In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. explains the hardships black people endure every day in the South. In page 2, King said “But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brother at whim…when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of ‘nobodyness'” King repeated “when” a lot of times to emphasize the sad/harsh times for black people. This repetition made me realized that the issue of racism must resolve quickly because King lists a lot negative examples of racism and how it played out throughout the years. He delivered a powerful message to make his readers think about the issue and try to help resolve it. However, King did not ask for help from his readers, he intentionally made his readers feel a shame of not doing anything and feeling sad about black people’s situation.

In “Superman and Me,” author Sherman Alexie was an Indian child who learned to be arrogant and learned to read and write by Superman. He was taught by Superman, a hero in one of the super hero comic books, which influence to be a role model to Indian children by opening a door to new opportunities. Alexie teaches us to pursue and take advantage on an opportunity, so we need to leave our doors open.

In “The Movie That Changed My Life,” author Terry McMillan was an American girl who learned to be brave, thoughtful and respectful. She learned them by watching the Wizard of Oz movie many times, which taught her to pursue her dreams but also taught her that even dreams contain obstacles as life does. McMillan teaches us that dreams are possible to achieve and its better to try pursuing them but there are obstacles that can stop you in your tracks, so be aware on the road that you took.

Both authors, Sherman Alexie and Terry McMillan, have some similarities and differences in their essays. Both authors have been taught by fictional characters, like Superman and the characters from the Wizard of Oz, which their view on life had changed and made them take action in changing their lifestyle. Although both authors had been taught by fictional characters, Alexie learned to pursue his opportunities that were available and McMillan learned to try pursuing her dreams, even if the obstacles are a bit rough.