Discussion Of The Essay 'Graduation' By Maya Angelou

Many essays have different meanings, symbols, or lessons that one can take from reading them. Lessons are teachings in which you take on your everyday life that you've learned in the past or from experience. You can learn lessons like; don't judge a person because of where they come from, what they look like, or for who they are. While reading an essay, you can encounter a lesson you might take on in your everyday life.

"Don't judge a book by its cover" is a life lesson we've heard of once in our lives. Which means don't judge a person without knowing what they're capable of doing. In the essay "Graduation" by Maya Angelou, a white speaker at Angelou’s graduation brought the excitement of the graduates down by saying something unbelievable. "The ugliness they left was palpable." (29) He stated how whites had more opportunities than the blacks, and couldn't have good carriers. Angelou, later on, became a writer, dancer, and poet. She went on to prove that no matter what skin color you may be, you can still go on to be successful. Throughout life, you should never judge a person because of how they look on the outside. You never know, that person could go on to be beyond than what you believed.

But not a lot become an inspiration and go beyond to prove those people wrong. "The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me" by Sherman Alexie, he proved to people that he wasn't one of the Indian children who was expected to be dumb. "I refused to fail. I was smart. I was arrogant. I was lucky." (17) Alexie, later on, became a writer and an inspiration to other children. He proved that just because he was Indian didn't mean anything. Your cultural background should not bring down your intelligence, instead, soar beyond to prove others