Abstract This paper describes the life, career and accomplishments of Paulina Kellogg Wright Davis, a women's rights advocate, social reformer, educator and author. The paper describes her support and active involvement in temperance, abolition, women's rights and other reform movements and the reforms she was able to help advance as a result her involvement in these movements.
From the Paper "Paulina Kellog was born August 7, 1816 in Bloomfield, New York, on the very day that Captain Hall "delivered up the fort at Detroit" (Paulina1 pp). Her father was a volunteer in the army and her grandfather, Saxton, was a colonel in the Revolution and belonged to Lafayette's staff (Paulina1 pp). Paulina was orphaned at the age of seven and adopted and raised by her strict and religious aunt and moved to LeRoy, New York (Paulina pp)."
Abstract This paper compares the themes of realism and art in Rebecca Harding Davis's "Life in the Iron Mills" by arguing that Deb and Hugh are symbolic characters. The author believes that Davis's work breaks down the traditional boundaries between art and realism by suggesting that realism has supplanted the more traditional understanding of art as a way of seeing the world.
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses and analyzes the two works "Life in the Iron Mills" by Rebecca Harding Davis, and "St. Elmo" by Augusta Evans Wilson. The paper also looks at the differences between male and female artists in nineteenth century America. According to the paper, these two works are written from very different perspectives and viewpoints, and yet, they share many commonalities.
From the Paper "Artists seem to suffer the world over. The term "starving artist" had to originate somewhere, and perhaps it originated in the nineteenth century steel mills such as the one Hugh works in. Hugh is an artist, but he does not have the time or money to truly hone his craft. Davis writes, "Out of the blocks of this korl, Wolfe, in his off-hours from the furnace, had a habit of chipping and moulding figures,--hideous, fantastic enough, but sometimes strangely beautiful" (Davis). The problem Hugh faces, besides money, is being taken seriously as an artist and a man. His co-workers do not understand his artistic side, and jeer at him and his creations. Thus, not only does he face crushing poverty and little time to devote to his artistic talents, he also faces derision from his co-workers, who do not take his art seriously. More than that, he faces disinterest from the people who could help him. They are too selfish and self-centered to aid someone who needs help. They "wash their hands" of those they feel they cannot help, and with no remorse."
Abstract This paper discusses the plot of the novel which revolves around the second Mrs. de Winter who becomes obsessed with tales of Rebecca, the first Mrs. de Winter, who was mysteriously murdered. The writer contends and explains why Mrs. de Winter's longing to be like Rebecca leads to a journey of self-discovery which also helps her unearth the mysterious past of her husband Maxim and his first wife. The paper discusses the author's use of symbolism to foreshadow Mrs. de Winter's connection with Rebecca. This paper delves into the second wife's feelings of inadequacy when trying to measure up to the image of her husband's first wife. The writer of this paper details the immense power Rebecca has over Mrs. de Winter while also delving into the dysfunctional relationship between Mrs. de Winter and her husband.
From the Paper "Rebecca is thus an elusive entity for the girl who longs to become more like her and thus develops her own images and version of her. She follows these images, copying them in her desire to be deserving of the title of Mrs. De winter. Her marriage with Maxim was not exactly successful because the girl was pre-occupied with her middle-class upbringing and wanted to somehow trade that for a more adult, grown-up attitude. She found herself inexperienced in sexual matters which left her often feeling empty and unfulfilled after her sexual encounters with Maxim. Mrs. De Winter blamed this on her middle-class ness, something that she had come to resent deeply. She felt that only a woman like Rebecca could have a fulfilling marriage and a satisfying sexual life with her husband since she was experienced in the art of winning and pleasing people."
Abstract This paper will discuss the nature of identity and of the absent main character Rebecca, in the novel by Daphne du Maurier's book entitled "Rebecca". In understanding why this main character remains elusive throughout the whole book, we can begin to understand the symbolic value of character that Maurier places on Rebecca in her struggles. By understanding the role of a young woman in England in the 19th century, we can see why she remained in this position throughout the book.
Abstract The writer of this paper focuses on the character of Joan Fontaine and her struggle to cope with being the wife of a widower. One of the major themes of the film is based around her struggle to be the second wife and to fight the fact that she is second best. The paper examines this struggle of control between Fontaine and Rebecca, the first wife; and how, even though Rebecca is dead, Fontaine still feels extremely threatened by her.
