The Keeping Close to Home, Essay Example

Separation (physical and emotional) is examined by the writing of Watkins: “Keeping close to home”. The narrator does not only travel physical distances, but also goes through an emotional journey of self-discovery and purpose development. Through achieving independence from her family, she becomes a person who is different, unique, and harder to understand for people who are used to know her and shape her life. Watkins’ values of identity are formed by two opposing forces. She wants to be an intellectual and believes that reading and studying at college will make her stand out from the rest of her people, and become better. On the other hand, her grandmother insists that knowledge and education are worth nothing in the world of Southern Black people, and one’s value is not determined by their education. She slowly moves away from this idea, when she goes to Stanford, and develops new values, related to her own goals. While she stays in touch with her “folks”, she is trying to reconnect with her father through the short essay. She manages to do so by expressing her appreciation for hard-working people who  work hard with diligence, and discipline. This way, she establishes a connection between her parents and grandparents and herself, as an educated African American.

I believe that the conflict between childhood environment and future life is relevant to every person’s life. Most parents have a plan lined up for their children detailed in their mind, related to their future education, relationships, profession, and lifestyle. Most people cannot meet the expectations of their parents, because they are influenced by external sources, such as school, peers, and work. Something that is called the “generation gap” exists within every family. While Watkins’ family is proud of her achievement, deep inside they still wish she was “one of them”, living closer, and doing the same things everyone else in the family did. She still shares the quilt-making experience with her grandmother and listens to her stories, but it is not a vital part of her life. She feels disconnected, and wants to reconnect with the traditions. She knows that she stands out from the community of average folks, but standing out from her close community is painful, as she feels separated.

One example of the same separation and the conflicting sources of influence on one’s life is my friend’s story. Coming from an upper- middle class family, he was supposed to become an agricultural engineer. His father, his uncle, and his cousin all entered the same profession, and he grew up in a house full of books about the topic. He was interested at the age of 10, 12, and 14, and agreed with his family to apply to a place at the agricultural college nearby. He was accepted, and carried on studying, but lost interest almost immediately. He kept in touch with some of his old friends from high school who went to study journalism and media, and they became good friends. He sat in cafes for hours, listening to their stories, mesmerized. He started to neglect his agricultural studies, and looked at media studies as a dream career. Unfortunately, his parents were not supportive, and convinced him that the world of media was very competitive (he heard the same from his friends who studied and gained internships in television or radio), and that in order to secure a safe job, he had to carry on with his college education. He was convinced that his parents wanted the best for him, still he could not help but look for opportunities to find out more about the world of media. Without his parents knowing, he asked for a transfer to another college and began his media studies. He is now a graduate journalist, working as an editor for a national TV station. His parents finally accepted his decision, but he had to separate in a painful way, just like Watkins.

Another example of conflicting influences comes from a book. In the “An Inspector Calls”, Priestley clearly represents the generation gap and difference between family members’ attitudes. There is a lack of understanding between the two generations, and while the younger people in the play (Sheila and Eric) believe that they can change the way of things, Mr. and Mrs. Birling do not think that it is possible. The difference in attitudes is clearly represented in the play. For Mr. Birling, success is to be knighted, and having a social status. He believes that social status makes one stand above the law, and connections are the most important in life. He doesn’t have any sympathy for the workers or less fortunate. His wife, on the other hand, looks down at people with less wealth and lower social rank. As a contrast, Eric is passionate, sympathetic, with a strong sense of social justice, and believes in change. The main conflict between the two generations is that while Eric wants to take responsibility (new way), his parents are comfortable with the social norms they grew used to. Eric tries to break away from the influence of his parents and take responsibility for his actions.

Overall, the conflict of influences is represented in a sophisticated way in Watkins’ essay. The author highlights the importance of finding one’s own way and seeking out their own identity, while remaining connected to their roots.

Works Cited

Watkins, Gloria. “Keeping Close to Home”.  Assignment paper. n.d. Print.