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Summary Of Shame By Dick Gregory

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Throughout all writings, authors use certain techniques and styles to help create the perfect pieces of literature. One can analyze almost anything, from one word to one sentence and describe the effect of it. With in the autobiography Shame, written by Dick Gregory presents itself with specific styles. Through the use of diction, language, and syntax, Gregory reveals the negative impact of our society on those who live in poverty. Diction is the way an author selects words and the effect it has. In this particular piece, the diction presents stereotyping towards the poor. Very early on, words like “hate” and “shame” are presented (1). These words have a very strong connotative meaning attached and suggest the feeling of aggressive anger, …show more content…

Moving further into the prose, the words “idiot’s seat” and “troublemakers seat” are introduced (2). Gregory uses these words as a way to show how our society has it’s biased opinion towards the outsiders, or those in poverty. The author chooses those words to interpret how the young boy, Richard, is put in a different category as seen as an “idiot” having a chair to himself, a far from everyone (2). He explains how the teacher presumes him to be “stupid” (2). This is a very strong use of connotative diction because coming from a certain background of being poor it’s hard to fit in and flourish and being tagged with certain stereotypes. The author shows how the teachers as well see him in an unacceptable way. During the time of slavery, they minorities were usually tagged with the word “negro”, and it is used with the prose of this autobiography as well when Gregory refers to paydays as the “Negro …show more content…

Throughout this piece of literature, Gregory uses multiple accounts of rhetorical questions. For example, “ … why’d they have to give it a name” (4). Richard is currently thinking to himself about the event the school holds called the “Worthy Boys Annual Christmas Dinner” and as he is thinking about it, he notices the use of the word “worthy” and wonders why they had to add that word in as well (4). Richard was known as poor so going to these parties he knew there was shame in going because he wasn’t worthy enough. Another rhetorical question is stated by Richard, “Why’d it have to be the same for everybody…” (4). Through this language it not only gets an effect but it reveals information to us. The information revealed is that he receives some type of support from the society, or government and he is not proud of that. The rhetorical questions allows the writing to come alive. Meaning, Richard’s thoughts are being shared with us and we have the privilege to feel the way Richard is feeling, which is being put to shame by others, through the use of

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