The Beautiful Struggle essay

The struggle is perpetual. Growing up in an African country which is the custodian of century-old battles, I was exposed to difficult life events that called for difficult life choices. It was highly unlikely that my cradle country Egypt would be without any form of discord given the prominence of her history with uprisings. My whole life has been encompassed by a myriad of events which have shaped the way I view the world. My early life was not without a fuss. The ferocity of the uprising was more detrimental to the social fabric of the Egyptian community, and its impetus drained the country’s economy. There were colossal casualties across every street of the capital. At one point, gunshots and other sounds of heavy weaponry reverberated across the air making the whole place look like a military training camp.

The place was simply uninhabitable. The Revolution became untenable and signs of it relenting diminished. Latent in the sense that as long as you are black, you don’t feel secure whether at home, walking in streets or even driving along the highways. If you are not suspected as a drug peddler, you are either unlicensed driver or a homicide criminal. For the three years, I have stayed in America, I have realized that the entire system is not in the business of promoting equality in the administration of justice. It has become difficult for me to acclimatize with the conditions in this new world even though I'm trying. Like many back boys in a foreign land, I am too struggling to fit into this highly biased system that does not recognize the value of black lives.

The author gives a wider perspective of his understanding of the human struggle in the midst of skewed laws. The story begins, in rather a philosophical way, “When crack hit Baltimore, civilization fell” ( 29) to signify a society whose people are so determined to use alternative means available to shield themselves when social order declines. While in my story the struggle to topple the existing government was for a noble course, what transpires in Coates’ “The Beautiful Struggle” is uncalled for and with no justified motives. In my story, the demonstrators wanted to fight against persistent unemployment, exorbitant food prices as well as police brutality. In “The Beautiful Struggle” the violence inflicted on the black boys is for malicious intentions. Unlike my story, the author of the story has had the firsthand information on the real struggles of black young men in the foreign land.

For instance, at the end of the story Coates and Fruitie, his friend are attacked by six guys who beat Fruitie up. Coates is left wondering, “How could this sight, him helpless on the ground, pinned in a one on six be poetry” (62)? In my story, violence broke out sporadically across the city of Cairo and was staged by the police against the civilians. In Coates’ “The Beautiful Struggle,” the violence is endemic, confined in areas believe to be predominantly occupied by the minority communities. One of the most outstanding aspects that are common to my story and “The Beautiful Struggle” is the nature of familial love which is paramount when growing up. Conversely, the narrator in the story “The Beautiful Struggle” hated school even though he was highly talented and intelligent.

His parents never quit guiding him and his siblings’ “journey to manhood. ” Both parents play a good role in bringing up the sons appropriately: “But Dad pledged to sire us through. With the aid of many mothers we were pushed through science camp, music lessons. Thick books were hurled at us from across the room,” (30). In conclusion, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “The Beautiful Struggle “explores a dichotomy of issues a black boy goes through as he finds his way to manhood. The struggles within the narrator are how to reconcile his Dad’s knowledge with the “street professors” who are a band of bad boys with criminal behaviors. The story resembles mine in a variety of aspects as I also struggle to towards a blurred destiny. Despite being entangled in this harsh environment, both the narrator and I manage to make great strides in life.

I’m hoping to triumph over the numerous challenges am facing in America.