Mark Mathabane Quotes
Mark Mathabane
Mark grew up in a tough period in time. This is known as apartheid. As a child, his real name was Johannes Mathabane, born to two illiterate parents, one that knew they key to success, and the other that knew the key to failure. During his childhood, Mark faces many struggles. Struggles include police raids, starvation, gangs, his father, and even death. Mark realizes that in order to succeed, he must get an education, which was taught to him by his loving mother. Mark makes a huge change in his life by going from gangs, starvation, and bad influences, to being an educated boy with the key to success.
“I was set in many ways, he in his. He disparaged education, I extolled it; he burned my books at every opportunity, I bought more; he abused my mother, I tried to help her; he believed all that the white man said about him, I did not; he lived for the moment, I for the future, uncertain as it was” (207).
This quote is significant because Mark is realizing how much of a failure his father is and how beliefs and values have led to that failure. His father thought education was worthless, he burned Mark’s books, he beat his wife, and most importantly, he believed all that the white man said about him. This is the …show more content…
Mark says he failed to find someone in which he could identify as having benefited from. This the reason why he is doubting school after going through three years of school without a motivator, role model, or even a mentor to guide him through life and his unknown future. The people he later hears about, including Ali Muhammed and Martin Luther King Jr., would have been perfect role models he could have benefited from as he was starting school. Instead, he later starts to ponder upon the real meanings of school and learning as he is three years
Mark grew up in a tough period in time. This is known as apartheid. As a child, his real name was Johannes Mathabane, born to two illiterate parents, one that knew they key to success, and the other that knew the key to failure. During his childhood, Mark faces many struggles. Struggles include police raids, starvation, gangs, his father, and even death. Mark realizes that in order to succeed, he must get an education, which was taught to him by his loving mother. Mark makes a huge change in his life by going from gangs, starvation, and bad influences, to being an educated boy with the key to success.
“I was set in many ways, he in his. He disparaged education, I extolled it; he burned my books at every opportunity, I bought more; he abused my mother, I tried to help her; he believed all that the white man said about him, I did not; he lived for the moment, I for the future, uncertain as it was” (207).
This quote is significant because Mark is realizing how much of a failure his father is and how beliefs and values have led to that failure. His father thought education was worthless, he burned Mark’s books, he beat his wife, and most importantly, he believed all that the white man said about him. This is the …show more content…
Mark says he failed to find someone in which he could identify as having benefited from. This the reason why he is doubting school after going through three years of school without a motivator, role model, or even a mentor to guide him through life and his unknown future. The people he later hears about, including Ali Muhammed and Martin Luther King Jr., would have been perfect role models he could have benefited from as he was starting school. Instead, he later starts to ponder upon the real meanings of school and learning as he is three years