From the Paper "Hitchcock's Rebecca is the story of Joan Fontaine, a shy and naive woman who marries Maxim de Winter, a wealthy widow. They return to his home, Manderlay, after their marriage where Fontaine is haunted by the first wife, not ghostly haunted, but haunted by the reminders of Rebecca that are all through the house. Fontaine struggles to take the place of Rebecca yet always feels inferior to her. The housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, actively tries to break up the marriage by reminding Fontaine of the perfect Rebecca. Fontaine becomes suspicious and slowly seeks out the facts surrounding the mystery of Rebecca's death. In revealing the truth about Rebecca, Fontaine is finally able to be free of the expectations placed upon her, and becomes an individual as opposed to an inferior replacement wife. The film is the combination of a love story, a mystery and a personal journey of discovery for Fontaine."
Abstract The paper explores one of the key concerns of Daphne Du Maurier's novel, "Rebecca": the development of a gendered, specifically feminine, subjectivity. The paper clarifies what is implied by the term 'subjectivity'. The paper examines through a psychoanalytical lens exactly what constitutes femininity and the nature of its relationship to subjectivity. The paper then analyzes how this relationship is questioned by the role of the narrator in "Rebecca." The paper shows how the narrator emphasises the socially constructed nature of femininity, partly through the masquerade of her narrative identity.
From the Paper "Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier's fifth and most famous novel , begins with what is perhaps one of the most oft-cited sentences in literature: 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again'. (p. 1) This first sentence immediately introduces the reader to both the nature of the novel and what is ultimately one of the key concerns of the novel: the development of a gendered, specifically feminine, subjectivity. From the very first sentence of Rebecca which is, in Du Maurier's words, a 'psychological' novel, one is invited into the narrator's 'world of dreams and daydreams' and, through Du Maurier's use of a first person narrator, is encouraged to voyeuristically play witness to the narrator's thought processes and developing awareness of what it is to be feminine. It is also through this mode of narration that one is able to perceive the development of a 'normative' femininity and, crucially, witness the relationship taking place between this femininity and the narrator's subjectivity."
Abstract The paper describes Jefferson Davis' background and his positions as U.S. senator, Congressman and President of the Confederacy. The paper looks at a work he authored and goes on to depict how Davis was captured and imprisoned after the surrender of General Lee. The paper discusses his last years and his funeral and provides a quote from a tribute by a Reverend Gallaher.
Outline:
Introduction
Davis: Senator, Congressman and Confederate President
Davis: The Author
Davis: The Surrender
Davis: The Last Years
From the Paper "Jefferson Davis was born on June 3, 1808 in Kentucky in Todd County, formerly Christian County, Kentucky. Davis was educated at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky and attended the U.S. Military Academy graduating in 1828. David fought in the Mexican War at Monterrey and Buena Visa and was wounded. David retired from the army in 1835 due to health problems. In the same year Jefferson Davis married Miss Sallie Taylor whose father was Zachary Taylor however, Sally died only three months following their wedding. (Alward, nd) After Sallie died, David purchased a cotton plantation complete with slaves working the field and was a successful plantation cotton farmer. In 1845, David married again, this time to Miss Varina Howell. (Alward, nd) Davis was both a devoted father and husband."
Abstract This paper examines Rebecca Walker's book, "Black, White, and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self", and its message of a fragmented sense of self. The paper looks at how Walker blames her inability to form a stable and permanent sense of self on her parents' liberal parenting style and multi-racial heritage and then discusses Walker's self-analysis regarding her feelings of alienation. The paper concludes with comments on both the strengths and the weaknesses of the book.
From the Paper "Rebecca Walker's memoir Black, White, and Jewish, is subtitled ?Autobiography of a Shifting Self.? Walker argues that because of the multi-racial and multi-ethnic identity, conferred by her parents and societal perceptions of race, she can never have a stable sense of identity or self. To demonstrate this, Walker uses not only the emotional devices of memoir, but also logical, sociological arguments in regards to her racial identity and ethical arguments about her parent's liberal parenting styles to establish her credibility as an author. Walker argues that her multiracial heritage, constant shifting of homes, and the liberal parenting style she received caused her current shifting and fragmented sense of self."
Abstract The paper discusses the novel "Rebecca" by Daphne Du Maurier and focuses on how the role of women in a patriarchal society is given particular attention in the context of the novel. The paper refers to the novel "Jane Eyre" by Emile Bronte that also reflects some of the same themes about women in an earlier era. The paper examines the gothic elements present in this work and shows how Du Maurier paints a picture of society as it was.
