According to Martin Luther King, “The ultimate measure of a person is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy.” This concept constantly applies to real-world situations and conveys that only when one undergoes severe conflict can one get the best measurement of one’s character. Melba Patillo Beals was an ordinary teenager who chose to be a part of the Little Rock Nine. Together, the African American high school students chose to endure conflict to make a difference. Through hardship, we are able to identify her true character. In Warriors Don't Cry, Melba Patillo Beals evolves from her challenges to develop into a courageous and determined individual capable of confronting conflict and pushing through adversity in order to genuinely better the world for future generations.
Although Melba was frightened, she utilized her bravery to navigate through Central High's challenges in order to successfully integrate into Little Rock. Melba experienced vigorous tyranny at Central High; when she got on the playing field, the other girls immediately tormented her. She was “struggling to escape their cruelty” (Beals 76). As she was bravely fending off the bullies, she spotted a group of women jumping over the rear fence. When she got tripped as she started running, a woman tried to kick her, but Melba had enough trepidation. She “saw a foot coming [her] way and grabbed it before it got in [her] face.” She then “twisted it at the ankle like [she’d] seen them do at the wrestling match” (Beals 77). As Melba was attacked by women while she was being persecuted by the other girls, she bravely defended herself and used her knowledge of wrestling to protect herself during the attack. Later, as she entered the bathroom stall to begin another day at Central High, she was attacked by students armed with flaming wads of paper. She “felt the kind of panic that stopped [her] from thinking clearly” (Beals 119). Melba was aghast that people could be barbarous to the extent of jeopardizing her life, and had a petrified feeling of inferiority, but dismissed it for posterity. When she threw one of her books upward with all her strength, “[she] heard a big thud, then a voice cry out in pain and several people scuffle about” (Beals 120). Here, Melba decided that she needed to assert her decision to not back down by defending herself. Her courageous decision to take a stand displays her desire to continue her journey to integrate Central High and not concede to the persecution targeted towards her for the greater good.
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Melba learned from her difficulties and used them to fortify her determination. As she was walking up the stairs towards homeroom, she was greeted by two boys who repeatedly mocked her. She then squared her soldiers and glared at them as she whispered that “[she] will be here tomorrow and the next day and the next” (Beals 142). Melba’s statement that she will never leave shows her incredible determination to continue this journey. She decided that she would not succumb to the inhumane acts of racism. Days later, she explained that she felt as though she had been living a life of a stranger, and wrote in her diary that “No matter what, [she’s] gonna be a regular person. [She’s] gonna have [her] usual date with Grandma and [her] secret, pretend date with Vince at the matches” (Beals 47). Melba’s use of “No matter what” connotes that she will stop at nothing to reach her goal of integration. Melba used her relationship with God to fuel her determination to never give up. This ever-lasting relationship will eventually drive her into becoming one of the most significant causes of integration.
Melba is able to overcome racism and social injustice with the help of her tenacity. She was able to repel negativity and sorrow from her life for the sake of children previously doomed to a life of misery. Despite the fact that Melba could quit at any given time, she decided that this was a battle worth fighting. In Warriors Don't Cry, Melba Patillo Beals develops from her difficulties into a brave and committed individual capable of facing conflict and fighting through hardship to help truly improve the world for generations to come. To this day, she has been honored as one of the most influential African Americans in the world and is a quintessence for people who want to stand up for their rights worldwide.
Works Cited
- Beals, Melba Patillo. Warriors Don’t Cry. New York: Simon Schuster, 1995.
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Warriors Don’t Cry: Essay.
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