"An Account of Experience with Discrimination"
Sojourner Truth’s idea of “old slaveholding spirit” relates with the idea of a community shaping a person and their beliefs by both being the foundations of molding a person’s character. In her letter she wrote how she was going to ride with her friend Laura S. Haviland but the conductor began to forcefully push her off because of the color of her skin. Then when Mrs.Haviland came to intervene telling him not to push her off his first thought was that Sojourner Truth belonged to Mrs. Haviland. The old thoughts that black people were inferior compared to whites and were only items to possess and/or abuse was ingrained into many generations of whites such as the bus conductor, leading to his attitude towards Truth.
Primary documents such as letters, journals, and diaries differ from a reporter or short story in the perspective that they give on a community because they’re a firsthand account, meaning they are clearer and provide the tone of the time. A reporter or short stories don’t capture the true feelings behind a community, they try to make it exciting and appealing. For reporters it’s all about selling a story not providing accuracy.
Word Count: 196
Here Is New York
White begins by defining New York by what it isn’t because he wanted to show that New York is its own place; nothing can compare to it. One thing that contributes to the city’s beauty is the Empire State Building. The contradiction that a traveler sees is that depressed people jump off that very same building that reached the highest point in the sky during the Depression.
Some problems in NYC are its hysteria, sitting in packed subways, crowded streets, and all types of noises like the trains, the cars and parties while they are trying to sleep. They get around these problems by not being claustrophobic, using witty humor during times of stress, and just by becoming use to what New York is. The city contributes to their getting around by its subways and taxis, along with its many stores, laundry mats, and all other necessities.
White’s idea of the neighborhoods as being cities within the city is pretty accurate to me because he explained how every block/ every other block has its own grocery store, barber shop, laundry mat, newsstand and everything else a person would need to have a decent life in the city. He also said that moving three blocks is like moving to a whole other city because New York is so crowed and big therefore, the neighborhoods are cities within the city. This is like my own Chicago experiences because the train stations separate the neighborhoods making them seem like mini-cities. Recently I moved from Brighton Park to Archer Heights and things are completely different. I’m still in Chicago but it makes me feel like I moved to another city since Brighton Park is really ghetto and Archer heights is a lot nicer. The two places are so different but yet they’re in the same city.
Word Count: 302
