The Reservation

I think like Junior/Arnold everyone has something in their life that prohibits them from doing what they really want. For Junior it was his reservation and being an Indian that made him an outsider where he was. Once he was able to leave he was able to become something of himself. With myself I'd like to think in broader terms than just my neighborhood. For me I feel like just being a female Black-American prohibits me from so much.
 Being a female automatically makes me a second class citizen. My opinion is not valued nearly as much as a man's, I am assumed to be weak and fragile, and I'm viewed as unable to manage being in charge. Being born into an immediate family of five females and a single male for the first decade or so of my life was a blessing. I learned independence at a young age and I know I am capable as any man or woman to do any one person job. I'm not saying that I'm "a strong independent black woman who don't need no man" I'm saying a young woman who knows her work and capabilities and if I need help I know when to ask.
Being Black means that I'm hostile and aggressive when I'm annoyed or even slightly irritated. Or so some people think. I'd never experienced until just last week something so idiotic. In a small spirited debate with a white authoritive figure I was deemed as disrespectful and I guess I can see where he comes from saying that, but he then deemed me hostile and aggressive because of my body language. For him to say me slouching and having my face in a stoic expression is hostile is ludicrous. When my friend sitting two seats away was defending me and had the same look accompanied with the same posture as me is deemed just rude, but she was white so she wasn't a threat to him.
I'm singled out for being Black and ignored for being a female. In many'so eyes I'm worthless and ignorant. However, I know as do others that I'm much much more than that and wiser than most people I encounter, so I guess you could say the world is my reservation

A Principle to Keep

Given that we're reading The Road the most obvious principles that come to mind all have to do with very extreme situations. To think of a principle that everyone can start now and keep for the rest of their lives is a bit challenging. I think that I'd go with something along the lines of take care of yourself first; or do whatever it takes to keep your family there.

I feel as though people should take care of themselves first because I for one am a pretty giving person, and tend to put others before my own well being. That has led me into bad situations that have caused a drastic change in my life that I won't be able to change. If I had put myself first things would have ended up a lot better than they did and I feel like that would have even worked out better for everyone else in the long run.

I say do whatever it take to keep your family there because I feel like there aren't enough people willing to sacrifice for their families. This may contradict my previous statement above at times, but sometimes it's for the best as the other works best in different times. Even still, now and no matter what you need people who you love and who love you back around you because without anyone there isn't anything to live for.