Desire: Lie and Helene Tucker
Michelle Hong
EBS-021-701
July 8, 2013
Professor Haji
Desire
There are two readings that are similar to each other. One is called, “Shame,” by Dick Gregory, and the other is called, “Salvation,” by Langston Hughes. The major similarities found in the two readings are lying to fit in and longing for something/ someone. The two readings also have a similar introduction like the setting which takes place in Missouri, both authors are young, and are memoirs. The two readings have so much in common and have very detailed similarities too.
In the two readings, fitting in was a major concept. Both authors had to lie in order to fit in. In “Shame,” Gregory lied about having a father. He tells his teacher, “My daddy said he’d give…fifteen dollars.” (Gregory 4). Gregory makes it seem like he has a father, who told him he would give him fifteen dollars. The teacher knew he didn’t have a father. The teacher said “we know you don’t have a daddy.” (Gregory 4). This just proves that the teacher knows he was lying. This made Gregory have such a painful feeling. In the reading “Salvation,” Hughes lies to his aunt about seeing Jesus when actually he doesn’t. Hughes says “I cried, in bed alone, and couldn’t stop. I buried my head under the quilts, but my aunt heard me. She woke and told my uncle I was crying because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and because I had seen Jesus.” (Hughes 9). He was actually crying because he felt so bad about lying and couldn’t tell his aunt. The two authors had to lie to fit in; they both feel some sort of guilt. Another similarity in the two readings are the two characters longing for something/someone. Gregory longs for the girl he liked in school named Helene Tucker. He always wanted her attention. He would do just about anything to get her. He mentions “Everyone’s got a Helene Tucker, a symbol of everything you.” (Gregory 2). He always wanted everything to deal with Helene Tucker. He wanted to be accepted by Helene. On the other
EBS-021-701
July 8, 2013
Professor Haji
Desire
There are two readings that are similar to each other. One is called, “Shame,” by Dick Gregory, and the other is called, “Salvation,” by Langston Hughes. The major similarities found in the two readings are lying to fit in and longing for something/ someone. The two readings also have a similar introduction like the setting which takes place in Missouri, both authors are young, and are memoirs. The two readings have so much in common and have very detailed similarities too.
In the two readings, fitting in was a major concept. Both authors had to lie in order to fit in. In “Shame,” Gregory lied about having a father. He tells his teacher, “My daddy said he’d give…fifteen dollars.” (Gregory 4). Gregory makes it seem like he has a father, who told him he would give him fifteen dollars. The teacher knew he didn’t have a father. The teacher said “we know you don’t have a daddy.” (Gregory 4). This just proves that the teacher knows he was lying. This made Gregory have such a painful feeling. In the reading “Salvation,” Hughes lies to his aunt about seeing Jesus when actually he doesn’t. Hughes says “I cried, in bed alone, and couldn’t stop. I buried my head under the quilts, but my aunt heard me. She woke and told my uncle I was crying because the Holy Ghost had come into my life, and because I had seen Jesus.” (Hughes 9). He was actually crying because he felt so bad about lying and couldn’t tell his aunt. The two authors had to lie to fit in; they both feel some sort of guilt. Another similarity in the two readings are the two characters longing for something/someone. Gregory longs for the girl he liked in school named Helene Tucker. He always wanted her attention. He would do just about anything to get her. He mentions “Everyone’s got a Helene Tucker, a symbol of everything you.” (Gregory 2). He always wanted everything to deal with Helene Tucker. He wanted to be accepted by Helene. On the other