From the Paper "The central character is a woman who becomes involved in a romantic relationship. She is a woman ultimately bound to the past, a past which interferes with the present and which makes a meaningful relationship nearly impossible until the holdovers from that past are resolved. In Rebecca, the past is represented in a dead woman who effectively--though not literally--"haunts" the house where the husband brings his new wife. Maxim de Winter was once married to Rebecca, and her presence is still felt throughout the house where they lived together, a presence reinforced by her clothes, her room, and her portrait. The new wife--a woman set apart from everyone else by the fact that neither the novel nor the film gives her a name, though the whole story is seen through her eyes--feels this presence most acutely. She also believes that Max loved Rebecca so much that he cannot escape from her memory, making the role of new wife especially difficult. This turns out not to be the case, but the new wife believes it and reacts accordingly."
Abstract Jazz is the dynamic tension between the expected and the improvised. Miles Davis was brought up torn between his well-to-do white-emulating upbringing and his black heritage. Davis not only bridged this gap but helped create entire new musical vocabularies throughout his long and varied career as a jazz trumpeter. This report shows his evolution and his continuing influence on other musicians, as described in his biography, "Miles Davis: A Biography," written by Ian Carr.
Paper Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Childhood
Further Development
Evolution, Addiction, & Resurrection
His Influence on Music Today
Concluding Remarks
References
From the Paper "He worked with and was a catalyst for Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and countless others(p234). Many times in his career it had been declared that he already "peaked" and was a remnant of the 50's, of bebop, of cool jazz, of fusion jazz. But he never let himself grow complacent and become an icon of the past. By not producing unless he had something new to say, he was able to continually stay relevant, and re-invent himself every few years (p183). "
Abstract This seven-page undergraduate paper examines the influence of Miles Davis on Jazz in the United States. The author discusses how Jazz emerged as a combination of Blues, marching band, and Ragtime music, and focuses upon the influence of Jazz greats such as Miles Davis.
Abstract A review of "The Angela Y. David Reader", edited by Joy James. It explains how these writings cover Davis's academic and political life from the 1960s to the present and serve to show young black women one path to achieving more for their people and for themselves.
From the Paper "The introduction by Joy James tells much of Davis's story and relates it to the political currents of the 1960s and after, including the many efforts by different governmental leaders to put down various movements seeking greater freedom of speech and other rights as promised in the Constitution yet denied to many, including blacks. The efforts by the government included a number of questionable and outright illegal actions to gather and keep intelligence on American citizens who dissented from the accepted political order of the time. Davis clearly fell into this group and was investigated for practicing her rights of political association and speech."
Abstract Angela Y. Davis was one of the founding mothers of the radical black feminist and civil rights movement. Her participation in these movements was not simply vocal and intellectual, but profoundly political as well. In particular, it examines how a different, more artistic side of her political interests comes to light regarding Davis? works in "Blues, Legacy and Black Feminism", in which she shows an interest in black feminist works beyond that of the purely verbal and prosaic.
From the Paper "Perhaps inevitably, the second half of the work and its project falls a bit short. The main problem with the methodology of emphasizing lyrics is that it tends to bring "the word" or a literary rather than a musical perspective to the forefront in understanding these performance artists. This bias may be inevitable, given Professor Davis? own background. But these women were not of the academy"their music was performed as a living text. However, although the inclusions of the lyrics and the lyrical analysis is not as strong as the first more historically oriented part of the book that seems to be more in line with Davis" abilities as an historian, the analysis of the lyrics does reveal that these artists did discuss issues of domestic violence and transgressing lesbian love in a way that is seldom given credit."
Abstract This paper explains that Mike Davis' "Ecology of Fear" is a criticisms of the planning and development in Los Angeles Country, which has resulted in serious environmental and social costs. The author applies Davis' lessons from this book to Toronto. The paper demonstrates that Toronto's shortcoming in planning threaten the environment and have serious repercussions for poverty, related crime and widening class gaps in the future.
From the Paper "Mike Davis' "Ecology of Fear is a readable and interesting account of a laissez faire approach that has been taken, through the history of Los Angeles, and towards serious environmental hazards and disasters in the present. The last third, or so, of this volume is most interesting, as Davis turns to a discussion of Los Angeles' great gaps between the rich and poor, and an overall concern for security, that have been one important result. New planning may yet bring the destruction of the city, in Davis' view. "
