Alice Walker

1. In Walker’s essay, when she cites Virginia Woolf, Walker makes Woolf’s points seem like they are about Black women when in actuality they are about white women from a different time period.  Woolf uses names like Jane Austen and Emily Bronte who have no relation to Walker’s view point but she incorporates them anyways.  The only similarity that Walker and Woolf share is that they are both feminists with strong feelings about equal rights for women.

2. When Woolf is quoted, she makes references to other important authors but Walker distorts what Woolf is saying by imposing different black writer’s names in between the lines.  By adding these names, Walker has morphed Woolf’s point into what Walker wants the reader to comprehend. 

3. Walker’s manipulations distort Woolf’s credibility.  Woolf, who wrote A Room of One’s Own before Walker was even born, intended that quote to be viewed completely differently than how Walker is using the text.  Woolf is talking about empowering white women and their influence as writers.  Despite that Walker is an award winning writer, for her to distort what another important writer stated makes Walker seem less credible.

4. Walker used Woolf as an example because Walker is talking about a feminist issue and Woolf is a well respected feminist writer.  Although, Walker should have used someone who could relate to black women not just women in general.  If I were writing the same essay I would not have cited Woolf.  I would cite from one of the authors that Walker mentions in between Woolf’s quote (744).

Richard Rodriguez

1. Hoggart’s definition of a “scholarship boy” is very straight forward and basically states that a “scholarship boy” is a student who likes to learn outside of the classroom and reads many books.  According to Rodriguez, a scholarship boy is something far more complex than a kid who likes to excessively read.  Rodriguez gives a psychoanalytical approach and interprets the scholarship boy into his own life.

2. When Rodriguez mentions Hoggart’s idea, Rodriguez interjects stories and memories from his youth to try and convince the reader that the scholarship boy is something of a personal matter.  In a way, Rodriguez is trying to create sympathy for his troubled past.

3. Rodriguez’s conception of what the scholarship boy should be is far too in depth for what Hoggart is stating.  Linking Rodriguez’s personal experiences with Hoggart’s theory takes away the credibility of Rodriguez’s point.  In no way does Hoggart go into detail about his past but somehow Rodriguez feels it is necessary, and that demeans Rodriguez’s credibility.

4. Rodriguez had to use Hoggart as a source because his essay was about the scholarship boy and Hoggart is the expert on the topic.  I would have not added my personal, traumatic experiences to the essay because that is distracting and unreasonable for this essay.  Rodriguez could have made his point just as clearly without the memories he infuses in his writing.