Graduation" reflects the development of the writer during a difficult time in her life. This young black girl in the South comes face to face with the second-class status of blacks in the society of that time at her graduation, a time that should give hope for the future. Instead. the white power structure in the form of the local politician makes use of this graduation ceremony to remind the assembled black students that their choices are limited when compared to white students. This incident in Angelou's life illustrates some of the ideas of Charles Sanders Peirce as he explains the role of doubt in producing belief or knowledge.
Peirce begins with the difference between doubting and believing, citing the feeling of believing as an indication of the establishment of some habit in our nature which will determine our actions. Indeed, belief shapes our behavior, and without belief, we would not take certain actions. Belief is also persistent as we cling to our beliefs and so to a level of comfort. Doubt is the opposite and leads to dissatisfaction. Peirce characterizes doubt as an "uneasy and dissatisfied state" (Peirce 24) from which we try to extricate ourselves in an effort to achieve a state of belief.
Peirce says that the irritation of doubt causes a struggle within us as we try to attain a state of belief, and he further says that the irritation of doubt "is the only immediate motive for the struggle to attain belief" (Peirce 24). The creation of doubt is the beginning of the struggle to achieve belief. Inquiry is the primary method, and the end of inquiry is achieved with the attainment of belief.
How do we find belief? Peirce asks first why we cannot continue the habit of belief by taking any answer we may like for our questions and continually repeating it to ourselves. One problem is that evidence will appear that will counter the view we have taken, but some might be able to avoid this and maintain ...