Abstract This is a critical essay on Richard Wright's short story, The Man Who Was Almost a Man. This tale is a twisted parody of the hunt, where a boy becomes a man by learning to take responsibility for his actions and doing what is best for himself. This parody shows the protagonist's desire to become a respected equal among the other adults with whom he feels he has earned the right to belong, through his growing age and hard work in the fields. The paper includes many quotes from the story exploring themes and symbolism.
From the Paper "Wright subverts a typical hunt genre to create a parody of a boy reaching manhood. In ?The Man Who Was Almost a Man,? the protagonist, Dave, tries to reach his potential as an adult and earn respect from other men. However, his position in society as a downtrodden adolescent, who toils like a workhorse, does not allow him the dignity he deserves. By shooting the mule, he is given a chance to become a man in the only avenue available to him; he runs away on the train to find a new future. "Ahead the long rails were glinting in the moonlight, stretching away to somewhere, somewhere where he could be a man"? (1128). This newfound freedom and manhood, which comes from his first ironic kill, satisfies the rite of passage in the hunt and brings him the independence and responsibly he deserves. "
This paper outlines the history of affirmative action starting in the 60s up to present; it is an unbiased argumentative paper on whether affirmative action is still needed.
1,557 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 6 sources, 2001, $ 51.95
Abstract This paper discusses discrimination and the history of affirmative action in combating it. The author mentions various presidents in American history and their attempts to make a difference in leveling the playing field for all races. Pros and cons for affirmative action are presented by the author.
From the Paper "For many years minorities were discriminated against in the job market. People in our country felt something must be done to fix this problem in our society. That solution was affirmative action. Affirmative action is a group of policies used by the United States to give minorities jobs and job advancement opportunities by favoring them (Encarta). This affirmative action is in place to make up for years of discrimination in the past, either by the country as a whole or specific companies. The history of affirmative action is a long and interesting one."
Abstract This paper examines the text of this poem from a African-American perspective. The analysis uses poetic devices and the background of the literary environment. Line by line analysis is provided to show how the poem uses the everyday ordinary dialect of blacks, and gives insight into the poverty and discrimination that blacks faced during the 1920's.
From the Paper "Between 1919 and 1926 there was a major population shift of African-Americans to the cities of New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C (America Online). In 1921, Langston Hughes was one such African American who had traveled to New York to attend Columbia University. This population shift resulted in an obvious display of creativity among the African-American race. The creativity broadened the scope of African American influence on the American society, culture and primarily literature. The influence was so enormous and collective that it took form of a movement, which began in about 1920 and lasted until about 1930. This period was first known as the ?New Negro Movement,? but it later became known as the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance represented the African American intellect and the consequent intellectuals who celebrated their heritage and background with immense pride and gusto. It was during this movement and into this heady climate that the poem "Mother to Son" was introduced. The politico-literary climate was charged and just ripe and the need for African American contribution was being recognized. One of the critics voiced the urgent need when he cried, "what American literature decidedly needs at the moment is color, music, gust"If the Negroes are not in a position to contribute these items, I do not know what Americans are.? "
Abstract The paper begins with a definition and history of affirmative action in the U.S. The controversy surrounding this practice is then explored. Statistics are cited and the University of Michigan is used to illustrate the controversy. Advantages and disadvantages of the practice of affirmative action are discussed.
From the Paper "Much of the debate over affirmative action focuses on the notion that affirmative action gives preference to minorities at the expense of whites. For example, California's Proposition 209 ended local and state affirmative action programs in public employment, public education, and public contracting. Advocates of proposition 209 claim that affirmative action is unconstitutional since it gives preferential treatment to certain groups."
Abstract This paper examines the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar's 1903 poem "We Wear the Mask", which is in open defiance of the commonly accepted fallacy of his day that African-Americans were happy in the subservient roles they were forced to assume in the face of white racism. The paper describes Dunbar's uses irony and the religious rhetorical to convey the disparity between the false face African-Americans were forced to wear to earn a living in white society. The author shows how the prose illustrates the theme of the socially assumed mask.
From the Paper "The title of Dunbar's and first lines of the poem may at first suggest a mask that an actor or a performer wears. ?We wear the mask that grins and lies, / It hides our checks and shades our eyes.? (Lines 1-2) However, the next lines of the poem suggest that the nature of the mask that is worn is far more complex than a mask made of paper or plaster. The poem strikes a contrast between African American's exposed social faces and the bleeding hearts within their apparently smiling, happy exteriors."
From the Paper "Harriet A. Jacobs, in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, focuses on the loss of humanity which occurs in the experience of slavery. For her, this loss of humanity was never complete, for she made of her experience a constant struggle for freedom of mind and will and body. As a woman slave, she suffered the sexual exploitation of her masters, and as a mother she suffered the horrors of not being able to protect her children from the experience of slavery. But if Jacobs gives the reader a complete picture of the suffering she and her fellow slaves endured, she also makes clear that she not only survived but maintained a sense of her humanity and her individuality as well:
I had my secret hopes; but I must fight my battle alone. I had a woman's pride, and a mother's love for my children; and I resolved that out of the darkness of this hour a..."
