The Fall of Two Great Men Essay Example for Free

The Fall of Two Great Men Essay In many stories, the role of protagonist is to endure hardship and losses but regardless, the resolution in these stories tends to be a happy ending. However, some writers such as William Shakespeare and Arthur Miller prefer more tragic endings for their protagonists. Although the protagonists enjoy a happy life in the beginning of both King Lear and Death of a Salesman, we quickly see their uprising hardship, loss, and their inevitable destruction. Not only the destruction of their surroundings but of their civilization, their family, and most importantly of themselves. In the beginning of the Shakespeares play King Lear, we see Lear as a strong and dominant ruler of the kingdom. His temper shows arrogance and that he is of strict judgment, which is first seen against Cordelia and Kent as they had both unpleased Lear by saying something he did not wish to hear. CORDELIA [ASIDE]: What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent.(Shakespeare, Act I,i, 62-63). This marks the beginning of the downfall of social order. This begins the collapse the great chain of being. Once the king surrenders the kingdom to his corrupted daughters, Goneril and Regan (whom he finds loyal), its only matter of time before social order ceases to exist. This also shows the breakdown of family as Cordelia was to marry the king of France due to her banishment set forth by Lear himself. Goneril and Regan plot the end of Lears kingdom by totally removing his title as king from the kingdom. Although set hundreds of years apart, Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, faces a similar crisis. Although initially seen as a happy family, we soon learn that Willy Loman has had as affair with another woman. We also find out through one of his constant flashbacks that his older son Biff finds out about the affair and begins to distance from his father. Willy always forced his son Biff to become a successful in life but that became impossible as Willy slowly started to go insane. As a result of the affair and Willys  insanity, Biff decides to leave his father and Willy, now heartbroken, desires to commit suicide. And consequently, this results in the breakdown of their once happy family. Near the climax of the story, Willy also realizes that he himself is primarily at fault for Biffs struggles in life. Due to his lack of encouragement to help improve his sons school grades (math specifically), Biff must endure such hardships later on in life. Willy Loman and King Lear are both very different characters in terms of status but are yet very alike as they are both perfect examples of tragedy in each play. Willy Loman, who believed himself to be a big shot, and well liked, got fired from his job where he had worked for many years and lost respect from those around him. Thus, the social order in the story begins to collapse. The loss of his job creates financial problems for Willy, making it impossible for him unable to pay off his debts. His friend Charlie offers him a job but Willy refuses because of his pride. Furthermore, his belongings, be it furniture or electronics begin to break down. According to the common conception at the time that an item becomes useless by the time it is paid off also contributes to Willys stress, leading to his insanity, which tragically led to his death. Lear suffers a similar struggle as he becomes fed up with the drastic overturn in his life, that he has been betrayed and treated like dirt by his own daughters. What strikes him hardest is at the climax of the story, when Lear realizes Cordelias loyalty to him. In the resolution, Lear finds not her beloved daughter but only a lifeless corpse of her. Lear, heartbroken, sheds tears of sorrow and dies from that broken heart. Its very clear that such sufferings and unfortunate experiences create very tragic situations that can lead to the downfall of the protagonist. Both Willy Loman and King Lear made crucial errors because of their overweening pride, which lead them to their inevitable destruction. Their faults led them from one crisis to another, creating such tragic endings for them. In the end, all they were left with was pain and destruction. They caused harm to those around them, their family and most importantly, themselves. Bibliography 1. King Lear Shakespeare, William. _King Lear_ England: Hazell Watson and Viney Ltd., 1964. 2. Death of a Salesman Miller, Arthur. _Death of a Salesman._ Toronto: Penguin Books Ltd., 1977.

