"Standing up for yourself doesn't always involve verbal confrontation. Sometimes it's about not wasting energy on people who are negative," a quote by Sherry Argov. I feel this quote not only applies to this chapter of the book where Jeannette holds back against her professor, but the end of the book where Jeannette has grown up and comes to the realization of her family's life style.
In Jeannette's political science class, instructed by one of her favorite professors- Professor Fuchs- asks the class "if homelessness was the result of drug abuse and misguided entitlement programs, as the conservatives claimed, or did it occur as the liberals argues, because of cuts in social-service programs and the failure to create economic opportunity for the poor?" One major event in this scene is that Jeannette was called upon for her opinion. She in no way volunteered to express herself over this topic.
After hesitation, Jeannette declared her understanding of the topic- that she believes people get the lives they want and some homeless people are not willing to compromise. When Jeannette's professor asks her what she knows about the underprivileged and the obstacles that the underclass face; she tends to agree with Fuchs to avoid the questions. I feel Jeannette keeps quiet instead of defending herself mainly to avoid the confrontation. Jeannette timidly agrees with the professor in order to keep quiet about a subject so familiar to her. Jeannette does not want to arouse a disagreement between her and the professor and further draw attention to herself. The author does not want a possible argument to escalate to a degree of no return. She does not want to reveal all of her past to this unfamiliar classroom filled with unfamiliar people. This author is ashamed and embarrassed...