This week’s reading was one of the better reads I’ve had, where “Black Shack Alley” by Zobel is a story about figuring out who you are and where you fit in. The main character, José, goes on to understand himself and the world around him. Right from the start, José feels pressure to do well in school and fit in with his classmates. But he’s not sure if that’s really what he wants. He struggles with feeling different from everyone else and wonders where he belongs. I feel everyone could have a connection with this to a certain extent where you are expected to do well and fit in however sometimes you just feel lost and uncertain of what you want to do.
From reading the story, I felt that José basically lives in two completely different worlds. On one hand, there’s the simple relaxed life at his grandma’s house. On the other hand, there’s the busy world of school and city life. Where José feels torn between these two worlds, not sure which one is the best one for him. Not only that but what I also found interesting is that in the book, José learns that it’s okay to be different and that he doesn’t have to pretend to be someone he’s not. He discovers that true happiness comes from being true to yourself, even if it means standing out from the crowd. This part connected with me really deeply because personally, I find that being true to yourself even if it makes you stand out is a courageous thought process where you would have to not think about what others think and just do what you want to do.
Parts of the story may seem slow to me sometimes, but I think it makes you think more about the important things. It reminds us to be kind and understanding to others who may be going through hard times. It also shows us that everyone deserves a chance to be themselves and find their place in the world. At the same time, it also made me think about issues of how people are treated differently because of their race or how much money they have. Where education people receive can help them understand these inequalities better and truly make a difference.
I feel like this book written by Zobel really captures the nature of the human experience and individual growth, where throughout reading this book I was constantly reflecting on my own self.
Discussion Question:
1. Do you think education can affect individuals to challenge unfair norms and create positive change?
2. Does José’s struggle with identity and belonging connect with experiences you’ve had?
Hi Jerry! To answer your first question, I absolutely believe education can unlock opportunities for individuals that might otherwise be inaccessible. However, I also view the educational system as somewhat paradoxical. To me, education should be universally available, but it has become a commodity accessible primarily to those with certain privileges, which further exacerbates inequality.
Hi! Yes, it was definitely interesting to read about identity and it’s cool that it made you think about your own self and ideas. I think education can challenge norms and it can be a good opportunity to grow and expand your thinking, but Jennifer is also right – it can be inaccessible to some, which is unfair. Maia D.
Jerry, I’m glad you thought this was a better read! I like that you framed the novel as the character understanding himself. And what a great way to characterize the dualism by saying he lives in two different worlds! I thinnk there’s a layer of complexity that comes in when we think that these two lives are also separated by time and his growing more aware of his position.
Thanks for your comment!
Tesi
Hi Jerry. Education is a means of upward mobility for human beings, which means that for an individual, access to education enables him or her to break the chains and injustices of destiny. However, if education is to be used to break existing social norms or standards, this is undoubtedly difficult and requires the concerted efforts of society as a whole.