help with quick assgn due in 1 hour

Hill 1

Professor Cobbs

English 101-901

1 March 2024

The Importance of a Name

Racism has a long history in American resulting in unimaginable amounts of hatred and cruelty. This is ever present in the short stories “What’s in a Name” by Henry Louis Gates Jr and “Finishing School” by Maya Angelou. These stories, each unique in their own way, highlight the historic racism that African Americans faced in their day to day lives during these time periods. We will go over the following subjects for both stories so readers can develop a full perspective of what exactly makes them similar or different. First the location and time-period the events take place in, next the main characters that we follow, lastly the situations that happen in each story and following reactions from our characters.

First, the location for our stories beginning with similar aspects they both share. Both stories take place inside of areas in the United States that are considered the south where occupants had similar general feelings about the Civil Rights Movement. The story by Gates took place in Piedmont, West Virginia, while Angelou’s story is set in Stamps, Arkansas. Though geographically separated the discrimination experienced is one in the same. An example of this is Angelou’s story where the women state her “name’s too long. I’d never bother myself. I’d call her Mary” (109). The timeframes are also similar in the sense of both events happened during the early stages of Civil Rights Movements as they became more prevalent during the mid 1900s. Though the movement was still gaining traction during both stories the ideas and foundations for standing up to racial injustice show in both.

Differences can be drawn between these stories’ settings just as well. Though both stories take place in what’s considered the south it’s apparent that the community in Gates story is willing to at least show a little more respect to his family and him. He shows this when he writes “all of the white people in Piedmont, West Virginia, treated my parents with and off mixture of resentment and respect” (6). This compared to Angelou’s story where she writes “the training was not the same. While white girls learned to waltz […] we were lagging behind” (107). This shows that the community of Stamps, Arkansas, treated the African young girls as second class as they themselves lagged behind in treating African Americans equally. The progress that can be seen in Gates story should be accredited to the Civil Rights Movement which was quickly beginning to pick up steam during the time his story took place.

Secondly, comparing the main characters we get to know in each story. Henry Gates is roughly five or six years old as the main character in “What’s in a Name?” While “Finishing School” is the story of Maya Angelou, referred to as Margaret in the story, who is a young African American girl working for Mrs. Viola Cullinan. The characters are similar in the sense that they are younger kids in the stories but still can recognize when something isn’t right. Gates in specific, though only five or six, recalls being “in the presence of “one of those things,” […] another world that we could not affect but that affected us.” (6-7). This comes from watching his father deal with Mr. Wilson, a man who “calls all colored people George.” (6). In Mayas story its blatantly apparent she knows when something was wrongfully done to her as she becomes upset and “fumed into the kitchen” (109) after being harassed by Mrs. Cullinan’s friends.

The two also have differences between them which is best shown by describing what kind of person they are. Maya is shown as being strong willed and a hard worker with more mature emotions. She describes feeling “pity for Mrs. Cullinan” (109) regarding her inability to bare children. Gates character gives the impression of innocence and impressionable, being only five or six however this is how most younger children see the world. Not fully aware of the evil around them which is clearly seen as Gates “tried to think of who Mr. Wilson was mixing Pop up with” (6) rather than knowing it was racism and hurtful on purpose.

Lastly comparing the situations that happened in each story and comparing how each main character reacted. Gates reaction to his father being called George is the same on a principles level as Maya’s reaction to being called Mary. They both protested the racism in physical manors, Gates saying he “never again looked Mr. Wilson in the eye.” (7). While Maya wrote “a poem on being white, fat, old, and without children.” (109). They both reacted to the racism they experienced through physical protest to put a foot down against it.

The level of protest intensity however soon differs. Gates being a younger child could only do so much to show his unhappiness with Mr. Wilson. Maya had a much better idea on how to teach Mrs. Cullinan a lesson for allowing her friends rudeness. She devised a plan with her brother Bailey involving Mrs. Cullinan’s favorite dishes where she “dropped the empty serving tray […] As she rounded the kitchen door I let them fall on the tiled floor.” (110). This shows how their reactions were on different levels of intensity though they were the same in their morals.

