Free Custom «Makes Me Wanna Holler» Essay Paper

"It make me wanna holler" is a book by Nathan Mc Call, a vibrant black youth. He grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia together with his caring mother, step father and four other brothers. Race was prominent and Nathan was always obsessed with this difference, but only later to resent his obsession. Color becomes an obstacle to the realization of one's dreams and goals in life. When he was barely thirteen he was allowed to go with bonnie, his step father to work in the neighborhood (the whites). While working along his father and brother he realized the power of color.The neighbors had no respect to the Africa American black community e.g. in the book he tells how his step father addressed the white with respect and dignity, but only to be reciprocated with disrespectful names. Mrs. Davis addressed mc call's father by his first name, bonnie as if he was not an adult. Hatred, hopelessness, dejection and the deep planted fear for the white gave McCall the fast ticket to prison after he arm robbed McDonald's restaurant. Seeing senior engaging in these unlawful activities McCall was left with no option other tan indulging into this trade.The trade had immediate "prizes" which lawful trade could not bring. Though they saw their parent try to make end meet through legitimate means, youthfulness pulled them to the illegitimate activities.According to Nathan McCall's book it make me wanna holler" Africa American blacks lived in cavalier manor. This is so because a white boy who was riding a bicycle was fiercely attacked by black youths for trespassing in their territory. The cavalier manor was densely populated and therefore it was easier for the black American to form a political movement.The political movement was mandated to sphere head their grievances such as security, equal job opportunities, right to good education, right against discrimination, medical and other government services, and also to be fairly represented in the government. The movement also championed and educated the black as well as consolidating their unity hence speaks as one. While the white, lived in the Academy Park, where all government services were available and accessible. These therefore yielded to luxurious lives at the expense of the blacks.After McCall brother got a driving license, McCall tells how they could steal their grandfather's car and head to Academy Park only to go beat the white youths. They believed that by so doing they could avenge for the wrongs committed against their fellow blacks.

 

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Nathan attended elementary school like any other black American. He was a promising boy who could have gone place had he maintained the same starting spirit. He got good grades in all elementary exams he sat for. In 1966 Nathan joined Alfred junior mapps high school an all white school. It happens that here he was privileged to school with the white. He felt superior and smarter than his brothers who attended all black school, where education was said to sub standard.Alfred junior had the best learning facilities plus intellects behind those facilities. Holding all these factors constant, Nathan suddenly became the recipient of slurs and humiliations from community. He tasted racism fast hand. He felt fed up and could no longer stomach the pressure from the racist white. He wondered why his fellow Americans could in humiliate him because of a black color he never chose. Nathan's parent therefore succumbed into transferring him to W.E.waters, an all black school. Here, things were easier; he could socialize freely with his fellow blacks and more so feel at home. He found new comrades who he never knew. These comrades could not add ethical value to Nathan's education. Adolescence and peer pressure weeded out the virtues. He was no longer the son of Bonnie we knew from the on set of the novel. He started hunting for greener pastures with immediate rewards such as drug trafficking robbery, gang rape and other vices. He later learned to hate as much as the white did to him and his comrades. So to say it was an avenge mission.In the book blacks had great concerns with respect. They valued personal image more than anything else in their entire small world of sorrow and teeth gnashing under the whites. One could only gain this self claimed respect by being aggressive i.e. not stomaching any shit from any other person ("the baad assed nigger"), raping to become macho and show others how cold one could be. Also smart dresser gained this self claimed respect. For example, at construction site, Nathan clashed with the supervisor verbally. This further resulted to him being fired. Nathan simply wanted to protect his image as a man.The blacks working in the site mentally commended him for that heroic act without considering the fact that he went home empty handed. This is evident when Jim was trying to put some sense into Nathan's mind while serving his term in jail. Jim told him to respect fellow inmates.

