Character Analysis for "Theme for English B."
...man as everyone else is, despite his race. “Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink and be in love/ I like to work, read, learn and understand life /I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records-- Bessie, bop or Bach” (Lines 21-26). He uses this as a way to connect himself to his professor. Surely, his instructor can associate to more than half of his student wants and needs. As, well as all of us can; it’s part of our everyday lives; it’s the American way of life. The speaker demonstrates this so beautifully throughout the poem. He never expresses any resentment or animosity towards his instructor. The speaker uses this to show the irony of his page. “So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white. But it will be/ a part of you, instructor. You are white--/ yet a part of me, as I am part of you/That’s American.” (Lines 28-33). The canvas of the paper is white relating to the instructor and the words that will fill the page will be colored like the student. He uses this symbolically to show that, even though the page has to be ‘true’ to you, it can’t be because it also is part of both the instructor and the student. The speaker also demonstrates respect for his professor, referring to him as ’instructor’. He wants to let the professor know that he is his ’instructor’ through these crucial college years, which will mold the student into tomorrows American. So, throughout the rest of his life the instructor’s teachings will be instilled inside of the student. Making them a part of each other, like this page. The speakers use of the words “me” and “you”, show how the speaker is taking himself and the instructor to a more personal level. The use of such words shows the students close connection and the respect he holds for his professor. He uses this as a way to show that we are all closely connected and we cannot take one into account without including the other. When the student refers to his instructor as,...