Abstract
This paper discusses two opinions of ways to escape from racial degradation and the pain associated with it as an African-American male. It analyzes the views of Ralph Ellison and James Weldon Johnson in their works "The Invisible Man" and "Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man," respectively. The paper compares their approaches to escape and how they are portrayed in their books.

From the Paper
"Both Ralph Ellison and James Weldon Johnson chose a life of invisibility over the pain and suffering related to living in American society as a black man. Ellison's narrator chooses to ignore his individuality for the time being and instead to reside within the larger stereotype as a way to avoid the unwanted attention of a white audience. Despite his association with several African American groups aiming at social reform, the invisible man realizes that it is much easier to stay invisible then to try and force the white community to recognize you. James Weldon Johnson's narrator chooses a different form of invisibility but with the same motivations. Due to his mixed heritage, he has the choice to be seen as a white man. After seeing how horrible American racism can truly be, he decides to abandon his African heritage and all the degradation which accompanies it to live a middle class white life. He becomes invisible in that he "passes" as Caucasian in white society. This opens up new doors for him and ensures he will not have to deal with the prejudice many of his fellow black Americans must deal with on an everyday basis. Both characters show cowardice in their choice to become invisible to American racism, but can anyone really blame them for their choice?"

Tags:narrator, individuality, heritage, society

Abstract
This paper examines how there are many similarities between the two novels: Philip Roth's "Portnoy's Complaint" and Dorothy Parker's "Mr Durant". It looks at how not only are they are about self-obsessed men who treat women badly and who seem to choose women who are inferior to themselves, but also how they are very preoccupied with how others think of them. It analyzes how both offer an indictment of the American male's values and debates whether they can be considered typical stereotypes of the American male.

From the Paper
"He is not only preoccupied with his image, but also with younger girls. There is of course Rose, who could be his daughter. The shabby girl he sees at the beginning of the story at the bus stop and the two girls he sees when he walks from the bus to his home. With all he notices how they look, how their legs are shaped. And there is Ruby, even though he is initially afraid that she tells the vice-president when it becomes clear that she probably will not tell on him he remarks: "There was a sense of intimacy, of a shared secret binding them cosily together. A fine girl, that Ruby!" . Even if there is still the danger of her telling on him, that he might have misinterpreted her "little upward glance, mischievous, understanding, with just that least hint of admiration in it." , he sees his next prey."

Tags:women, image, degredation

Abstract
This paper takes a look at the experiences of black slaves in the United States. It examines two personal stories - one of a man and one of a woman and compares the experiences from a gender-based perspective. The stories told are those of Frederick Douglass in his work "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" and Harriet Jacobs in her account of slavery entitled "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl".

From the paper:
Slavery in America during the 18th and 19th centuries is universally thought of as a deplorable institution based on degradation, hate, and injustice. The horrors visited upon the slaves by their fellow man (masters) were unquestionably appalling. Keeping this in mind one might wonder, was the experience the same for male slaves as it was for females? Both sexes were subject to the same dreadful conditions and revulsions assigned to slavery but the experience was definitely different for men vs. women. "
"

Tags:experience, degredation, compelling, biography, imprisonment, authority, court, justice, liberty, plantation, master, Douglas, Frederick, Harriet, Jacobs, freedom, beating

Abstract
This essay deals with four areas which are causing Canadian National Parks to disappear--extreme government cut-backs, identity crisis, improper management and ecosystem destruction. It also suggests ways in which the government can change its polices to save these parks.

From the Paper
"Canadians look at the infamous National Park's landscape and see a vast and beautiful range of Canada at its best. Unfortunately, what one sees is often deceiving. The truth is that the state of Canada's National Parks is alarming. Entire species are disappearing, vegetation is being destroyed by development and urbanization, and the pristine lakes and rivers are being contaminated by pollution. The Canadian Government has not been fulfilling its managerial role in protecting the essential resources that are comprised in Canada's National Parks. The problems that have generated in the Park's system have often dismissed due to their seemingly insignificant characteristics. Unfortunately, all of the insignificant problems joined together to create a devastating picture of dysfunctionality of the National Parks. There are four pivotal points that have caused the Park's disastrous spiral aimed at oblivion. Extreme cuts to the Parks Canada's budget has forced them to compromise their principles on how the parks should be run, and resorted to doing what they could. Parks Canada has found itself in an extreme identity crisis, as financial pressures are pitting conflicting philosophies against one another. The Canadian Government is the root which many, if not all of the posing threats the National Parks has emerged from. Their improper management and mentality has potentially shattered any chance of Canada's ecosystem to flourish. Until the Canadian Government stops seeing the nation's national Parks yet another way to generate a clever income for their institution, the parks will continue to lose their ecological integrity until they fade from man's sight completely."

Tags:canada, crisis, cutbacks, degredation, forestry, government, identity, management, national, park