Through all these comparisons it’s easy to see how the two stories are similar in some regard while being very different in other aspects. The large picture being a shared problem of racism and discrimination because of their skin color. These stories shed light on a problem that is still prevalent today. Though the discrimination might not look the same in levels of extremism from the stories to today it exists. These stories highlight a part of this countrys history that cannot be forgotten and hopefully will help inspire further correction to the way people are treated in all walks of life.

Works Cited

Gates Jr., Henry Louis. “What’s in a Name?” Patterns for College Writing: Bedford. 11. Laurie G. Kirszner. Boston: Bedford 2010 5-7 Medium.

Angelou, Maya. “Finishing School” A Rhetorical Reader and Guide. 11. Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford, 2010 107-11 Medium.

1. Is the paper long enough? Count the paragraphs and make sure before you even start reading.  If it's not, be thinking about suggestions to give the writer on how the paper can be lengthened and provide them with those suggestions after reading the entire paper. 

The paper is the correct length of 8 paragraphs.

2. Is there an effective title? Is it interesting? If not, suggest another title after you have read the paper. 

Yes, there is a title. I believe the title is interesting. When I read the title, I did not know what to expect and was interested to see how the essay would turn out.

3. Is there a hook? Is it interesting? If not, is there another way the writer can add a more interesting hook? If so, give him or her a suggestion as to how.

Yes, there is a hook and it is interesting.

4. Is there an effective bridge? If not, what can they do to make it more effective? Does the bridge introduce the stories being discussed? If not, you need to make a note on the paper to make sure the writer knows to introduce the stories in the bridge. 

5. Underline the thesis. (NOTE: You must underline the last sentence of the intro paragraph since this must be the thesis!) Is this the thesis that we came up with as a class? If not, be sure to let the writer know that they MUST use the thesis we decided on as a class. 

This does not appear to be the thesis, but I am not sure. I would review the last sentence to ensure that it is the thesis. Revisiting question 6, this does appear to be the thesis.

6. Now read the topic sentences only in order. Do these sentences follow the order of the points presented in the thesis? Do they provide you with the story/stories title(s), the topic, and the one reason from the thesis that the paragraph discusses? Can you read that one sentence and know exactly what that paragraph is about? 

These sentences do follow the order of the points presented in the thesis. The stories titles are not provided within the topic sentence. By reading the topic sentences, I can predict what the paragraph will be about.

7. Now read each body paragraph separately. Do they follow TEAL? Is there at least one piece of evidence in each paragraph? Is there analysis after each piece of evidence or quote? Is there a clear link to the thesis at the end that clearly ends the paragraph and sums up how the point in the topic sentence has been proven? 

Mostly, the paragraphs follow TEAL. I would suggest going back to review each paragraph and editing to link and reinforce the topic. There is at least one piece of evidence in each paragraph. There is analysis after each quote and piece of evidence. In my opinion, there is a clear link to the thesis that clearly ends the paragraph and sums up how the point in the topic sentence.

8. Now look at the conclusion. Is the thesis restated in a way to show that the idea has been proven? Is the paper ended effectively for you as a reader? Is the "so what question" answered (it must be answered for anyone who would read that paper, not just the class as the audience)?

In the conclusion, the thesis is restated to show that the idea has been proven. As a reader, I would say the paper is ended effectively. Yes, the “so what question” is answered.

9. Are all citations done correctly? Is there a Works Cited page? Do the entries on the Works Cited match the in-text citations? 

Yes, there is an in-text citation.

10. Go into the paper and mark THREE places with a plus sign to show where the writer used good, effective detail or examples.  Then, tell the writer what you liked about what they did after each plus mark.

11. Go into the paper and mark THREE places with a minus sign to show the writer where improvement is needed.  Then, tell the writer what might be done to improve that section. 

12. Last, tell the writer the one thing that you liked most about the paper.  Please be as specific as possible! Remember, the more help you give them, the better their paper will be!