Topic > Dreams from My Father, by Barack Obama - 1182

In Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama, many aspects of race, gender, class, education, etc. they are involved in the life of the current president. This novel introduces and raises discussion for further analysis on these categories of privilege and discrimination. Although some categories have caused Barack Obama great adversity, he is still able to surpass his minority group because of the other privileged groups he is in. In the autobiography, Obama recounts his life's initial journey from early childhood to young adulthood. . The novel begins with her aunt's discovery that her father has died in Nairobi. Obama's father left him and his mother when he was just 2 years old. Obama then talks about the family in which he grew up, his mother and grandparents, and the racism they had to deal with in an era in which few accepted interracial relationships and even more so marriages. He remembers being teased as a child when other children made monkey noises when it was revealed that his father was from Kenya. He then moved to Indonesia when his mother remarried, but at the age of 10 he returned to Hawaii where he spent his early childhood. It was with his grandparents that he developed much of his character and learned how much importance was placed on education in his family. Obama also talks about how fascinated he was with his father. As he grows a little into his teens, Obama learns more about race relations and reads the book Heart of Darkness. This book helps him see how white people look at black people, since a white man wrote the book talking about black people. He also delves into his use of marijuana, which helped him during this confusing and difficult time in his life. Obama's story then... middle of paper... because if a woman acted "like a white man (the dominant group)", then she would still be criticized for not being "feminine" enough. There are several factors like these that influence whether you overcome the minority group or groups you are a part of. Another similar example is black women. There has never been any black woman come close to winning the presidency or even a primary. In American culture, black women are stereotyped as nannies and are not taken seriously. This is because they suffer from both racial and gender minorities. Ultimately, the fact that Barack Obama is male, grew up in a white, middle-class family, and is educated has allowed him to rise above his minority category. Works Cited Johnson, Allan. Privilege, power and difference. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print.Obama, Barack. Dreams of my father. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2004. Print.