Part One
For Cisneros, the biggest takeaway
I see is to never forget who you are. Esperanza had all the reasons to succumb
to her surrounding environment but she didn’t let anyone choose her route for
her. She could have ended up like Sally, marry young and never leave. She had one goal and one goal in mind since arriving to that sad red
house….to leave Mango Street. What I will remember most about Esperanza is to
never give up on your dreams and settle. Too many times people get complacent
and never want to take the harder route.
Ishmael on the other hand had no
choice but to forget who he was, for a brief time. It was either forget who you
are or be killed. We learn that war and revenge are a terrible thing but as
long as humans inhabit this earth this is what we’re stuck with. That’s the
reality of it. Early on, Ishmael remembers the happy times before the attack by
the rebels. Alone in the forest of Sierra Leone, he remembers the teachings
from his grandfather about the medicines that surround him. Then we get to the
parts when he was a boy soldier. The grueling details about some of his kills
make you think, “can Ishmael ever be human again?” What sums up the life of
Ishmael is a quote from his father when he was a young boy. “If you are alive,
there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is
nothing good left in the destiny of the person, he or she will die.” (Beah, 54)
My takeaway from this book is to not let your past define who you are.
Part Two
The Hobart Shakespeareans was
a great documentary. It made me think of a teacher I had in the 7th
grade. Who was so passionate about teaching, that she got even the worst kids
to break out of their shell and realize their true potential. It was great to
see that the children understood what they were reading and felt the feeling
behind every word. I really liked how they were able to travel across the
country. To see that there is more to world than LA. In the documentary, Rafe
says “Be the person you want the kids to be.” I see nothing truer than this
statement. Not only in teaching but also in parenting we must try to be the
person you want the kids or your kids to be.
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