Abstract This paper presents a positive review of Wexler's book, "Fire in a Canebrake". The paper begins with a brief summary of the book, and then follows with a look at how Wexler's style makes the book interesting and captivating to the reader. The paper also points out that, through her book, Wexler reveals a great deal about race in America, both today and in the past.
From the Paper "In Fire in a Canebrake: The Last Mass Lynching in America, Laura Wexler paints a disturbing and convincing portrait of race in America. Her detached point of view allows the reader to become personally involved in the story, and creates a powerful feeling of suspense. Further, Wexler's thorough analysis of the search for the killers is equally involving. Ultimately, Fire in a Canebrake reveals a great deal about the pervasiveness of racial tension and inequalities in America."
This paper analyzes Frederick Douglass' speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July", delivered on July 5th, 1852, one of the most provocative, powerful and persuasive speeches in American history.
Abstract This paper explains that Frederick Douglass' speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July", challenged America, which had become a leading slave-nation and demanded the abolition of slavery because the foundation upon which America was built is freedom. The author points out that Douglass' argument was based heavily on American irony; by enslaving millions of their own countrymen, America's actions are analogous to the British oppression of Americans during its infancy. The paper relates that Douglass called the American people -- in the name of their fathers, the constitution and the Bible -- to renounce their "flagrantly inconsistent ways", abolish slavery and preserve liberty for all.
From the Paper "After reminding the audience of what their fathers fought for and against, Douglass speaks of the present condition of slavery. Many admit the evils of slavery yet fail to take action against it, while others live "off the fruits of your fathers." American citizens, according to Douglass, do not have this right to "wear out and waste the hard-earned fame" of their fathers. Instead, they must fight for justice. Douglass again emphasizes that America and its freedom do not belong to him, that it belongs to white Americans; "The rich inheritance of justice...is shared by you, not by me." Furthermore, Douglass brings light to the claim that slaves are not men. It is evident that slaves are men since there are laws against them which prove that slaves are in fact "moral, intellectual, and responsible beings." Therefore, it is conceded that slaves are men, and thus slaves deserve the same right of freedom, equality, liberty and justice as every white American."
An examination of the roots of Black American English ("Ebonics") and the current attempt to integrate it into educational system in the United States.
1,210 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 7 sources, 2000, $ 41.95
From the Paper "The controversy over Ebonics is a very serious one indeed. Many factors are considered in the battle over this dialect which is growing in controversy and popularity. Teachers and educators alike must consider the effects of the use of Ebonics in education and mainstream culture. The battle over Ebonics is very clear. The opposition speaks out strongly against Ebonics and its effects in mainstream education. Supporters of Ebonics, like the Oakland Board of Education, argue that more stable and well-rounded students will emerge from the acknowledgement and study of Ebonics as a separate language."
Tags: ebonics, education, african, american, black, english
Abstract An analysis of the narrative book 'Frederick Douglas'. A narration about slavery experienced by Frederick Douglass, a slave during the American period of slavery. The author discusses the history of slavery in the American society, its causes and effects.
From the Paper "This narrative of an American slave shows in great detail, the horrors of being a slave, and the severity and callousness of the slaveholders of the South. The reader witnesses the growth of Frederick Douglass from a young slave to a free man, all the while experiencing the great terrors and misfortunes of slave life. In the South, during the 1800s, it was a crime punishable by death for a slave to be taught to read and write. However, Douglass secretly taught himself, and because of this, we have the opportunity to read one of the most powerful testimonies of slavery in American history."
Tags: civil, trade, war, cruel, abuse, torture, calousness, suffer, freedom, imprisonment, force
Abstract This paper shows how the single-parent family has struggled through American history and why the statistics are showing that their style of living is on the rise. It gives specific examples of single-parent black families with woman or men as the head of the household, and it also offers lots of statistics pulled from reliable research as to why these kinds of families are multiplying in our society. It also discusses in some detail the huge effect of poverty on these families even though the statistics poorly depict their lifestyles, and discusses the solution.
From the Paper "Eighty-four percent of all black children will live in a single-parent family before they are eighteen years old (Clegg). Currently, in the black community, the birthrate of out-of-wedlock babies is sixty-nine percent, while in the white community, the statistics are edging toward twenty-five percent (Rector). Do these facts sound alarming to you? Is there something about the white community that is different from the black community? To the modern world, being a single, black parent and raising a child is not very uncommon ? not to mention simply being a single-parent to begin with. We as a society like to believe that there really is no difference between black and white ? that we are all equal. This may be the case, but there are still some aspects of our daily lives where black and white can be very different. The issue of race and single-parent families has been the subject of enormous controversy. The extended black family, often considered a source of strength and stability, has declined steadily since 1940, as has the white extended family. A disproportionate number of black children have been raised by single parents, a trend that can lead to family instability, poverty and welfare use. As we look at some alarming statistics, we see that the black community has indeed seen a rise in the numbers of single-parent families. The rise of single-parent families in the black community has a great impact on the lives of those children involved and also on the community around them. In the following paper, I will share with you some of the statistics that I have come across during my research on this topic, and I will also include insight on its impact on society."
