"Black Like Me" Protestant Work Ethic

The following example essay on “Black Like Me Protestant Work Ethic” is a huge example of how hard work leads to success. After Griffin published this book there was a lot of backlash, but I do believe a lot of good has come from it.

Not everything in life is a guarantee. If there is something you want in life I do believe that anything can be achieved with hard work and dedication. Therefore I do agree with the Protestant Work Ethic.

The Protestant Work Ethic is said the belief that hard work leads to success (Rosenthal, Lisa, 2011).

I think it has changed a lot of people perception on African Americans in the 1960’s. And I would say that this book was a success for Griffin. At one point in the book Griffin says, “When all the talk, all the propaganda has been cut away, the criterion is nothing but the color of skin. My experience proved that. They judged me by no quality.

My skin was dark” (page 115).

I think this just goes to show how much times have changed. Back then black people didn’t even think it was possible to become leaders or even achieve their dreams just because they were judged by the color of their skin. I am not saying that today it is completely easy for black people to achieve their dreams because I do think they still deal with challenges and discrimination, but it is nothing like it was back then. Eventually Griffin had had enough, all the challenges and emotions built up.

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“Suddenly I had had enough.

Suddenly I could stomach no more of this degradation- not of myself but of all men who were black like me” (page 132). Griffin faced many challenges in this book. But he never gave up. Hard work leads to success. No one in today’s world became successful by just sitting around. If there’s something you want to achieve you have to go after it, even if you know from the beginning that you’re going to face strenuous challenges. In Black Like Me (Griffin 1960) there was an instance that disputed my belief of the Protestant Work Ethic.

When John Howard Griffin stops to study a restaurant menu he realizes that just a few days ago he could have ordered anything he wanted but now he does not have that privilege. He then says “The Negro often dreams of things separated from him only by a door, knowing that he is forever cut off from experiencing them. ” I disagree with the quote. It may have been that way back then, but now I think everyone has the equal opportunity to achieve anything to which they set their mind to.

The book Black Like Me just goes to show that if there is something you are inspired about or have a dream that it is achievable. There may be challenges and obstacles that you come across but with hard work and dedication you will succeed.