Frankie Lennon’s memoir The Mee Street Chronicles: Straight up Stories of a Black Woman’s Life tells the story of her childhood who has shaped her present. “Breaking the Rules” is no different. In this essay we learn about author’s efforts to discover her individuality while involving herself in the cultural “beatnik” phenomenon that took place in the South in the early 1960’s. In the essay the narrator is caught between her values to be different and not conform to the values of what is expected and deviate. During the era the narrator had role models such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcom X that symbolize positive change because of their daring actions to gain equal rights. Tradition was for African Americans to never speak or act out, but to adhere to all laws placed by white superiors. Lennon being a young African American female in South, she felt empowered to make change herself by being liberated by her role models.
In the essay the school system distinctly valued tradition, in this essay this was school attire. Contrary to what is acceptable now, clothing was much more modest and not adhering to these customs was unacceptable. This can be seen by the principal threating to expel the girls for their clothing. Contrary to Nikki and the narrator’s who value individuality and freedom of expression. Likewise the White society valued African Americans to subject themselves to all white ideals. By dressing as beatniks this attracted negative attention to themselves as well as African American youth. However Nikki and the narrator were proud of their rebellious and non-conformist attitude.
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