I have to write a narrative reflective essay with in-cite text quotation regarding education.
Mike Rose asks himself in his story, "Why would anyone want to be average?" When his class mate, Ken Harvey, was asked to answer a question during religion class, Ken answers; "I just want to be average." This reminded me of the constant reminder that my mother kept instilling in my brothers and sisters and I, as I was growing up.
Every now and then, my mother would mention, that one shouldn't strive to be overly successful, but that one should get his or her education and do well by just getting by. She said this because to her, having a lot of money could lead to the route of all evilness or unhappiness. To my mother, one should live content because you'll never stop wanting more. My mother grew up poor all her life. Her father died (God rest his soul) before my mother was old enough to get to know him or even remember him so her mother made her income by sewing school uniforms for children. Every time she brings up her past, it mostly included my grandmother's comments from behind the sewing machine. In a sense, I could see the point that she is trying to make, however at this point in my life I disagree. I believe that you should fulfill and challenge yourself in life where ever that might take you. If you become successful, strive for the good benefits education can provide for you, like financial stability, a formative effect on the mind and character and ability of an individual as well as a better skilled and informative individual. I also believe that in my life I need to set a balance between the morals that were instilled in me growing up with my parents that I believe in, as well as whatever new morals I've created for myself throughout my own individual experiences that I've endured in my life. What's the point of admitting yourself to education if you can't exercise the knowledge or effect it's had on your life?
When Mike Rose questioned himself, I often debated the point that my mother would try to make. Maybe she believes that one should be average for her own protective reasons as a mother? Or maybe she felt that I would wean from her upbringing of our religion and culture? She probably thinks that if I became successful I wouldn't interact with my family as much just like when Richard Rodriguez couldn't connect with his family after becoming proactive and successful in his education. Much like his family, my parents too, felt "proud" (when someone would say to Rodriguez, "your parents must be proud of you." But on the other end, they just wanted me to have an education and not really do much with my knowledge other then raising a good family and for social reasons.
I mention my mother mostly, because my father was always working. He owned his own businesses and his main focus was that his sons would finish high school and take over the businesses and make a substantial amount of money only make the businesses better. His main focuses for his daughters was to only get there high school diplomas', and get married right after. That was the way my father was raised with his parents and in his mind that's the best way to be raised according to Arab society and his beliefs of turning out ok and fulfilled in his life. What my father did not realize was that every human individual could have their own agenda in life. What I may want in life isn't necessarily what he wants me to have in my life. My happiness and other emotions are my own and isn't his. In that's sense we differ in many ways.
I believe that life's challenges molds a person into their personality through their beliefs, experiences and nostalgia. And I would want to instill as much education in me until I feel like I know when I have had enough. That would include accepting the challenges that life throws my way, using my education as a tool to my succession in my career oriented goals as well as utilizing the education background to my advantages for my future offspring.
If you are writing in the present verb tense, keep consistent about it:
When his class mate, Ken Harvey, is asked to answer...
This reminded me of the constant reminder that my mother kept instilling in my brothers and sisters and I (no comma necessary here) as I was growing up.
Every now and then, my mother would mention (no comma necessary here) that one shouldn't strive to be overly successful, but that one should get his or her education and do well by just getting by.
Wherever is one word.
I'll fix this run on sentence with a semi-colon:
In a sense, I could see the point that she is trying to make; however at this point in my life I disagree.
That first paragraph is very long! I think you should turn the first few sentences into an intro paragraph. 4 or 5 sentences into it, add a thesis statement and do a paragraph break.
If you are expected to use in-text citations, you need to add some citations in parenthesis (Hacker).
For direct quotes, you need the page number, too:
Mike Rose asks himself in his story, "Why would anyone want to be average?" (14)
Do you have questons about how to do citations and the reference list? Google Dianna Hacker MLA in order to get help with MLA, or ask us here at EssayForum.
:-)
