Dreams From My Father Analysis

Harro’s model of socialization states, “The first step in the socialization process is out of our control. We are born into our families without conscious choice without power. He goes on to clarify that, “….we are born into a world where all of the mechanics, assumptions, rules, roles and structures of oppressions are already in place and functioning” (Adams, 2010 p. 17). In his memoir Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama seamlessly sets down his origins amidst racial tensions between blacks and whites, while at the same time, learning himself what it means to be both black and white. As a small child he is regaled with stories from his mother, grandmother, and grandfather. These stories circle around his father, a smart, charismatic, bold, man with an imperious manner who is now missing from Barack’s life. “….I would not have known at the time, for I was too young to realize that I was supposed to have a live-in father, just as I was too young to know that I …show more content…
On one hand, his grandparents were considered very progressive; allowing their white daughter to marry a black man during a time of tremendous racism. Barack recalls a story from his mother’s past, where his grandmother ,Toot, was told at work to “never call no nigger ‘Mister’”(Obama, 2004 p. 18). This was in reference to a black janitorial worker who overheard this admonition, and later Toot witnessed Mr. Reed break down in heavy sobs, and exclaim, “ What have we ever done to be treated so mean?” ( Obama, 2004, p. 18). This question remained with Toot, and she would wrestle with it her whole life. The evident racism of Texas was Barack’s grandfather’s reason for relocating to Hawaii. However, as Barack’s Toot once revealed, racism was not in their vocabulary. “Your grandfather and I just figured we should treat people decently, Bar. That’s all” (Obama, 2004, p.21). It wasn’t a matter of race, but

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