Interpretive Essay Gladwell 1

It seems as though Gladwell points to a society that extends on the basis of being prisoners to our cultural background.
We are like a baby attached to the umbilical cord as if it is within the womb of its mother. This cord is what holds us deeply rooted to a source that gives us knowledge, understanding, and the capabilities to continue to take those little steps to be where we have matured now. Just like the baby that was connected to its mother it is shaped to be later detached from the womb and thrusted into the world characterized by our ethnicity, and our deeply stored cultural background. Our ethnicity and culture determines whether or not, we can be a progressive or reductive individual society. It can be determined that, by success, Gladwell means that yes you are limited by factors that are generally set in front of you, such as: age, birthdate, country, opportunity, chance, and/or cultural background. These different factors are explored by Gladwell; however, it is never discussed what are the true determining factors that can hold a person back. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, is a momentous novel that truly explores what it means to be successful. However, the establishment of the various ways in which one overcomes barriers that are set against them is never a mention or fragment with the novel. This method allows for the reader to make their own decision, which personal judgment and a decisive move becomes that person motive behind the ways they begin life. Gladwell towards the end of Outliers, Gladwell makes mention to in essence our culture being the determining factor by which we lead a life or have certain opportunities set before us. This idea that he forecasts to the reader, illustrates all the generalized standards by which limits certain races from being able to make that giant leap forward. We as a society have always allowed the stigma by which our race, culture, and/or religion become the factor that illuminates the path by which we can explore. These beliefs put a chain around the neck of character and free formed expression which
dissolves the fabric by which certain individuals who dont directly fit the stigma by which they are generally categorized. An example, that fits this is, a African American set in scene where they are constantly surrounded by gang violence. This culture of violence and gang activity is a constant barrier on his judgment. This however, does not mean that he has to succumb to this activity just because he is in the center of that world. He has the choice to either make a respectable name for himself, or become the statistics that constantly surrounds him. Gladwell, also mentions that circumstance plays a role in someones situation, by not succumbing to the world, success and not being a prisoner to the cultural chain by which we are enlisted is only over the horizon. However, when looking at both the essays written by Malcolm X and Sherman Alexie, it can be seen that their life stories and the matters by which they obtained success was fairly different compared to what Gladwell mentions in his book Outliers. Malcolm X discusses life before he truly obtained success. Success for him metaphorically was by becoming a sponge and soaking up all of the information he learned from studying the dictionary. This method ensured that he was obtaining and understanding what he was reading. It can also be seen that when he mentioned the aardvark and how it used its long tongue, to suck up the ants, this could be seen as an analogy for his own life. He became a very studious person and was able to obtain success outside of the prison that he was physically contained in. This proves that in a way your cultural background does not hold you prisoner, you can step outside what is typically defined as the common belief that is set before you. This can be also seen by Sherman Alexies story who was that smart Native American boy who in a sense was shunned by the society that was surrounding him, because of the intelligence that he had. Alexie success was obtained through breaking down barriers that were set before him, which was through measures of reading. Just like the comic
that he read of Superman, that he makes mention of him blowing the door down, this was an analogy of his own personal life. Breaking down the barriers that society placed on Alexie himself when, to gain success for himself, he read books and his knowledge increasingly grew and became very expansive. Culturally, Alexie was a prisoner, and that meant that he wasnt expected to be anything better, and to show that he was greater than the average Native American he spoke up and expressed the knowledge that he did have. By not being what was expected of him, people became jealous of his success. Barriers slowly, yet surely decreased and this was because of the knowledge that he was able to show to teachers, and through the dedication he had to reading. His father helped him to overcome the general idea that you are prisoner to your culture. It also shows that he was an opportunist, because he was took advantage of what was available to him. Gladwell, in his book discusses that when you have certain moments where opportunities are there and you take advantage of the idea and/or proposition, success may or may not be in the near future. It may allude that Alexie was more an opportunist compared to those around because of circumstance, and also his father not following ways of his tribe and the ways they raised their children. Gladwell, was a very intrinsic author who focused on the different ways that people have captivated and expanded based on different factors. Certain aspects of life, allows for people to obtain success. Others have to take the longer path to be successful. Malcolm X and Sherman Alexie fit the quota by which one can take to be successful. They were limited by surrounding obstacles, but they both partook in activities that wasnt leaning towards monetary success, but more so of educational success. A person by the two examples above, doesnt have to be limited by their culture, but by their own decisions.

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It seems as though Gladwell points to a society that extends on the basis of being prisoners to our cultural background.

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