Push shows that education plays an essential role in upward mobility and happiness for all Americans; it also demonstrates that traditional education doesn't work for every student.
Precious, the main character of Push, only goes to an alternative school because she's pregnant and they think she'll be better served there. She's functionally illiterate and unable to understand words on the page but has slowly been making her way through the school system. Despite her abuse at home—this is not the first time she's been pregnant by her father—she dreams of a better life and of being able to read. When she is offered the chance to go to an alternative school, she decides to take it with the hope that her life will get better. With education, support, and therapy, she's able to gain upward mobility and work towards a better life.
Traditional education failed Precious at the beginning of the story. She was able to move from one grade to the next without being able to read. Only when her education is approached in a different way is she able to be successful. One reason for this is that she was treated poorly by those around her; compassion is an essential part of education—both from teachers and other students. The reassurance Ms. Rain offers Precious when she reveals that she can't read is a major factor in Precious's trusting her enough to let Ms. Rain teach her. Ms. Rain also gets support to help Precious with her child after she gives birth so that she can keep attending.
I would argue that this novel showcases the importance of education in every society, not just in America.
Precious is a child who has known little but abuse in her home life. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that she was already pregnant with her second child, having been raped repeatedly by her father, who has now impregnated her for the second time.
It is only when she starts at a new school and is able to confess that she has no reading ability that the light of hope begins to be seen in Precious's life. Through writing in her journal, and with the help of her teacher, Precious is able to gradually improve her circumstances and come to terms with the abuse that she has suffered at her parents' hands.
In short, this novel shows education to be a way in which people can rise above their circumstances.
The novel Push emphasizes the positive impact that education can have on an individual in American society. The protagonist, Precious Jones, is an illiterate sixteen-year-old girl who lives in Harlem. Her mother, Mary, is neglectful and abusive, offering Precious no opportunity or support. When her school learns that Precious is pregnant, they decide that she should attend an alternative school. This turn of events is a positive and life-changing force for Precious, as she meets a teacher who empowers her to tell her own story.
At the alternative school, not only does Precious have the support of the teacher, Ms. Rain, but she thrives in a class of fellow students who all come from difficult backgrounds. Despite huge holes in her academic abilities, with the relentless support of her teacher, Precious soon develops an interest in literature and writing. Ms. Rain believes that the only way to learn how to write is to write, and she requires each girl to keep a daily journal. She gives each student feedback and assistance. At the school, Precious is also exposed to literature by black authors such as Alice Walker and Langston Hughes who give her inspiration.
When Precious is chased out of her home by her mother, she turns to her beloved teacher, Ms. Rain, who helps her get into a halfway house. Since the house has childcare, Precious is able to continue her education. With stability from home and school, Precious is able to grow in both her academic ability as well as her self-confidence. The success in academics gives her the strength and courage to improve in other areas of her life and to make positive changes. In this, the reader can see the positive impact that education can have on an individual, as it pushes them toward success and self-empowerment.
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