There are various instances in my life that compare and contrast George Dawson’s life as revealed in the book Life is so good. Although, like in the Dawson’s time, parents take their time to instill some values in their children, the quality of life for women and minorities has improved tremendously, and there have been phenomenal changes in work ethics.
George Dawson grew up in Jim Crow South, a town whereby the minorities and women did not have much say. The two groups lacked opportunities to make their lives better. This was made worse by the prevailing racism. Consequently, the poor had no option but to work hard for the rest of their lives (Dawson and Glaubman 17). However, times have changed, and the condition of life has improved tremendously for both women and minorities. Minorities and women are no longer cautious about their interactions in the society. Changes in policy and attitude have broken down the barriers that stood in the way to success for both groups. Consequently, the bottle necks of the past have been replaced with equal opportunities for everyone.
Education opportunities for minorities and women have been expanded, and children of school age do not have to drop out of school. George Dawson did not enjoy the luxury of going to school early on in life because he to do jobs that did not give him the chance to go to school. On the contrary, today, women and minorities have opportunities to better themselves through going to school.
In Dawson’s time, and in my life experience, parents take time to instill values and beliefs to their children. Dawson’s long life span is embedded in his beliefs about life. Early on in life, his father had ingrained in him the belief that life is good. With this attitude, he overcomes enormous challenges in life. At a young age, George Dawson was taught not to judge other people (Kinosian 3). This advice impacted significantly on his life and helped to maintain his positive attitude towards life. Had he judged other people, he would have blamed them for his shortcomings. Dawson was born poor, but he had a positive attitude towards life. His success is derived from appreciating even the little things that he has. Dawson chose not to blame poverty and racism for his problems. He chose to maintain a positive attitude towards life. This was the secret to his long life.
Dawson’s parents taught him to appreciate what he had, observe others and use common sense. In the same manner, my parents take their time to instill in me the values on taking responsibility. Taking charge of one’s life determines their destiny. This is a responsibility that is passed on from one generation to another.
Work ethic has seen a lot of transformation in the last years. George Dawson worked for many hours without a break, and the jobs were not well-paying. This is a contrast to the prevailing situation whereby people can change jobs as soon another well-paying job presents itself. Dawson copes with illiteracy by doing jobs that are necessary but remain unappreciated (Zeller 1). Therefore, his work is hard and grim; he works without breaks. The jobs that are available today give people a break from work, and offer convenience to the employee. People also use machines and computers to ease their work. Such conveniences were not available during Dawson’s time.
In conclusion, George Dawson lived at a time when the minorities and women did not have opportunities for making their lives better. The condition has improved for both groups to enjoy phenomenal success. There have also been phenomenal changes in the work ethics. However, one thing still remains: parents have the responsibility of teaching values to their children.
Works Cited
Dawson, George and Richard Glaubman. Life Is So Good. New York : Penguin publishers, 2001.Print.
Kinosian, Janet. "Right place, write time (author George Dawson)." Modern maturity 01 May 2000: V. 43, no. 3.
Zeller, Suzanne. "Beneath My Feet: The Memoirs of George Mercer Dawson ." University of Toronto Press 24 June 2009: Vol. 78, no. 1.
