Final Overview

Obama split this book into three sections: Origins, Chicago, and Kenya. He retains his focus throughout the book because of these specifics – skimming over the events that occurred in between these three chapters of his life, he keeps the purpose flowing and clear. There is little mention of dating, life at Columbia University itself, and the various other details of his life that were omitted. Essentially, Obama writes solely on his journey of self-discovery, racism and the societal struggles of mixed people, and his eventual trip to Kenya, the place of his heritage. This method is effective because the deliberate way he set up the book, each section building on the previous, culminating in his trip to Kenya. The first section, Origins, detailed all of the above struggles, emphasizing the great enigma that was his family and history in Kenya. His father was the inspiration for writing the memoir, and is therefore an ever-present driving force behind his self-questioning and ambitions. As he becomes a self-assured young mixed-race American, Obama finds his voice through the lessons taught and encouragement given by deuterogamists – people described who shaped his gradual growth. Upon deciding that social justice and community organizing is where he wants to head, section 2 is begun: Chicago. Traveling to Chicago and the events leading up to it are given a meager few pages as Obama jumps into the next chapter of his life. Exquisite detail of his personal relationships with a few church members who Obama works closely with to better an ailing black, prejudiced society, complements nicely the section before it. The same struggles with race Obama had encountered earlier in life were recurrent, and he is forced to face them from different standpoints and bumble his way through many failures and minor triumphs in his attempts to reach through the racism that exists in prejudiced Chicago. Community organizing and the huge issue of race in society lead Obama into the last section: Kenya. Connecting with his family proves to be a difficult task, complicated by his family's poverty, need, and a lack of understanding on both sides. In his family, however, Obama finally finds a sort of peace: "It wasn't simply joy that I felt in each of these moments. Rather, it was a sense that everything I was doing, every touch and breath and word, carried the full weight of my life; that a circle was beginning to close, so that I might finally recognize myself as I was, here, now, in one place" (377). His discoveries are not close to being finished, yet in this snapshot of his life Obama has captured a fascinating and detailed, yet concise and focused account of the various intertwining experiences of his growth.