To Sir, with Love Edward Ricardo Braithwaite

WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

La Paz, Iloilo City

To Sir, with Love

Edward Ricardo Braithwaite

“To Sir, with Love” is a story based on the experience of the writer, Edward Ricardo Braithwaite. He is a Negro who proves to be a man of Christian action in the most unbelievably trying circumstances.

E.R. Braithwaite holds a degree on Communication Engineering on USA before and unsuccessfully applied for numerous engineering positions for 18 months. There, when prejudice is felt, it is open, blatant. So he decided to go back to his own land in East London. There, he tries everything to overcome the challenge for survival. He tried labor exchanges, employment agencies, newspaper ads- all with the same result. In terms of qualifications, ability and experience, the employers are completely satisfied but because of the color of his skin, Braithwaite was always rejected. That event in his life constituted to his mind a betrayal of faith because he always believed in freedom; freedom to live and to freedom to work but what have happened to him? He felt that he was betrayed.

One day in a park, a man approached him and advised him that a great city is always a battlefield and he must be a fighter. The old man advised him to get a job as a teacher because education authorities were not bothered about the color of the people’s skin. And it was a decision forced Braithwaite by the very urgent need to eat.

There he met a hostile group, 40 tough teenagers who formed senior grade in East London’s Greenslade School, and their language were as course as their behavior.

Of course, it was not an easy job for Braithwaite to get the attention of those students easily. Besides he doesn’t even have any experience in teaching. But two explosive incidents- one involving a girl student, the other a boy- marked a turning point in Braithwaite’s relationship with the class. And because of what had happened, the students were touched and were inspired to become a better individual. The students realized that the role of a teacher is not only on to teach Science, History, Mathematics, etc. but also beyond the four corners of the room. It is also about teaching moral values that is more applicable to one’s life.

Along the way, Braithwaite also realized that teaching is not only a job for him but also his life.

One day, he had realized that his tough students were dispersing like feathers in the four winds and now ready to face another chapter of their lives and pursue their dreams.

Before the school year ends, those tough students gave a simple gift to their professor, Mr. Braithwaite and were signed by all of the students. There Braithwaite felt acceptance despite the color of his skin.

The novel really set as my inspiration in life. Why? Because Braithwaite came to the point of his life where he almost loses his hopes in facing a lot of challenges/ obstacles in life yet he remained to be a fighter in a great battlefield. And through this novel, we would be aware that racial prejudice exists since then. As a future educator, I was really amazed by his patience in handling those tough students. And I appreciate the course I’ve chosen more. Through this, my perception about a teacher widens and inspired me to become a better educator, touching a lot of the students’ lives despite the color of my skin and my imperfections.