Analysis Of I Just Want To Be Average By Mike Rose

Immigrants come to America to seek a better life and receive a better education. America is viewed as the country where you can obtain the American Dream. Although achieving the
American dream and trying to receive a proper education takes a lot of determination and it is worth all the hard work. In the essay, ‘’I Just Want to be Average’’ By Mike Rose, Rose discusses his life as a kid, and how he was accidentally placed in a vocational program in his high school.Due to his parents, not knowing English well, it was hard for them to advocate and speak out for their son . This essay summarizes how the education system makes a mistake by putting Rose in vocational classes where he is forced to learn things at a slower pace. The theme
conveyed

The overall essay conveys the theme of struggle. Mike Rose lived in Las Vegas his whole life with his two parents who were Italian immigrants. Mike Rose was considered an intelligent boy who got good grades. Before placed in the vocational based curriculum by mistake in his high school, his peers viewed him as an average teenager and student. Nobody was quick to put a label upon him or treat him poorly.But, as soon as he was placed into the vocational curriculum in his high school, people started to make assumptions about him and doubted him.There were low expectations set for Mike as well as his peers. He just wanted to

But while in the vocational track, he was forced to learn the same content over and over again. Being in the vocational school, helped him learn about his social skills and other people as well. One day in religion class, this kid named Ken Harvey mentioned in a class discussion about the parable of talents. This one phrase that stood out to
Mike was ‘’I just want to be average. ‘’ Average?’’ Who wants to be average?’’(Rose,349) The phrase that Harvey said stuck with him his whole life. What that phrase means to him is to work hard and try your best at everything you do. The phrase also means do not let anything bring you down no matter what. While in the vocational curriculum, Mike’s biology teacher; who was like a mentor to him, helped him and motivated him to get into a college prep program, that changed his life in a major way. Mike’s biology teacher encouraged him to the best at everything and to always work your hardest.The theme conveyed throughout this essay is struggle because although Mike faced a lot of hardships while in a vocational based curriculum, that has taught him to keep trying his hardest and to not let anything or anyone get in his way.
What is important to me in this essay is the phrase ‘’I just want to be