Jarred Butler
Jayne Braman
English 50
3/18/10
Acceptance
The authors’, Harold Krent and Brent Staples, display a message or theme about stereotypical acceptance and what it is like to be judged. In the story, “Darkness at Noon” by Harold Krent, he has dreams of becoming a lawyer but has troubles getting into law school. Although he is a very smart student, he is rejected because he is blind. This handicap has affected his understanding as to why no one will view him as more than just a blind man. In the story, “Black Men and Public Space” by Brent Staples, he as well has been perceived as someone else by others around him. Being a black man in a high class community has brought many issues of acceptance among most white people around him. A lot of people viewed him as a threat, because of his size and appearance. Unlike Harold Krent, Brent Staples understands why others view him this way and what he is going to have to do to become accepted. Although both authors Krents and Staples face discrimination, they deal with the situation differently on their battle for acceptance.
In their path to acceptance, both authors experience a great deal of discrimination. Krents is extremely frustrated with others ignorance towards his handicap. For example, “There are those who assume that since I can’t see, I obviously also cannot hear…Conversely, people will also often whisper, assuming that since my eyes don’t work, my ears don’t work either,” (579). It is this type of misunderstanding that gets in the way of acceptance with others. Yes he is blind, but that doesn’t mean he cannot think, feel, talk, or listen. He is looked down on, as if he isn’t responsible, even with his degree in school. For instance as he goes to apply to different law firms,” The toughest misconception of all is the view that because I can’t see, I can’t work. I was turned down by over forty law firms because of my blindness, even though my qualifications included a cum laude degree from...