The Theme Of Strength In Dick Gregory's Short Story 'Shame'
Paper #2 Final Draft: Strength
One way to define the word strength is to have a capacity for endurance. Such can be said about the main characters in the short story “Shame” by Dick Gregory an the poem “Power” by Adrienne Rich. Being strong with yourself lets people know you are not going to give up. “It seemed she denied to the end the source of cataracts on her eyes”… (line 10-11). Only one with immense strength would be able to work through this kind of illness. Marie Curie, whom this poem is written about, continued to work with these radioactive elements, even though there were killing her physically. Mentally she new what she wanted to do before he died and she had the strength to do that. She denied that fact she was sick because
she was strong with herself . This same kind of strength can be said about Richard, in Dick Gregory’s short story, “Shame”. Some might say that Richard , The main character who is poverty ridden was weak, but I on the other hand interpret Richard as having a great deal of strength. To be a little kid an go get ice from a soda machine to melt down so you have water to wash clothes that having strength. The more he stayed strong though he new that some day it would get better. “ you couldn’t concentrate because you were so hungry” (line 7) Gregory, that is having a capacity for endurance. In both readings they shared the strength of getting through what they went through. The poem “Power” quotes; “she died a famous woman denying her wounds and it came from the same source as her power”(line 15-17) Rich. She didn’t give up until she new what she had and how she got it. In the story “Shame” he thought his strength revolved around Helene but really his strength lied within himself. Feeling shame I believe made him feel stronger with himself. Therefore, strength is not just being strong physically, but it can also be emotionally and mentally strong as both characters were mentioned. No matter what kind of situation you are in. Think strong and no you will get through it. Even if you take different paths.
One way to define the word strength is to have a capacity for endurance. Such can be said about the main characters in the short story “Shame” by Dick Gregory an the poem “Power” by Adrienne Rich. Being strong with yourself lets people know you are not going to give up. “It seemed she denied to the end the source of cataracts on her eyes”… (line 10-11). Only one with immense strength would be able to work through this kind of illness. Marie Curie, whom this poem is written about, continued to work with these radioactive elements, even though there were killing her physically. Mentally she new what she wanted to do before he died and she had the strength to do that. She denied that fact she was sick because
she was strong with herself . This same kind of strength can be said about Richard, in Dick Gregory’s short story, “Shame”. Some might say that Richard , The main character who is poverty ridden was weak, but I on the other hand interpret Richard as having a great deal of strength. To be a little kid an go get ice from a soda machine to melt down so you have water to wash clothes that having strength. The more he stayed strong though he new that some day it would get better. “ you couldn’t concentrate because you were so hungry” (line 7) Gregory, that is having a capacity for endurance. In both readings they shared the strength of getting through what they went through. The poem “Power” quotes; “she died a famous woman denying her wounds and it came from the same source as her power”(line 15-17) Rich. She didn’t give up until she new what she had and how she got it. In the story “Shame” he thought his strength revolved around Helene but really his strength lied within himself. Feeling shame I believe made him feel stronger with himself. Therefore, strength is not just being strong physically, but it can also be emotionally and mentally strong as both characters were mentioned. No matter what kind of situation you are in. Think strong and no you will get through it. Even if you take different paths.