An analysis of the poetry of Maya Angelou, taking specific poems into consideration as well known representatives of her work such as "Still I Rise," "On the Pulse of the Morning," "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," and "Phenomenal Woman".
Abstract This report looks at issues of fact and fiction in Angelou's poems and sees where this poetry relates to her own biographically recorded experience and where it differs, in terms of questions of how
literature reflects reality and how reality works to craft and shape the process of creating literature.
From the Paper "One of the main realities that is displayed by Angelou in her poems is the theme of transcendence of the individual over difficult and adverse circumstances. As will be explored in attention to biographical details from the author's life, and especially her early life growing up in the racist south of the early to mid twentieth century, Angelou
naturally met with a lot of difficulty and adversity that others in different circumstances did not have to worry about. And in many ways her struggle to overcome these circumstances and still find a positive path forward with her life is something that is strongly reflected in her work, particularly in her poetry, which often involves themes of
transcendence. Transcendence is defined as the ability to rise above obstacles and hindrances that fate and circumstance may put in one's path, and still find a positive way to move forward spiritually and intellectually."
This in-depth paper analyzes the issue of discrimination in the workplace, while supplying a comprehensive evaluation to key issues relevant to this topic.
Abstract The writer of this well-researched paper contends and explains why discrimination in the workforce is a growing problem that has affected thousands of organizations, large and small operating in today's global marketplace. This paper defines discrimination in the workplace as any type of behavior, action, belief, value or attitude that impacts another individual in a negative manner, that is based on one's racial identity, gender, sex, disability status, age or some other personal factor. This paper cites the many laws and acts that have been enacted to protect individuals from various forms discrimination. The most basic law that protects employees from discrimination on the job is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits job discrimination on the basis of race, skin color, age, gender, religious belief or national origin. The paper also details the impact of affirmative action in the workplace. Depending on the organization, affirmative action is necessary in an environment where one population or subgroup of people has been continually underrepresented or disadvantaged. This paper analyzes the impact these laws have on human resource departments. Human resource departments have an obligation under the law to inform all employees of their legal rights relating to discrimination in the workplace.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Discrimination
Discrimination Laws
Affirmative Action in the Workplace
Human Resources and Discrimination
Conclusions/Recommendations
References
From the Paper "Affirmative action may be necessary in an employment environment where one population or subgroup of people has been continually underrepresented or disadvantaged. It truly depends on the organization. It can be a means of protecting certain classes or groups of people and ensuring that everyone in the workplace is afforded the same access to employment and the same employment opportunities. It is not designed to be a form of reverse discrimination. There is adequate evidence suggesting that discrimination still exists in the workplace. Until discrimination is completely abolished and is no longer an issue, a need for affirmative action programs and other programs geared toward eliminating inequities continues."
Abstract An analysis of the poems of Langston Hughes that demonstrates how racism and prejudice against Blacks often evolved into literary expression in order to retain a voice, culture and dignity distinctly their own.
From the Paper "Despite an increase in tolerance toward African Americans and increased opportunities since the end of slavery, Joseph F Healey maintains in "Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Class" that the huge majority of African Americans have very limited access to quality education, few political rights, few occupational choices and few vehicles for expressing their views, grievances and concerns. The historical and systematic prejudice and discrimination African Americans have been subjected to in American society actually helped foster creative outlets for expression in many Blacks."
Abstract This paper analyzes the main character, Dave, in Wright's novel. It considers the nature of life for young black males as represented by Wright. The paper focuses on the story and what literary critics have had to say about its meaning.
From the Paper "Dave's motivation for wanting the gun is also made clear after he has it, where Wright (278) says "if he were holding his gun in his hand, nobody could run over him; they would have to respect him." For Dave then, the gun is a way for him to gain control and force people to respect him. It is also relevant that a gun is an object that gives one power and not a way that one becomes personally powerful. This emphasizes that Dave is not actually making himself more powerful and overcoming his repression. Instead, he is just gaining a means of making people respect him. In short, he is attempting to take his power back by force. Even in gaining the gun though, Dave does not actually achieve this aim. Instead, he shows his confusion because he does not know what to do with the gun once he has it. Most importantly, he continues to act as if he is powerless by sneaking away to use his gun. "
Abstract The paper discusses in detail the Brown v. Board of Education lawsuit that ended segregation in American schools. The paper shows how this case may have been the most important political, social and legal event in America's twentieth century history. The paper paints a picture of how the Brown v. Board of Education case resulted in a more egalitarian America.
