Main Piece:

Participant – “You don’t ask, you don’t get”

Context:

I asked the participant if she grew up hearing any common proverbs or life lessons from the people around her.

Background:

The participant was born and raised in Mill Valley, California and is currently a second semester freshman engineering student at the University of Southern California. She informed me that this proverb was extremely common in her household and told to her by her mother repeatedly.       

Analysis:

As a child, the participant was told this by her mother as a remind to use her words to get what she wanted rather than whine or pout. As time went on and the participant got older, the proverb gained more meaning and now stands as a piece of advice to work for the things you want and try your best because if you don’t fight for something and ask for it, it will never be yours.