How Does Racism Affect Melba

One of the ways Melba is able to demonstrate how inequity is spread throughout Central High School of protection

In the book, Melba states that “the segregationists had stolen yet another piece of my life.” Explain what things Melba was robbed of throughout her experience. Though she lost a great deal, she still saw her experience as “a positive force that has shaped the course of my life.” What did Melba gain as a result of her experience? Do you feel that Melba was right to attend Central High? What difficult or painful experiences have you gone through that have helped shape your identity? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Melba Pattillo Beals, the main character in the memoir “Warriors Don’t Cry”, never gave up and persevered when fighting for racial equality. When Melba was walking into school one day she thought to herself, “‘I squared my shoulders and tried to remember what grandma had said: God loves you child; no matter what he sees you as his precious idea’” (Beals 76). Melba along with her eight schoolmates made history when they decided to integrate Central High School. They wanted to show their friends that you always hold your head high, be determined, and never give up. While enduring, Melba taught her family and friends to also persevere. Fortifying her family in faith helped her to make it through the year. While standing her ground after many challenges Melba thought to herself, “‘I knew for certain something would have to change it I were going to stay in that school. Either the students would have to change the

After her year as a Central High student was over and she was able to reflect upon her experiences, Melba came to the conclusion that the adults that watched the white children torment and abuse she and her friends were simply afraid. They were afraid of change. They were afraid that the social structure that placed them above blacks was going to crumble, leaving them at the mercy of people who they’ve kept down for so long. Most of all, Melba learned they were afraid that once blacks started going to the same school as their children, they may begin to date, marry and make families with their children.

In the beginning chapters of the book, we get a glimpse of the typical home and community of an African American during segregation. Many Africans Americans were too adjusted to the way of living, that they felt

To survive the school year, Melba had to acquire various weapons to fight against the segregationists who surrounded her. Those weapons included her words, her diary, her presence and her faith. After Minnijean was expelled Melba’s fellow students became more vicious trying to get the others expelled also. One-day Melba got eggs dumped on her head. Later when her grandmother helped her get the egg out of her hair she told Melba, “You could take charge of these mind games, you know… Suppose you’d have told the boys who did this, Thank you,’ with a smile. Then you’ve changed the rules of the game. What they want is for you to be unhappy. That’s how they get pleasure.” (Pattillo.242) Melba takes her advice and is able to rise above her bullies for a short time.

Racism is a big part of this book. It shows the absurdity of what people thought back then, which is an important lesson. It is important for us to learn what people’s views used to be, and how important it is not to go back to that mindset.

Segregation had had many effects on the black nation, to the point that it started building up ones character, “See the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky and see her begin to distort her little personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness towards white people”, King shows readers that segregation is even affecting little children, that it is starting to build up a young girls character and is contributing to the child developing hatred “bitterness” towards the white Americans. King makes readers imagine a black cloud settling in a young girls brain mentally, when instead she should have an image of a colorful blue sky with a rainbow, isn’t that suppose to be part of a 6 year-old’s imagination? King gives readers an image of destruction civil disobedience had created in the black community, especially in the young innocent little children.

Racism is the main theme that you see throughout the whole book. Alexander begins her narrative with a history of racism in this country. Beginning with the inception of slavery in the

The most important theme in this book was the trials and tribulations of racism because it was woven in every part of the plot, it contributed to the conflict and resolutions, and gave the story a connection to current events, helping the reader’s comprehension.

On the first day that Melba Patillo Beals went to school, she thought it was a nightmare. There was a huge mob outside Central High School, along with the Arkansas National Guard soldiers keeping them out. The image of Elizabeth Eckford really shows how it was. White people were surrounding them, cursing at them, of course saying the word “nigger”, and occasionally striking them (1994). It was so bad that Melba had to take the keys to their car from her mother and run away to escape. Imagine the sight of Melbas mother screaming at her “Melba, take the keys. Get to the car.

In Conclusion , you can see how these three characters from the book were affected by racism. All of these situations were a tad bit different but you can see how they often got caught in the middle of what other people thought was right and what was really right. All humans should not be judge of their work ethic or ability to do something just cause of their skin color. We all live on the

Starting her second education, she was forced to drop out to care for her ailing grandmother. With Jim Crow’s Law, heavily in affect, her childhood was greatly influenced by the segregation between white people and black people in almost every part of their lives.

Like Jackie Robinson, Melba Patillo Beals broke the color barrier by attending an all white-school. A life-changing experience that Beals faced was being the first African American to attend an all white-school. According to the text in paragraph 28, it stated, “We stepped up the front door of Central High School.” This means that Beals was walking in front of an all white school. The events challenged Beals because a lot of soldiers were forbidding the Beals from Central High. In paragraph 15, the paragraph states,” ...They surrounded us like a protective cocoon.” This reveals that the soldiers were forbidding them. These events caused her to grow and develop by making herself more confident. In paragraph 16, the text states,” If these guys just go with us this first time, everything’s going to be ok.” This means she was confident that everything was going to be ok.” These events changed Beals society since she was the first black person to attend Central High, now other blacks can attend Central High too. This is how Melba Pattillo Beals broke the color barrier.

In the book Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, the author describes what her reactions and feelings are to the racial hatred and discrimination she and eight other African-American teenagers received in Little Rock, Arkansas during the desegregation period in 1957. She tells the story of the nine students from the time she turned sixteen years old and began keeping a diary until her final days at Central High School in Little Rock. The story begins by Melba talking about the anger, hatred, and sadness that is brought up upon her first return to Central High for a reunion with her eight other classmates. As she walks through the halls and rooms of the old school, she recalls the