Nathan never felt responsible to anything but rather directed all his misfortunes and shortcomings to others. In the novel, we see him hating everything including his biological mother and grand mother. Though at times, he felt mercy to those who fell at the hands of the tormenters. e.g. when he saw fellow black men gang rape a woman, he felt an urge to rescue her and tell her to forget the ugly scene. It is ironical that he raped those women he should have rescued, loved, uplifted and protected. They did not rape because they wanted to have intercourse but rather become macho and prove how cold one could be.At the age of seventeen, Nathan was a father though he never married his wife out of love. He married his wife only because she had two sons for him. He shunned many other ladies who were pregnant of him, Liz included. He only cared of his well being as he was later divorced. He was pained by the cost he had to meet for the up keep of his own sons. It is also indicated that, he could not send apologies to those women he had molested even after running into them later in his live. This clearly shows how cold and flat he was in matters of the heart .Love was indeed a big illusion to Nathan as he only believed in compatibility.McCall was a good student gaining respect from other student and also considered as one of the highest performer in his class. As environment changed, Nathan was obviously swept off his feet. Hatred and fear for the white traumatized him while at Alfred junior mapps high school an all white. Instead of concentrating on his books, McCall had to fight dejection, hopelessness, discrimination and deep planted fear for the white. This made him confused, and therefore he had to transfer to W.E waters an all black school. This was a more conducive environment as he shared resentment with his fellow black Americans students. This were the rain started beating him.The freedom he got distanced him from the ethics of hard work that his step father had planted in him. The new friends and comrades pulled him out of class work. The urge to have what you desire without hesitation was too glamorous for him. Being a smart dresser gained McCall much respect among the black youths hens sidelined the A's or the primary objectives of being in school. Friends played a major role in McCall academic down fall. This is so because they hanged around during class time. They spend much time in unlawful activities which fetched them immediate satisfaction at expense of concentrating with his studies. They engaged themselves in robbery mission e.g. Robbery of McDonald's restaurant. This landed Nathan to prison instead of being in class.Crime was never an option in Nathan's mind due to various environments that he was exposed to lured him into scenes of crime. Adolescent mind attracted him than work ethics. Crime tended to reward them handsomely than the legitimate trade. Though they saw their parents trying to earn legitimately, the crammer for easy gotten items was overwhelming. Not to forget the fact that, pears pressure was a force to recon with. Bad friends drove him to unexpected change of character at once. He wanted to be recognized by friend and others as a hero and therefore gain fame.Nathan used hatred to justify why they earned their money through criminal activities. Bearing in mined that a good job was not easy to come about especially for the black youths, they were then forced by circumstances to engage in unlawful activities which paid handful. Back youths never wanted to be tried or even being patient.The prime reason for the governments to establish prisons was to instill discipline as well to provide a center to rehabilitate its wayward citizens. McCall was once one of these needy citizens. The work ethics that Bonnie, McCall step father was advocating for became in handy while Nathan was serving his term. The prison administrators noticed the change in Nathan thinking and therefore offered him an opportunity as a librarian. These gave him a golden opportunity to go through books that he had neglected. He read the Richard Wright book "The native son". After reading this book and others he faced anger, hopelessness and fear head on. Prison administrators, used Christians rules and therefore suspended the Muslim rules.Due to consistent advices and persuasions from Jim an inmate, Nathan was converted Muslim. Jim had always advised Nathan that the white was using Christianity to mistreat the blacks. The influences of fellow inmate like mo battle opened him to the truth. Mo battle always said "life is like chess and there are consequences for every move". Mo battle words ware a catalyst to the McCall's quench for change and knowledge. Therefore McCall learnt how to print while at prison .This guaranteed him a vacant at Norfolk University after his release.In black America society a father figure is a sense of belonging though some times is a disturbing. Without a father figure in the family, children always doubted themselves. Nathan was not even happy with news of being a father. He rejected many ladies whom he impregnated. e.g. Liz. We are also told that he was frustrated by the news of fathering two sons. In page 114 "how was I to guide a new life, when I could not even direct my own?"Though working with the so considered superior whites was had for McCall to ignore his past experiences. Nathan dedicated his career to bridge the gap. He could not trust his work mates. We are told that he let the white manipulate him around, was a passive nigro. He considered all social gathering there at work with a lot of skepticism, but we later see him trusting a white who said was not an orderly white. Reading "make me wanna holler" leaves a reader mouth wide open and mind questioning.