to do to keep feeling equal all the time." It reinforces courage by Melba wanting to stand up for herself and not letting the white people control her. One dialogue that stands out to me is between Beals and the reporter Stan Opotowiski. An excerpt of that dialogue: Melba said, "Would you like to be white?" I scowled at the reporter, and he must have understood my irritation. "Uh, I mean, does all this trouble make you 'all wish you were white instead of Negro?" He amended his question. "Do you wish you were Negro? I have the angry words run out of my mouth. "I 'm proud of who I am. My color is inconvenient right now, but it won 't always be like this." This is another courage reinforcement by how she is proud of who she is and letting the reporter know. In fact, she responds to his questions and doesn 't get offended by them. She even asks questions of her own to him. In conclusion, Warriors Don 't Cry shows how fear can turn to bravery. Nowadays, it can still be relevant. The present isn 't as bad as Beals 's past. However, around the world, there is still racism. If people read the memoir, it could change their minds. After all, skin color doesn 't really matter. We all have the rights that everyone else has. Skin color doesn 't matter because what defines us is who we are

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