Response

Stephen Cruz”, Terkel By 03 October, 03 October, ” Stephen Cruz” By Studs Terkel What is the conflict that keeps Cruz from being content with his accomplishments?
Answer: Cruz assumed that the positions he was perked with were a result of his qualifications and not some stereotypical behavior or strategy against the minorities. This misinterpretation made him content with his accomplishments and oblivious of the reality.
2. What do you think is meant by ” get to know our business?” What did it mean for Cruz to ” behave himself?” How had he not behaved himself?
Answer: The corporate world is filled with hidden rules and regulations which are not apparent in the company laws but are understood and communicated through a gestural language throughout the organization. It is generally believed that going with the flow is the key to a smooth transition between hierarchical levels. Too many questions and arguments are always negatively eyed by the top management. And this is where Crux went wrong, he did not fit in the “ get to know our business” by ignoring the hidden rules and regulations and misbehaved by putting too many arguments on the table.
3. What do you think is Cruzs notion of the American Dream? How did he feel about it? What do you think was his notion of success? Did it change?
Answer: Crux believed that the American Dream is not uniform across the American minds and did not provide the minorities with the deserved strength and success. He felt that it was meant for only the elite class who became stronger with the essence of the American Dream and used the minorities as mere puppets on the money minting front. Crux’s notion of success changed from the belief that success is the result of hard work to success is merely working according to the top management.
4. Is there any way in which you can relate to Stephen Cruzs experience?
Answer: I can relate to Stephen Cruz’s experience because as you pick up the newspaper and magazines everyday it is filled with stories of injustices faced by the minorities. We are born and brought up with the lessons of hard work and morality, only to grow up and find that only the stronger people rule and the weaker get punished and this is the reality whether we like it or not.
5. When thinking about the issues Cruz brings up, what forms of oppression come to mind?
Answer: The issues brought up by Crux relate to Racism and Colorism. These two forms of oppression shattered his belief about hard work and success and made him a victim of ‘ going with the herd’, depression and other hidden forms of oppression. ‘ There are some form of oppressions that one has yet to find a language to name, for many hidden layers embedded in these oppressions are often difficult to reveal.’ (Orelus, 84-85)
Works Cited
Orelus, P. Rethinking Race, Class, Language, and Gender. Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Inc., 2011. 84-85. Print.