Power to the People – English 12 Blog Assignment

Allison Howard, author of the narrative: A South African Storm, reveals how institutional racism still exists post the Apartheid era. In A South African Storm, Howard tells a story about her experience living in South Africa and the subtle racism that took place. She explains in her thesis toward the end of the narrative that change can be made by infinitesimally small actions. A quote by Gandalf, from the novel: The Hobbit, agrees with Howard’s belief. He states that: “It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay.” Essentially they are both saying the same thing, that change is not necessarily made by huge efforts and forceful actions but to deviate from the habitual attitudes and make small actions that compound into large effects. One real world example of change by small actions is when people try to improve damaged communities by volunteering and voting for representatives in government that will address issues in these communities. These are small actions that are not dealing with the issue directly but is contributing to a small effort that is slowly making change.