Analysis: The Explorer by Gwendolyn Brooks and Fredrick Douglass by Robert Hayden

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The world we live is in no ways perfect. Our world is littered with pride and greed. We want money and to advance in our life and in some ways we forget the people we walk over. It is about the money and it doesn’t matter who gets in our way. Most people also have a problem with admitting their mistakes. The United States of America was at one time a country that on the outside seemed to be perfect, but in truth it had dark secrets. It held slaves for hundreds of years and once they were emancipated the world turned to other means. Releasing the slaves gave the people freedom according to the Constitution, but they were never truly free. The people had fought all of their lives. Caucasian people still had this idea that they were better because of the color of their skin. Slavery was still a part of the world, but instead of being held in chains their individuality was taken away. They couldn’t be or do what they wanted because they were forced to live and do what and how the white people wanted. No matter how hard it got, they still had hope. They knew that their ancestors had succeeded and that if they continued to try they would succeed. In The Explorer by Gwendolyn Brooks and Fredrick Douglass by Robert Hayden show in three way hoe people were hurt, but also the wants of the people: freedom, hope and individuality.

Hayden described how freedom was one of the ways the people suffered and one of the major things that the human truly wanted. Freedom is given to us by the constitution, but it doesn’t always mean what is exactly said. They are free on paper, but there are people who are segregated and secluded. “Points to the contradictions inherent in our American notion, our American rhetoric , of freedom: which, while "be...

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...n make a difference in your life. Will you let others control your life or will you stand up from yourself?

Works Cited

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. CreateSpace. N.p.: n.p., 2013. Print. A discussion on how we have to be individual and be free and how at times when doing this we are at time misunderstood.

Gay, Ross. "Discussion on Fredrick Douglas." American Poetry Review (2009): 25. Print. The true meaning of freedom and we mix it up.

Sexton, Anne. The Complete Poems: Anne Sexton. N.p.: Houghton, 1999. Print. There are moments in our life when we need to have courage and hope.

Sinclair, Upton. Jungle. Standard ed. N.p.: Barns and Noble, 2005. Print. Talks about how people are forced into their situation by circumstances and can't control it.

Wright, Richard. Native Son. N.p.: Harper Collins, 1977. Print. How there are moments when we have to be individual.

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