Kopp 1

Andy Kopp
Ms. Thompson
AP Lang, Block 1, Skinny B
January 26, 2015
Educations Influence
James Baldwin obliquely details points in his passage in which directly parallel with what
Mike Rose emphasized in his essay, I Just Wanna Be Average. Baldwin phrased his passage in
a cogent way in order to indirectly make several points that coalesce with Roses argumentation.
His ideas may be slightly biased; however, they certainly correlate through the way in which
Rose lived a life that society did not want him to live. Rose details in his essay that he broke all
kinds of boundaries, in turn changing his personality for good and opening the door to success.
Rose had asked questions of the universe and because of this, he created his own identity and
changed his life forever. Therefore, Baldwins statement can clearly be interpreted through the
way Rose detailed his hardships and successes, because it serves to show how the many aspects
of developmental education can shape the future of a child for a lifetime.
Several personal experiences that occured during Roses time in vocational education
stay in his memory. Those experiences enhanced his vision of a brighter future and made him ask
certain universal questions. Recalling from I Just Wanna Be Average, Roses use of rhetoric
illustrates an experience through the vocational education program that was quite burdensome,
but at the same time, helped define his personality and character. In spite of Rose not directly
stating his questions in most cases, from context and in the way Rose details his experience, the
reader can configure questions in which Rose had asked at the time. For example, Rose defined
how students had different views on education. Most of them had a negative attitude toward
learning. So from this, he could have asked several questions. Questions such as, how it was

Kopp 2
possible to overcome a pessimist attitude and become successful. He might have also asked why
he was there with all of those people. How was he put in such a servile situation? Why him?
Furthermore, different teachers and their methods are visually apparent during Roses vocational
education experience. Using this context, Rose could have asked questions such as how can
teachers make a difference to his/her students? Why are their methods unappealing and not
ambitious? These questions could certainly influence his life and actions either aspiringly or
negatively. Even though he asked those questions in the past, by the end of his memoir, he writes
how he conquered the program and makes his overall persona significant. So, to clarify, Rose
would certainly agree with James Baldwins opinion on the education process. Rose asks several
questions through his journey of vocational education that would define him in the future and it
serves as proof that Baldwins statement is true.
Additionally, the preface to IJWBA glorifies Mike Rose on his accomplishments and
dignifies him as being anything but average. It may be superfluous, but by asking the questions
he did during his vocational journey as well as after in his College prep classes, he made himself
a figure of importance and defined himself as being intellectually better than what he was
destined to be. By writing novels, and having real world successes, Mike Rose serves as an
incredible example of how the education children have will be a determining factor for the
childrens futures.
In conclusion, Baldwins statement is accurate. He gives a seemingly plausible opinion in
which asserts the fact that education will determine the outcome of a childs future, and through
the textual support of I Just Wanna Be Average, it only enhances this point Baldwin is making.
Every child has potential, so dont let the precedent of education bring them down, let it be the
support and defining factor that shapes their future for the better.