From the Paper "America is a place filled with many different people, belonging to many different cultures. Although everyone is supposedly created equal, this does not always hold true. This has been a constant problem throughout American history. Segregation makes this fact even more obvious. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas sought to rectify this incongruence. Segregation is defined as an intentional setting apart of students by enrolling them in isolated public schools solely on the basis of race; or the socially-patterned separation of people, with or without explicit sanction (Orfield &Eaton, 1996). Brown v. Board of Education outlawed all forms of government-imposed segregation (Burns, 2002). The success of Brown removed a legal barrier to equitable educational opportunities for all American citizens. Brown v. Board of Education is one the signal legal events of our time (Jost, 2004)."
Abstract This paper explains that the connection between substance-abusing parents and child abuse has been studied at length; however, there is a lack of research into the correlation between social support services and the reduction of child abuse by these parents. The paper then proposes a research study that will evaluate if social support networks, such as 12-step programs, rehabilitation programs and related community-based social services, could lead to a reduction of child abuse and substance abuse. The paper explains that the population for this study is parents of African-American children between the ages of two and ten years old, who have a high incidents of child abuse and substance abuse.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Problem Statement
Research Question
Literature Review
Hypothesis
Sample
Human Subject Issues
Conceptualization and Operationalization
Research Design
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Discussion
From the Paper "This is an area where family therapy can be especially facilitative. For families in which self-expression is considered a weakness, an empowerment approach can help define the family in terms of the unique forms, structures, and roles that clients are actually immersed in or are attempting to renegotiate, rather than in terms of an ideal unit. Clients should be supported in defining their families for themselves and then in using creative outreach strategies to actively involve the identified members in a variety of family sessions."
Abstract This paper examines how, after the end of reconstruction in 1877, African-Americans, particularly in the South, faced an uncertain time. It looks at how the late 19th and early 20th centuries were a dark time in history where racism and segregation were running rampant and how this was enforced, especially in the South by the Jim Crow laws which legalized segregation with the supposed policy of "separate but equal". The paper also examines how, in order to confront and overcome the effects of Jim Crow and racism the black middle class resorted to several tactics. These included using the politics and law, media exposure, economic support and preserving safety.
From the Paper "Politics and law played a large role in the black middle class attempting to confront and overcome Jim Crow and racism. Middle class blacks were determined to have their say in politics and encouraged the poorer class to vote. In some places such as Holy Springs, Mississippi they even went to the extent of coloring the Republican voting ballot a different color so that illiterate blacks would be able to know who they were voting for. When Tennessee replaced older laws that condoned segregation in response to the Civil Rights Act, four African Americans on the state legislature fought back. They attempted to repeal the laws but ultimately failed. They did however gain a compromise from the white legislators that granted first class accommodation for blacks on railroads. This accommodation led to blacks attempting to use the law to further their cause for fair treatment. Many lawsuits were filed against railroad companies for throwing out blacks who were holding first class tickets. "
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that race-based jury nullification has existed ever since jury trials began in the United States; however, they have become prevalent in the later years due to the widespread presence of the media in the courtroom. The writer examines the arguments for and against race-based jury nullification as well presenting an opinionated conclusion concerning the subject through the comprehension of contemporary cases. The writer maintains that jurors must know they are responsible for upholding justice and ensuring only the guilty are punished. These individuals must determine guilt based on the facts and not their personal beliefs. The writer concludes that jury nullification is anti-democratic and is against everything for which the criminal justice system stands.
Outline:
Introduction
Arguments for Race Based Nullification
Arguments against Race Based Nullification
Position on Race Based Jury Nullification
Conclusion
From the Paper "Race based jury nullification is against everything the justice system stands for. The criminal justice system in the United States is a system that is set up to be fair to all people. The criminal justice system is a system set up to punish the guilty and excuse the innocent. Race based jury nullification goes against these ideals.
"Race based jury nullification may set the guilty free even though the evidence presented leads towards a guilty verdict. This nullification may also place an innocent person in prison or result in the loss of an innocent life. Jurors must perform their duties properly and justly. They must take the situation seriously and must not make a decision based on their personal beliefs, but instead base their decision on the facts presented."
