Summary:
Carl T. Rowan begins by describing his former high school teacher, Miss Bessie, and how her teachings had a deeper meaning than just the subjects she taught in class. Carl shares a memory of when he, like many most kids his age, wanted to be accepted by people which meant lowering his educational standards. From the help of Miss Bessie, Carl became valedictorian, got into first string of football, and still had respect from his friends. Although Carl came from a background of poor wealth, Miss Bessie taught him that money should not limit in what he can achieve. She taught Carl to never be bothered by what he doesn’t have and to do the most he can with what he does have, his brain. Miss Bessie became a big impact to Carl’s life. Despite the fact that he may not have lived under a roof of the necessary support he needed, Miss Bessie was an important factor to his life because she gave him the push and motivation he needed to succeed the way he did. She was influential to many students and to Carl in particular. Even after the death of Miss Bessie, he still keeps her in a special place in his heart.
Analysis:
In the introduction of this article, he begins by describing his teacher which got my attention. The title of this article ties in with everything Carl T. Rowan talks about. He stayed on topic and in order throughout the story. I was intrigued with the story the entire time on how he talked about Miss Bessie because he gave great supporting details on why she was such an inspirational teacher to him. The dominant impression that he left was how vital teachers like Miss Bessie is to students like Carl because of her caring, supporting, and motivating nature. The concluding paragraph was good as well because he restated what the message of his writing is about, which is how she was his favorite teacher and what made her so unforgettable.
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