By this story, the writer wants to raise an awareness of discrimination at his time. One day, being happy waking up, Rudy decides to turn over his New Leaf, It doesn’t mean that he wants to betray his gang, Shamrock, but to do something new, meaningful for his life. He goes to school with happiness.In classroom, he starts to do the reading assignment which was given by Miss Bontempo.
The reading is about a Mexican poor boy named Pancho, who was discriminated by his friends. However, he doesn’t get upset but to prove himself by scoring great points in a baseball game. Pancho is a good examble to people go get discriminated. Pancho doesn’t gives up his circumstances but to strive to prove himself. One day, after getting up, Rudy is determined to turn over his New Leaf.
He goes to school with happy feelings and is ready for the changes, for the new beginning.Miss Bontempo gives him an English assignment. He has to read and answer relevant questions in a meaningful story about another Mexican kid named Pancho – a boy who is rewarded after his exertions to prove himself. In other words, Pancho is an ideal model for success in resisting discrimination whom Miss Bontempo uses to encourage everyone to follow. Nonetheless, Rudy does not know how to answer the questions, so he decides to meet Eddie.
Eddie is an excellent student, a big success in Audubon and now, he is running for president of this.Besides these, he is tutoring Rudy in doing the assignment. He helps Rudy understand his teacher’s desire and make the boy think about these questions in another way. He also gives Rudy “the Secrets of Success at School” – the positive attitude, and Rudy follows his advice. First of all, Rudy goes to class with a well-groomed appearance.
Secondly, he does not forget to bring pencil and paper to class, and raises his hand when he has a chance. Finally, he gives his teacher a pleasant smile sometimes. In the beginning, everything goes well.Rudy is praised when he asks Miss Bontempo the question concerning foreshadowing. He is cheerful because of Eddie’s effective counsel to “ask a question and there’s a question you won’t have to answer.
And teachers love it, Bontempo especially” (Santiago, 945). But after that, he immediately recognizes there is no set path for success in life. The teacher gives the whole class some questions to discuss. Rudy hands up, and his answer is absolutely right; unfortunately, it is not accepted by Miss Bontempo.She thinks that Rudy read the next chapter at home, and this action is unfair, is dishonest.
Although he tries to demonstrate he did not do that by giving the teacher foundation and situation in the text so that he could guess the answer, she still keeps her opinion and do not believe him. As the result, an argument breaks out in the classroom. Pelon, a buddy of Rudy’s, stands up and supports his friend’s answer. A few of students instantly yell and take part in the quarrel.
At the height of the argument, the teacher shouts, she “hammers on her desk to establish some kind of Law and Order” (Santiago, 949). She forces Pelon and Rudy to go to the Vice-principal’s office, meanwhile the other people do not. This is the first time that Rudy is punished like that; too worried, he coughs and vomits. Whereas the story about Pancho and his understanding teacher – Miss Brewers, which Miss Bontempo assigns as homework, has a positive lesson in it about overcoming discrimination, Miss Bontempo’s actions with her Mexican-American students teach a negative lesson.Obviously, with Rudy, night is not behind his back and day was not in front of him.
His “New Leaf withers” (Santiago, 949). In conclusion, the story “Famous all over town” tells us Rudy’s difficulties in his life and some problems that he encounters when he tries to apply Eddie’s Secrets for Success at school. In addition, it also talks about the difference between Miss Bontempo and Miss Brewster, between Rudy and Pancho.
