My brother has always been very easy to startle that is why I love scaring my brother! This is also why I love Halloween, because he scares easily. One time when I was in South Carolina, we were visiting one of the state’s history museum. At the U.S.S. Yorktown exhibit, I managed to scare my brother half to death. I made him think that I had jumped off the ship, when I was actually right behind him. All I had to do was shake him and that alone made him jump. Then he slugged me hard in the arm and called me a brat. Getting hit in the arm had never been so worth it though! I remember it like it was just yesterday, that weekend I was very excited because my family and I were going to visit the Wright Patterson Museum. We drove to the museum; it
While researching and meditating on the history of my paternal ancestry over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to draw many connections between the life I have experienced to date and the lives of Patterson families as far removed as five generations. It has been eye-opening to flesh out the seeds of my lineage, discovering the foundations on which I was raised and reflecting on the stability of family and community back then. Family themes, such as the importance of hard work, education, selflessness, honor, religion, athletics, and community, have been gradually sewn in my young life by the collective lives and experiences of such men as: my great-great-great grandfather, William Andrew Patterson, his son, Eusebius, his son, Earl Victor, his son, E.V. Jr., and finally, his son and my father, Earl Victor Patterson III. I have chosen to loosely center my writing on the life of my late great-grandfather, E.V. Sr.. It seems to me that "Pop", as I have always heard him referred to, represents the common denominator between my "ancient" past and today. Additionally, his life most directly highlights the aforementioned family themes that have characterized the Patterson family for ages.
My heart beat rapidly as the familiar sound of the ringing cell phone hummed into my ear. The vibrant voice of my guidance counselor answered, “Sue Walker, how may I help you?” After gathering my racing thoughts into words, I managed to respond, “Hi, Mrs. Walker, I heard acceptance decisions from the NC Governor’s School were emailed to counselors today.” She confirmed that decisions were available, but would only be delivered in person.
Richard Wright has been referred to me for therapy regarding his theft from the local theater, and I believe that he committed this crime because he believes that because of his station in society he would never be able to support himself and his family through honest means. Despite the fact that he does hold some remorse for his actions, it would appear that whatever remorse he holds is tempered by his justifications for stealing. A thorough analysis of his reasoning has been conducted and with testimony from the patient to serve as my proof, I will begin treatment to show him the error of his ways.
Poet, journalist, essayist, and novelist Richard Wright developed from an uneducated Southerner to one of the most cosmopolitan, politically active writers in American literature. In many of Richard Wright's works, he exemplifies his own life and proves to “white” America that African American literature should be taken seriously. Before Wright, “white” America failed to acknowledge the role African American writing played in shaping American culture. It was shocking in itself that an African American could write at all. Thus, Richard Wright is well known as the father of African American literature mainly because of his ability to challenge the literary stereotypes given to African Americans.
“Whenever my environment had failed to support or nourish me, I had clutched at books...” ― Richard Wright, Black Boy this is a quote from the famous Richard Wright an African American author. This quote means that no matter what was placed in his way or what he lacked that others had he hung on to what he had and did what he could. And the more he read about the world, the more he longed to see it and make a permanent break from the Jim Crow South. "I want my life to count for something," he told a friend. Richard Wright wanted to make a difference in the world and a difference he did make. Richard Wright was an important figure in American History because he stood astride the midsection of his time period as a battering ram, paving the way for many black writers who followed him, these writers were Ralph Ellison, Chester Himes, James Baldwin, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lorraine Hansberry, John Williams. In some ways he helped change the American society.
In his research Jay Macleod, compares two groups of teenage boys, the Hallway Hangers and the Brothers. Both groups of teenagers live in a low income neighborhood in Clarendon Heights, but they are complete opposites of each other. The Hallway Hangers, composed of eight teenagers spend most of their time in the late afternoon or early evening hanging out in doorway number 13 until very late at night. The Brothers are a group of seven teenagers that have no aspirations to just hang out and cause problems, the Brothers enjoy active pastimes such as playing basketball. The Hallway Hangers all smoke, drink, and use drugs. Stereotyped as “hoodlums,” “punks,” or “burnouts” by outsiders, the Hallway Hangers are actually a varied group, and much can be learned from considering each member (Macleod p. 162). The Brothers attend high school on a regular basis and none of them participate in high-risk behaviors, such as smoke, drink, or do drugs.
In 2009, my parents and I decided to travel to San Antonio, Texas for vacation. My parents and I have traveled there before, but we enjoyed it so much that we decided to go back. With many places to see and do; my parents thought that we should go to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. It was at this theme park, where something happened that I would never forget.
I remember taking baths in the kitchen sink after a long day outside, riding the four-wheeler with my aunt, and playing with the kittens. The farm was my second home, and it still is. There are a lot of memories I have because of the farm, but one memory that always sticks out is during harvest season. I spent full days in the tractor with Grandma and in the combine with Grandpa. I remember refusing to get out, even for lunch.
I was so excited. I could hardly breathe through the hour drive it took to get there. I was squished between my two ten-year-old best friends in the back seat of a white Saturn, but I didn't care. I was practicing over and over in my head what I was going to say to all the smart-alecky adults who would tell me I was too young to ride the water slides. I was simply going to reply, "Actually I'm ten, going on eleven."
The next morning we had to pack up our stuff because it was time for us to go. When we put our stuff in the car and got in. My four-year-old little brother started to cry because he loved the slides on Leopard Cove. We had to make him be quiet so my mom gave him a bag chips which worked. My mom also got souvenirs including an elephant bobble head and a Kalahari bell. I had to get ready for another gruesome trip back home. So instead of staying awake and watch all the sites that we were passing I just slept the rest of the ride. At least now I had even more memories to talk about and I learned something new which was that not all things are as scary as they seem to
my family there for the first time when I was about three. To this day I still
I remember it as clear as day. It had been a fairly normal week, and a routine average day. It was a Friday and I was driving home from school in my trusty Toyota Tercel. I was getting into the dreaded mental set of the game that I would be playing in that night. I had to play in the band at halftime and it was the first performance of the season. The whole ride to my house I thought about the game and hoped and prayed that we wouldn't make huge fools of ourselves. Before I knew it, I was already home. I remember thinking that it felt like the shortest drive ever, getting to beautiful Rolling Oaks. When I got home, little did I know, that there would be a huge surprise waiting for me that would change my life forever.
When I was a young child I would love to hear my parents tell me that we were going on a trip. I would be full of excitement, because I knew that we would be going to a place that I had never seen before. My parents, my brother, and I would pack our luggage and venture out in our small gray minivan. Three of my most cherished memories in our minivan are when we went to Disney World, the beach, and the mountains.
Margam Park with my father. I must have been around the ages of two or
The whole drive there I was just wondering what I was going to do and see over there. I mean I thought I thought I was excited about my plane ride there, but that wasn?t even half of what I was feeling at that time. Once I saw the roller coasters as we drove to Universal?s Island of Adventure my face just lit up like the sun.