An Analysis Of Melba Pattilo Beals 'Warriors Don' T Cry

Studies show that in 2011, 51.4 percent of black students in the Northeast attended schools where the student population was 90 percent to 100 percent minority? That means that more than half of the percent of black students attend schools that have mostly black students. In Warriors Don’t Cry, by Melba Pattillo Beals, Melba is a strong person because she listens to her elders, trusts in God, and endures physical and mental abuse. Overall, Melba was a strong person throughout the integration. Melba is a strong person, as shown in this quote, “One nigger down, eight to go” (Beals 220). This quote was said by the majority of Central High School white students. It shows one of the many instances when Melba has to endure the mental abuse of her peers. When the white students would say degrading things to her, she would just look the other way and keep to herself. She also was strong because she had to keep to herself most of the time because if she made a big deal out of it, it might happen more often.

A way of showing Melba is strong through physical abuse is, “The boy flashed a shiny black object in my face. The sudden pain in my eyes was so intense, so sharp, I thought I might die” (173). This quote shows an example of the physical abuse that Melba had to endure. Another example of her endurance is, “ ‘You gotta get to a doctor.’ No, No” (173). This shows that Melba doesn’t want to draw attention to her abuse. It shows that she is strong and that she perseveres through the pain to not show satisfaction to her