Student Essay on Discovery and Self-knowledge

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Discovery and Self-knowledge

Summary:   Compares the themes of discovery and self-knowledge as portrayed in three literary sources, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, the film Finding Forrester, and a selection from a personal notebook.

All three texts I have selected, "The Color Purple", an extract from a girls notebook, and a scene from "Finding Forrester" express the idea that discovery and self knowledge are inseparably part of a humans life experiences. In all three chosen texts confusion over social standing in life is raised.

Celie discovers many things throughout "The Color Purple" mainly through the influence and actions of others. Through Shug, Celie discovers that she is worthy of respect, friendship, love, happiness and freedom.

From the beginning Celie is unaware of where she stands not only on the social ladder but also among her family and life. By the age of 14 Celie has already lived a hard life. She begins writing letters to god because she discovers that he is the only one she can confide in, telling him her innermost thoughts and secrets.

Celie is a slave to her father, first allowing herself to be raped and bearing his children; and constantly enduring his abuse and belittlement from her husband Mr____.

She takes all this treatment in her stride, as this is the only life that she has known. Then all of a sudden she dramatically changes her course of thinking. She starts to accept who she is; this is greatly to do with Shug's friendship. "I'm poor, I'm black, I may be ugly and I can't cook... but I'm here." This acceptance of herself only strengthens as the text progresses. "I'm so happy, I got love, I got work, I got money, friend and time. And you alive and be coming home soon with our children."

One Celie discovery Nettie, her dear sister is still alive her confidence is enhances even more. She discovery feelings of inner strength and her burden of gilt are diminished. Discovering a new sense of confidence she writes a letter to god say "now I know Nettie alive a begin to strut a little bit. Think, when she come hoe us leave here, her me and our two children."

In the extract from a girls notebook it clearly expresses that she is unsure were she stands life. "Who am I? Well I'm not sure."

She seems to have and plenty of life experiences to amount to a conclusion to who she is, though she still seems unsatisfied. "When I'm with school friends we are all Australian... I think""

Toward the end of the extract she discovers she was better of from the beginning, believing she was Australia. "Very confusing. It was so much easier when I didn't know any of this. Then it was just me."

She has discovered along she was content with herself but needed to reassure herself by just asking the simple question "who am I""

J from "Finding Forrester" discovers that no matter what you do, some people will always turn to your background and especially your race to judge you. "Given your background and previous education I'm sure you'll forgive me for coming to my own conclusions."

In the scene I have chosen, J has just had a run in with one of his teachers that is set in his ways about J's "kind of kids." This meaning black and from his neighbourhood.

Forrester is the main influence in helping in helping J discover his social standing is what he makes it. "J, I realise if I give you enough time you'll find a way to amaze even me." He also helps him accept himself for who he is and not to try and change himself for anyone.

"Do you know what people are most afraid of""

"What""'

"What they don't understand, and when we don't understand we turn to our assumptions. Croford cant understand how a kid from Broncs can write the way you do, so he assumes you can't."

J finally comes to terms with who he is and feels comfortable with himself. "The rest of those who have gone before us, can not steady the unrest of those to follow."

J main discovery is that although some assume he is at the private school for basketball and not for scholastic abilities he has to deal with this and grow stronger from all these life experiences.