PLOT STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

The author begins with a preface, which explains how he came to write his autobiography and who he thanks for his help. This is followed by seventeen chapters, which chronologically relate his rise from a life as slave to his triumph in the areas of education and public speaking. He ends his book with a complete index so the reader can easily access people and ideas he presents in his narrative.

THEMES - THEME ANALYSIS

Importance of an education

Throughout the narrative, the main idea expressed is always the importance of an education. Booker learned this when he was denied it as a slave and later from the example of General Armstrong. However, in his mind, it wasn’t enough to just study books and learn facts and idea. It was also important to learn a trade. He believed that if every black citizen conducted himself modestly and worked hard to learn a trade better than anyone else, he could be satisfactorily integrated into society as a free and contributing member of it. As a result, he devoted his life to bringing this message to as many people of both races as he could. He himself so valued his own education that he willingly walked over two hundred miles to attend Hampton. He accepted the fact that only hard work would impress people enough to accept him and he proved it over and over.

The dignity of work

Another theme, the dignity of work, emphasizes how education and learning a trade go hand-in-hand. Tuskegee would not admit an student who was not willing to work at learning a trade at the same time as he devoted himself to academic and spiritual pursuits. That’s why purchasing the plantation acreage was necessary so that agricultural and industrial education could be established for every student. This reinforced Booker’s belief that integration of the races would never take place until Negroes earned white respect through their industry and learning.

The net of slavery

Booker often refers in his narrative to the net of slavery. As an institution of American society, slavery impacted negatively on both blacks and whites. It kept black people in actual bondage for hundreds of years and made it inordinately difficult for them to become contributing members of society. However, it also impacted white people by influencing their moral thinking. He saw it as an institution that, even though demolished with the Emancipation, would have lingering influences for a very long time in America. As a result of this net, people would be trapped by attitudes for generations to come. He believed that only patience and hard work would bring its influences to an end.

The relationships between whites and blacks

A part of the net of slavery was the idea of the relationships between whites and blacks. Booker knew that there was a long road ahead for his people, because old attitudes die hard. That’s why he devoted himself to convincing both races that learning to live and work together was imperative. He could see only good in such a situation, because he felt that his people had always been true and loyal to the white people who owned them at one time. They would, as a result, be model citizens and contributing members of society. He once warned in one of his speeches that if the white race did not support the idea of integration, they would be pulling down all of America.

Success was measured by the obstacles overcome to achieve it, not in what was attained in the end

The last important theme involves success. Booker felt that success was measured by the obstacles overcome to achieve it, not in what was attained in the end. He emphasized this repeatedly to his students and to his audiences wherever he spoke. He saw a man’s character in terms of how hard he worked to build it, not in the success that was outwardly apparent. He believed that if his race took this advice to heart, integration would come about more quickly and less painfully.

AUTHOR’S STYLE

The author’s style is to present life’s story in a very straightforward, simple manner and allow the reader to come to his own conclusions about him. He feels in this way that he can reach anyone who would read it with his philosophies about race, education and hard work. It was written on board trains, at hotels, and waiting at railway stations so it must be plain spoken.

RISING ACTION

The rising action begins with chapter one when the reader is introduced to Booker T. Washington through the narrative of what he knew about his birth until his triumphant speech at the Atlanta Exposition where the world really became aware of his ideas and what he had accomplished and what he hoped to achieve.

FALLING ACTION

The falling action involves the events after the Atlanta Exposition including his trip to Europe and the visit of President McKinley to Tuskegee.

POINT OF VIEW

The point of view is first person as it is told from the perspective of Booker himself.