Many young people face challenges trying to achieve their education and goals in life. For example, in the novel The House on Mango Street, Esperanza has big dreams but she grows up in poverty, yet that motivates her to become successful so she never ends up living a life like her great grandma. Although the play "Simply Maria or the American Dream," reveals Maria's difficult experiences when she decides to follow her dreams and goals in life since her parents are old-fashioned. And in "Gifted Hands," Ben Carson thinks he's not smart enough because at first, he didn't know his learning style, and once he realized his strength in reading, his schooling changed for the better especially at Yale. Even after 260 rejections Victor never gave up, he became a keynote speaker and he would wear his boots, hat, and his big belt buckle. Homer continued building rockets and while he was figuring out how to make it fly, he lacked his father's support. Although these characters, like me, faced challenges in trying to achieve their education, they were able to endure poverty, the lack of support, and feelings of doubt regarding their impossible goals, they overcame their barriers to achieve their college education just as I too will obtain my college diploma and dreams.
The House on Mango Street describes the last house Esperanza and her family moved into after renting several places. Although her parents always told her and her siblings one day they would move into a house they can call their own with running water, real stairs, a basement, and at least three washrooms, this was not that house. Further they described their dream house as white, with a big backyard, and green grass like the homes they saw on television. But the house on Mango Street wasn't like the house her parents described in their dream of winning the lottery. In fact, it was the total opposite. Yet, they loved living there because they didn't pay rent, or share the yard with others, or need to be quiet.