Edward Elgar

 Edward Elgar

The life of Edward Elgar describes how being self-taught and industrious can help us persevere. Elgar was from the working class and learned on his own. He loved classical music and was inspired by the great composers of classical music. Elgar worked hard to develop his talents and became one of the great composers in the same category as Beethoven, Vivaldi, and Chopin.

Elgar has great compositions that he created throughout his life. Elgar valued dedication and discipline. Elgar was a devout Catholic in the mid eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds. He was a Catholic and also from the working class. He was not recognized for his compositions at an early age. This may have been due to being self-taught, from the working class, and a devout Catholic.

Elgar was probably envied by other composers. To this day, he does not appear as a top composer with the greats despite being amazing. When I heard Elgar's compositions recently, I could not believe he was never suggested ever in the US. I listened to classical music throughout my life in recordings, radio concerts, and music streaming services but never heard him be suggested as a great composer.

I do not know if this is because of elitism or because he was a Catholic, but Elgar is a top composer. (Recently found out Elgar was both Jewish and Catholic which would describe the envy.) Elgar has cheerful compositions and impressive works. Despite the lack of recognition, Elgar describes that fame is not important and instead self-learning and fidelity to GOD Almighty is of greater value. Frost was also rejected as a poet (for being working class) and did not get renown until his sixties when he was recognized as a top poet. Elgar is a top composer. We can persevere acknowledging that we can persevere being self-taught while keeping fidelity to the GOD of gods.

Frederick Douglas

 Frederick Douglas

"I expose slavery... because to expose it is to kill it. Slavery is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth is death."

Frederick Douglas was an abolitionist and African American who left the South to be free. Douglas then decided to speak in favor of repealing slavery in the North. Douglas fought against slavery in the 1800s. Douglas wrote extensively being self-educated.

Douglas had his own publication called the Almanac and also wrote for an anti-slavery newspaper. Douglas was important in the abolitionist movement indicating that self-education is needed to improve oneself. 

The racist slavery system in the 1800s did not want individuals to improve their circumstances and attempted to keep African Americans illiterate so that they would not improve. Douglas saw the importance of education throughout his life and improved. He learned to read and write and would be important in the fight against slavery.

Douglas had two publications going on at once. Douglas had his own publication and contributed to a newspaper in the North calling for freedom from slavery. Douglas describes that learning to read and write is needed in order to improve and fight against racism and caste systems. We can help others by speaking truth and allowing them to understand that self-education is empowerment and corruption must be exposed.