Stand Up For Your Dreams Analysis

Stand Up for Your Dreams “Someone once asked me how I hold my head up so high after all I have been through. I said it’s because no matter what, I am a survivor. Not a victim” (Patricia Buckley). In the article “The Color of Success”, the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, and the Montgomery bus boycott all have something in common; they all have someone who refused to play the part of a victim. In “The Color of Success” written by Eric Watts talks about how he was not taken serious as an African American man because he acted too white. Watts was considered too white because he wanted to study, talk with proper English, and go to school. He was bullied for wanting to do these things, but refused to look at himself as a victim.

He does not let these situations define who he is. The Montgomery bus boycott was led by one female named Rosa Parks. She never thought of herself as a victim. Watts, Junior, nor Rosa Parks acted as a victim; instead they capitalized on their abilities. In “The Color of Success”, Watts explains what he has gone through and how the African American race views their lives. Watts went to a primarily all white school and was always pressured by the stereotypes created about the African Americans. He was considered to be “acting white” because he wanted study and have an education. Watts talked with proper English and wanted to study. These things were considered to be white because an African American should not want to do this. Watts did not care that he was “acting white”. He just wanted to further his knowledge and not care what anyone thought about him. Watts writes, “It seemed to me that certain things I valued- hard work, initiative, articulateness, education-were not solely white people’s prerogative” (249). This quote proves that Watt’s knew he had the right to get the education he wanted and the motivation to go against the stereotype. Many blacks believe they are not supposed to want an education because it is