Readings:

Amy Chua, “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior”

Barbara Ehrenreich, “It Is Expensive to Be Poor”

Prompt:

Amy Chua holds parents, as the possessors of power and knowledge, accountable for their children’s success or failure instead of the children themselves. Barbara Ehrenreich holds the American government and general populace, rather than the nation’s poor, responsible for an inability to eradicate poverty. However, both readings avoid addressing how an individual might be responsible for his/her achievements or lack of success. Chua’s children appear to not have any individuality or personal responsibility, as their own interests and opinions are not allowed to be heard or taken seriously. Ehrenreich characterizes the suggestions that the poor are responsible for their own poverty as nothing more than “victim blaming” (2). Without question, one’s environment – whether family, community, or nation – plays a large role in determining his/her opportunities and potential in life. But is this the full picture? Using ideas and evidence from Chua’s and Ehrenreich’s texts, develop an essay that answers the following prompt: To what extent are individuals responsible for their own success and failure?

Reminders Before You Get Started:

– Develop a clear position that persuades the reader of a connection between the two texts

– Include quotes from both readings in every paragraph, working always to make connections between the two texts

– After each quote, explain how you are interpreting or using it to support your position or thesis

– Include topic sentences that introduce the main point of the body paragraph and concluding sentences that sum up the argument you made within it