The story “Famous All Over Town”, written by Danny Santiago (1911 – 1988), is a story about Latin boy named Rudy who studies at Audubon Junior High. The story also implies the discrimination of Miss Bontempo who is Rudy’s teacher. By this story, the writer wants to raise an awareness of discrimination at his time.
One day, being happy waking up, Rudy decides to turn over his New Leaf, It doesn’t mean that he wants to betray his gang, Shamrock, but to do something new, meaningful for his life. He goes to school with happiness. In classroom, he starts to do the reading assignment which was given by Miss Bontempo. The reading is about a Mexican poor boy named Pancho, who was discriminated by his friends. However, he doesn’t get upset but to prove himself by scoring great points in a baseball game. Pancho is a good examble to people go get discriminated. Pancho doesn’t gives up his circumstances but to strive to prove himself.
One day, after getting up, Rudy is determined to turn over his New Leaf. He goes to school with happy feelings and is ready for the changes, for the new beginning. Miss Bontempo gives him an English assignment. He has to read and answer relevant questions in a meaningful story about another Mexican kid named Pancho – a boy who is rewarded after his exertions to prove himself. In other words, Pancho is an ideal model for success in resisting discrimination whom Miss Bontempo uses to encourage everyone to follow. Nonetheless, Rudy does not know how to answer the questions, so he decides to meet Eddie. Eddie is an excellent student, a big success in Audubon and now, he is running for president of this. Besides these, he is tutoring Rudy in doing the assignment. He helps Rudy understand his teacher’s desire and make the boy think about these questions in another way. He also gives Rudy “the Secrets of Success at School” – the positive attitude, and Rudy follows his advice.
First of all, Rudy goes to class with a
Cited: Santiago, Danny (Daniel James). “Famous All Over Town” in Responding to Literature, 3E, Judisth Stanford. Mountain View: Mayfield, 1999.943-950.