One theme of this story is coming of age, which is revealed through Kevin’s experiences at school and home. In the story, Kevin feels caught between his interactions with his father at home and his teacher at school. Waldo, Kevin’s teacher, humiliates Kevin because his father helped him complete his homework, which is incorrect. Consider the character interaction at the end of the story between Kevin and his father:
“How did it go today?” his father asked.
“All right.” They kept silent until they reached the corner of their own street.
“What about the Latin?”
Kevin faltered, feeling a babyish desire to cry.
“How was it?”
“OK. Fine.”
“Good. I was a bit worried about it. It was done in a bit of a rush. Son, your Da’s a genius.” He smacked him with the paper again. Kevin laughed and slipped his hand into the warmth of his father’s overcoat pocket, deep to the elbow.
Kevin has the “babyish desire to cry,” but he doesn’t let his father know about the problems at school. His restraint shows that through this experience Kevin has matured, and he is protecting his father from feeling the humiliation from his school experience.
Explanation:
John Lewis became devoted to pursuing his personal educational objectives and prosperity for his country. He coincided to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who vowed to pursue the civil rights movement after being motivated by his instance in the Bus boycott.
He believes that middle and upper class black Americans are primarily interested in effacing their history, background and culture and want to copy white people and for example as poets be like white poets and men like doctors.,lawyers etc are often marrying lighter skinned women than themselves.