This paper presents a detailed examination of racial profiling, the act of police officers or other law enforcement officials using race as a factor in deciding whom to stop and search on the street, in the United States.
Abstract The following paper takes the reader on an exploratory journey through the issues that surround racial profiling and discusses the various problems that are encountered. Some of the issues addressed are whether or not racial profiling exists, the problem that most law enforcement departments refuse to undergo a study and that they deny that racial profiling exists and the state of literature regarding this topic at this point is more anecdotal than scientific. In addition the writer contends that the topic is controversial because the United States believes that it has rid itself of prejudice and racism and to open the topic of racial profiling by law enforcement personnel is admitting that its possible the nation is backsliding.Finally, this paper examines how the events of September 11th stepped up the pace of racial profiling by law enforcement and grew to include new groups of people.
From the Paper "Racial profiling is a topic that is seen across the nation in the media. Racial profiling has often been referred to as the phantom occurrence because thus far departments across the nation patently deny its existence. The topic is a growing one in light of the September 11, 2001 attacks on America. Racial profiling has been a top news story since that attack but it was an issue for many years before that.
One of the hardest things to debate in this heated topic is whether or not it exists. There is not a law enforcement agency in the nation that has stepped up to the plate and acknowledged that it does indeed profile using racial criteria. It is something that New York City's finest have been accused of over and over again while the chiefs and mayors adamantly deny the rumors. It is something that News shows spend entire segments trying to prove with the cases that are claimed to have happened because of it(Dotings, 2000)"
Abstract The paper shows the differences between the novel by Alice Walker, "The Color Purple" and the film by the same name, directed by Steven Spielberg. The paper shows the distinct differences between film and the literature that inspired both versions of "The Color Purple", differences unique to each different media that yield very different effects upon the reader and upon the viewers of Walker's tale.
From the Paper "In contrast, Celie";s pregnancy in the film is revealed not verbally but visually. Film is often called a visual rather than a verbal medium and the film";s rendering of this event confirms this. In the film, a sense of Celie";s innocence is conveyed by the young girl"\";s voice singing songs with her younger sister, the sight of the child Celie playing patty-cake with her sister and the two girls running through green fields. The scene looks idyllic, until the young actress playing Celie becomes entirely revealed from head to toe. Then, the viewer suddenly realizes with a jolt, the child is pregnant."
Discusses controversy over his shift from cool jazz & hard bop to jazz/rock fusion & electronic instruments in 1969. Analysis of "Bitches Bew" recording.
1,575 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 6 sources, 2001, $ 55.95
From the Paper "Near the end of the 1960s jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-91) began to experiment with electronic instruments (primarily bass and piano) played by members of his groups. Within a short time Davis released two recordings, In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1969), that started a storm of controversy--although the latter record sold better than any album in jazz history. The problem as Davis saw it was that people were simply unprepared to listen to his new style of group improvisation because, first, it involved electronic instruments and rock beats and, second, it was too complex and unusual. But critics and fans who deplored the new direction complained that the music simply was not jazz, that Davis had "sold out" in order to attract the large white audience for rock music with a "fusion" of jazz and rock, and, in some cases, that his new music was a..."
Abstract This paper examines how in his book "Race Matters", Cornell West, in a little over 150 pages, provides an amazing amount of in-depth analysis of the state of racial relations in the United States in the early 1990s. It discusses how psychological, political, sexual, rhetorical, social and economic aspects of ongoing racism in the nation are covered, with West seeing some but not unrealistic hope for the kind of profound change needed to better the lives of blacks still suffering most from racist practices. It evaluates how this hope he does have seems aimed not at the government (although he does call for policies which will create more jobs for blacks and redistribute wealth), but at individuals and at their ability to awaken and organize with a "coalition strategy". It analyzes how he seems intent most on awakening and changing the perceptions of the individual reader, for he believes that group-think, segregation and other aspects of racism are created and maintained by the failure of individuals to think for themselves instead of having their minds and lives shaped by others and by the past.
From the Paper "Prophetic-moral reasoning, for West, is an antidote to group think, in a sense. This kind of reasoning is based on "fundamental ideas of a mature black identity, coalition strategy, and black cultural democracy." This approach not only liberates the individual from group-think and racial stereotyping, it gives like-minded individuals the inspiration to commit to the kind of political organization needed to change the system rather than be absorbed by it. Also, this form of moral reasoning avoids "deifying or demonizing others" (44), which only degrades the blacks who engage in such thinking and wastes energy which could be better spent on mature and moral responses to racism."
