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Teacher Resource

Dick Gregory, the well-known comedian, has long been active in the civil rights movement. During the 1960’s Gregory was
also an outspoken critic of America’s involvement in Vietnam. In the following episode from his autobiography Nigger
(1964), he narrates the story of a childhood experience that taught him the meaning of shame. Through his use of authentic
dialogue and vivid details, he dramatically re-creates this experience for his readers.

Questions for Study and Discussion

1. What does Gregory mean by “shame”?

Gregory wanted to tell a story of a childhood experience in which “shame” was the worst thing that he had to pass
through.

2. How do the first three paragraphs of the essay help to establish a context for the narrative that follows?

The first three paragraphs of the essay are written in past in order to tell the story and establish a context for the
narrative.

3. Why do you think Gregory narrates this episode in the first-person point of view? What would be gained
or lost if he instead wrote it in the third-person point of view?

I think that Gregory narrates this episode in the first-person pointy of view because maybe he felt a connection
with the protagonist. If he had written the episode in the third-person, maybe the character would have lost
credibility or realism.

4. Specific details can enhance the reader’s understanding and appreciation of a narrative. Gregory’s
description of Helene Tucker’s manners or the plaid of his mackinaw, for example, makes his account vivid
and interesting. Cite several other specific details he gives and consider how the narrative would be
different without them.

- I'd rub my tennis sneakers on the back of my pants and wish my hair wasn't so nappy and the white folks'
shirt fit me better.
- I was pregnant with poverty. Pregnant with dirt and pregnant with smells that made people turn away.
Pregnant with cold and pregnant with shoes that were never bought for me. Pregnant with five other people in
my bed and no daddy in the next room, and pregnant with hunger.
- The eagle always flew on Friday.
- Now there was shame everywhere.

I consider that the details of the story are very important because the reader can notice the differences between
the characters. Also, the reader can associate actions and feelings through the different details given in the story.

5. Consider the diction of this essay. What effect does Gregory’s repetition of the word shame have on you? Why
do you think Gregory uses simple vocabulary to narrate this particular experience?

Gregory’s repetition of the word “shame” made me imagine the bad moment that the character was going
through and I felt like desperate because the character felt the same in everywhere. I think that Gregory’s
repetition of the word “shame” is to show how ashamed the character felt at that time.

6. How does society still continue to use negativity to keep people down? Why do people feel the need to
point out those who have less or who are different?

I think that society still continue using negativity to keep people down because maybe they were treated in the
same way before and now they want to know how it feels to have power and abuse from that. Another reason
could be that people were raised in an environment where their parents used to do the same with other people
and indirectly they learned that other people should be treated in a bad way because they did not have a lot of
money or did not have power. Also, I think that many people have a very bad way of thinking, they associate
money with power, but they don’t use that “power” to do or say positive things and they feel superior to others,
that’s why they point out those who have less or who are different, but the reality is that nobody is perfect and
should be respected.