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Discrimination is all around us; everyone is discriminated one point in his or her life. Langston Hughes, an African-American writer, wrote the short story One Friday Morning. The story is about a girl who was discriminated in her school because she was black. Life brings many disappointments, which make a person stronger. People who discriminate usually have never experienced discrimination. Nancy Lee, the main character of the story, fits well with her classmates even though she is colored.
She is considered smart and fits well with the life of the school. Nancy Lee participated in a lot of school activities and clubs. Graduation was approaching so Nancy Lee and her classmates began to wonder who had won the Artist Club scholarship. One day in April Miss Oshay, the Vice-principal, asked Nancy Lee to stop by her office so she could speak with her. Nancy Lee began to worry that maybe she did something wrong.
She walked into Miss Oshay's office nervously. Miss Oshay told Nancy Lee that her picture had won the Artist Club scholarship. Miss Oshay, however, told her not to tell any of her classmates yet. Nancy Lee ran all the way home, anxious to tell her parents. Nancy Lee had to prepare for the special event; she got her dress ready and wrote her acceptance speech. She was all prepared that Friday morning, her mother was going to come and her mother was ready to go too.
Nancy Lee got to school that morning and went to Miss Oshay's office. Miss Oshay said the Committee was not able to give Nancy Lee her award. The Committee found out that she was black and felt it was against the rules to give her the award since she was black. Nancy Lee was shocked, stunned, and hurt. She never experienced discrimination before, yet in such a harsh way.
However, that day she learned something and would not let a stupid art award get her down. She walked out of the office with her nose held high. People experience disappointments that they, in turn, can learn to make a positive out of the situation. Nancy Lee is stunned and saddened from the news; however, she would not let herself cry over it. That Friday, when it was time for the awards ceremony, Nancy Lee goes with a smile on her face (871). She refused to let herself feel sorry over the award.
The best way to handle it was to learn from the experience. Life is full of disappointments, which is what makes us strong. People who discriminate others, in turn, are discriminating themselves. Nancy Lee will get through the discrimination but will learn from it. There will always be discrimination unfortunately; it is a part of life. This story is a great example of seeing someone being discriminated and puts the reader in his or her shoes to feel what it feels like to be discriminated.
Discrimination occurs for many reasons, mostly bad, but for one good reason; we become wiser from it. Works Cited Hughes, Langston. One Friday Morning. Literature for Composition. Eds. Sylvan Barret.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice, 2000. 866 - 871.
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Research essay sample on Discrimination In Langston One Friday Morning
