Dreams From My Father: A Story Of Race And Inheritance
Personal Response Number One
Title: Dreams from My Father ‘A Story of Race and Inheritance’
Author: Barack Obama
Genre: Autobiography, Life Memoir
Before Barack Obama was a Politician he was an author. ‘Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance’ is an Auto-Biography written by Barack Obama. The book describes Obama’s life in three parts, from his birth in Honolulu, Hawaii up to the final part of the book which includes his emotional and revealing trip back to his father’s homeland; Kenya. Obama’s compelling book describes the stereo-types and challenges Barack Obama faced growing up in a country (United States of America) where ‘African American’ people are largely discriminated and his will and ambition to get the chance to make a change and to make a his country and his world a better place.
In the first part of Obama’s book titled ‘Origins’, tells the reader about his close and extended family and events during his ‘early-life’. Obama was born to a …show more content…
white mother and black father in Hawaii on August 4th 1961. During this section Obama describes of the ‘paradise’ he grew in Hawaii and the event of his parents (Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr.) divorcing when he was 2. His mother re-married and moved Barack and his family to Indonesia. Barack spent 8 years in Indonesia and returned back to Hawaii because of further education. In the second part ‘Chicago’ Barack, describes of university-life and adulthood, his life at Harvard and Columbia University and the starting of a glistening and promising political career. The final part ‘Kenya’ Barack tells of his immense loss when his father was tragically killed in a car-accident in Kenya. He vows to go back to Kenya and learn more about his family his traditional roots.
I find that Barack Obama’s story is similar to what most ethnic minorities dream to have completed in a well established society where they are socially disadvantaged, because of race, skin colour etc. These people are trying to make a socially acceptable identity, in a country that already has established culture and values. Most minorities don’t believe that they can make a stamp on a country with no roots or connections with other people. But as Obama tells his story, I find that good work ethic and persistent perseverance are keys to success. At the same time Barack Obama tells us why after 30 years African-Americans (Blacks) still find it hard to feel and say “I’m an American”. This book has a number of quotes which support these ideas. I believe that books like this are amazing because they inspire so many different types of people to accomplish their dreams and goals, in worlds that are different to ones that are normal to that person.
One technique Barack Obama uses in this story well is the use of tone and how he connects to the reader in ways most people couldn’t.
The use of negative and positive tones in the story and how he weaves it up together makes this book special. The book also includes sections which many people can relate to, e.g. times of hardship, rejection and discrimination. The ideas like the ones I have just mentioned are described by Obama are the way it actually feels like and a prior experience of what the consequences and how costly they are. Although Obama’s hardships bothered him, he kept on persevering and tread on like a ‘true soldier’. The rewards at the end of the story speak for themselves. For many people who were in a similar situation like Obama, this story gives many people inspiration by connecting the story to their problems and how Obama’s self-belief of change and dedication helped Barack Obama, a black African American man get to become the 44th President Of the United States of
America.
To conclude this essay, this book affected me especially, as I am an ethnic minority in New Zealand. This book has inspired me to dedicate and commit myself further to my activities. Believing in yourself no matter where you are, skin colour, race and religion, I believe now after reading this book should not decide how hard you try in your activities. As Barack Obama has experienced, rejection and constant diligence in time turned into reward. On November 4th 2008 Barack Obama became the first African American President in history following 43 ‘White’ Presidents. The feeling this brought to everyone who once never believed was, “Yes, WE CAN”.
Title: Dreams from My Father ‘A Story of Race and Inheritance’
Author: Barack Obama
Genre: Autobiography, Life Memoir
Before Barack Obama was a Politician he was an author. ‘Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance’ is an Auto-Biography written by Barack Obama. The book describes Obama’s life in three parts, from his birth in Honolulu, Hawaii up to the final part of the book which includes his emotional and revealing trip back to his father’s homeland; Kenya. Obama’s compelling book describes the stereo-types and challenges Barack Obama faced growing up in a country (United States of America) where ‘African American’ people are largely discriminated and his will and ambition to get the chance to make a change and to make a his country and his world a better place.
In the first part of Obama’s book titled ‘Origins’, tells the reader about his close and extended family and events during his ‘early-life’. Obama was born to a …show more content…
white mother and black father in Hawaii on August 4th 1961. During this section Obama describes of the ‘paradise’ he grew in Hawaii and the event of his parents (Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr.) divorcing when he was 2. His mother re-married and moved Barack and his family to Indonesia. Barack spent 8 years in Indonesia and returned back to Hawaii because of further education. In the second part ‘Chicago’ Barack, describes of university-life and adulthood, his life at Harvard and Columbia University and the starting of a glistening and promising political career. The final part ‘Kenya’ Barack tells of his immense loss when his father was tragically killed in a car-accident in Kenya. He vows to go back to Kenya and learn more about his family his traditional roots.
I find that Barack Obama’s story is similar to what most ethnic minorities dream to have completed in a well established society where they are socially disadvantaged, because of race, skin colour etc. These people are trying to make a socially acceptable identity, in a country that already has established culture and values. Most minorities don’t believe that they can make a stamp on a country with no roots or connections with other people. But as Obama tells his story, I find that good work ethic and persistent perseverance are keys to success. At the same time Barack Obama tells us why after 30 years African-Americans (Blacks) still find it hard to feel and say “I’m an American”. This book has a number of quotes which support these ideas. I believe that books like this are amazing because they inspire so many different types of people to accomplish their dreams and goals, in worlds that are different to ones that are normal to that person.
One technique Barack Obama uses in this story well is the use of tone and how he connects to the reader in ways most people couldn’t.
The use of negative and positive tones in the story and how he weaves it up together makes this book special. The book also includes sections which many people can relate to, e.g. times of hardship, rejection and discrimination. The ideas like the ones I have just mentioned are described by Obama are the way it actually feels like and a prior experience of what the consequences and how costly they are. Although Obama’s hardships bothered him, he kept on persevering and tread on like a ‘true soldier’. The rewards at the end of the story speak for themselves. For many people who were in a similar situation like Obama, this story gives many people inspiration by connecting the story to their problems and how Obama’s self-belief of change and dedication helped Barack Obama, a black African American man get to become the 44th President Of the United States of
America.
To conclude this essay, this book affected me especially, as I am an ethnic minority in New Zealand. This book has inspired me to dedicate and commit myself further to my activities. Believing in yourself no matter where you are, skin colour, race and religion, I believe now after reading this book should not decide how hard you try in your activities. As Barack Obama has experienced, rejection and constant diligence in time turned into reward. On November 4th 2008 Barack Obama became the first African American President in history following 43 ‘White’ Presidents. The feeling this brought to everyone who once never believed was, “Yes, WE CAN”.