The First Person Narrator
The Idea of Heritage as an Important Part of Self-Identity
Hughes: His poem: Walker's story
The Complication
The Idea that Everyday Things are Different to Mama and to Wangero.
Conclusion
A discussion of different ideas about whether "Huck Finn" should be included in the school curriculum, and the author's personal view that Twain's purpose is to capture the essence of slavery so that readers can identify with each racial incident.
968 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 3 sources, 2000, $ 34.95
From the Paper "In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, a young boy is forced to ponder the nature of friendship and to find a sense of his own moral vision making his way down the Mississippi with a runaway slave. Young Huck also happens to use the term "nigger" two hundred and thirteen times. In recent years, the racial implications of every aspect of the novel have become subjects of critical debate. Its colloquial style and embodiment of the enduring and widely shared dream of freedom have moved people of all ages so much that they plan to ban the novel from certain schools. "
From the Paper "This world is full of men and women who have the same dreams. They all fought and died for human rights, freedom of equality. One such man who dreamed of this freedom was a South African man who not only lived and fought for what he believed in, but also died for it. This man was Steven Biko, who was a primary leader in the Black Consciousness Movement against apartheid (Jackson, 1999). "
Abstract This paper talks about the communal identity of the blacks that helped them become stronger and more powerful during the hardships of the 1930s. The picture of ?Mrs. Mary Willis,? by Jack Delano, represents a strong and determined black woman, not needing any type of help or support, and able to deal with the adversities of the economic crash and the natural disaster of the Dust Bowl. On the other hand, Richard Wright's article, ?Joe Louis Uncovers Dynamite,? represents the communal identity of the blacks, and how unstoppable and overpowering they can be once they come together as a collective group. The paper discusses how the blacks were represented differently by different people, why Delano portrayed blacks as powerful individuals, while Wright portrayed blacks as having a potential identity as a community that could have an impact in their social status during the 1930s.
Abstract This paper discusses the emergence of Malcolm X. The author delves into Malcolm Little's roots to the life-changing events in his life. Islam's importance in the shaping of this American icon is highlighted by the author.
From the Paper "The man who started out as Malcolm Little enlarged himself into the greatness of Malcolm X. A remarkable man who experienced the power of redemption, he was saved from drowning in the ocean of blackness, grew beyond his hatred of the white "devil" into the self he was meant to be, into the black leader and hero who could plead to a multi-racial audience: ?Let us learn to live together in justice and love.? (X and Haley xviii intro) To the extent that his words were heard and heeded and his martyrdom honored Malcolm X was the lifeline that helped to rescue many from the depths of that ocean of blackness."
Abstract This paper shows how World War II profoundly affected the attitudes of women and African Americans towards American society at large. Racism and sexism was common and frequently considered "normal" prior to war, but the military experiences of African Americans and work on the home-front by women altered their beliefs about the social system they lived in, leading them to challenge and not accept racism and sexism.
From the Paper "One major effect World War II had on American society was that it showed the oppressed women and African-Americans at that time that they should no longer suffer silently through the sexism and racism that was pressed against them. As many women and blacks served in various parts of the military, they realized that no matter how hard they tried, or how good they were at what they did, they were never given the recognition they deserved. There was no such thing as equal opportunity. If you were a white male, you were given the higher rank, better employment location, and anything else that would attempt to show you as the superior. After the war was over and they ultimately realized their full potential, they more fervently joined the fight to merely be treated as equals in the society in which they lived. World War II changed the lives and attitudes of many Americans as it gave a big push on the door that opened to a world in which racism and sexism no longer existed. As Dellie Hahne realized and many others could relate to, "The war directly influenced the rest of my life" (120)."
Tags: black, blacks, ii, movement, racism, sexism, two, war, world
Abstract An analysis of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple". The author describes the themes of the book and provides a critical analysis of the novel. Includes critical reviews of the novel by various writers.
From the Paper "Alice Walker is a black American novelist, a short story writer, a poet, a critic and author of children's books. She won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award for her controversial novel The Color Purple in 1982. Her concerns and descriptions of the black women's struggle for racial, sexual and political equality are prevalent themes in her works. Many of her novels focus on the effects of poverty and racism. In her characters she supports the bond between women. Some critics criticize her for the unfavorable portrait of black men because in many of her themes, black women are ruled and controlled by black men. Most of her novels are set in the deep south and contain its actual use of black dialect."