The cruise tourism

The cruise tourism INTRODUCTION Although cruise tourism started in the early 1920s, it became more popular in the last half of the 20th century especially for the middle-aged, affluent demographic mainly in North America. It was a way for them to revel in the sun during winter months while avoiding the crowded tourist spots. The industry has since seen tremendous change in fortunes and is now actually the fastest growing sector within the tourism industry with an annual growth rate averaging 8% since 1980 (Robertsen, 2010). The most popular destinations are as follows with the Caribbean taking the lions share at 50%, the Mediterranean 15%, Alaska 8%, the trans-Panama Canal has 6% of the traffic while west Mexico and northern Europe account for 5% and 4%. The South Pacific sees around 2% of the total cruise tourists. Around 80% of all cruise tourists come from North America although that figure is expected to decline as other markets catch up in the coming years. With estimated global revenue of 27 billion US dollar s and carrying approximately 18 million passengers around the globe, the cruise tourism industry is a major income earner for any economy. CRUISE TOURISM IN CHINA Although China currently sees around 10,000 cruise tourists in its ports in a year, the Chinese government is trying to institute measures to see this number go up to 600,000 passengers by the end of 2010 (Zhao, 2010). Some of the major hurdles that are seen as hampering the Chinese market include strenuous customs procedures, cabotage restrictions (a foreign flag ship is not allowed to call on more than a single Chinese port on one itinerary) and restrictions on Chinese cruise companies (Chinese companies cannot currently curry out cruise operations). Several events have helped to market China in the globe as well as increase the tourist numbers. One of them is the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The world financial crisis has also turned the worlds attention to China due to its improved infrastructure. This has benefited both outbound and inbound business numbers. Chinas growing economy and large middle class population is also seen as a target for large cruise ship companies and many of th em are already beginning to make China a key destination. In 2009 the Costa and Royal Caribbean International Cruises made bold moves by making Shanghai their home ports, increasing the travel options for Chinese cruise tourists. In fact the Cruise Industry News online magazine reports that Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan all reported double digit growth in the first months of 2010. CRUISE TOURISM IN EUROPE Cruise tourism in Europe in more developed than it is in China mainly because of its established ports and the distribution of income in European economies. G.P Wild report that about 2.5 million European nationals embarked on cruises from European ports (from a total of 2.8 million passengers) in 2005 while 13.1 million passengers visited European ports. They generated about 8.3 billion Euros in revenue, not counting the tremendous effect that the cruise industry has on other industries like ship building, restaurants, hotels and catering, sales and marketing, among others (2007). The cruising industry in Europe has been growing steadily over the years preceding the financial crisis leading to the dropping global share of the cruising traffic held by North America. This is because of the huge potential for cruise tourism in Europe. 3% of the North American population is cruising while it is 1% in Europe. This means that Europe has a greater potential for growth. Also, the new EU cit izens from Eastern Europe are pushing up the demand as their lifestyles continue to change with their changing economic conditions. While cruising was formally the preserve of the middle aged, new products have been introduced that attract children, young adults and even the elderly (Cartwright Baird, 1999). Ultimately, Europe offers the greatest growth potential in the cruise tourism industry. It offers the unique advantage that a large chunk of its population lives relatively near to the sea and so cruise liners see Europe as offering the biggest potential for growth. PERCEPTIONS OF EUROPEAN PASSENGERS In as much as there are many motives for taking a cruise, many traditional European passengers take cruises for reasons that can be summarized as the uniqueness of cruises. The perception of a cruise is that it gives them the opportunity to sample various locations in just one trip. Additionally, there is the common perception that one gets pampered on a cruise, treatment that they would not get anywhere else. Since the vast majority of Europeans have never taken a cruise, it is seen as something new and exciting. There are other opinions on cruising like; one can easily make friends on a cruise, one can shop for a variety of items, it is an opportunity to learn and it is the in thing in tourism right now (Mancini, 2004). Although the opinion of cruise tourism among Europeans is good, there is a problem with its uptake because of some perceptions. Some people view cruising as an activity for the rich. The growth of the industry in China has also been influenced by Chinese consumer behavior. Mr. Qian Yongchan, chairman of China Communications and Transportation Association, summarized the behavior of the Chinese like this: the young and middle aged seek a higher quality of living while large corporations will choose cruise tourism as a means of encouraging their employees or to develop relationships with their clients (2009). The rest of the Chinese population, it seems, is disinterested in this form of tourism. PERCEPTIONS AND BEHAVIOR OF CHINESE TOURISTS CONSUMER PERSEPTIONS Chinas sustained per capita GDP growth which now stands at 3,268 USD has led to the growth of an economically strong, young, middle class who want to enjoy luxury and opulence. Activities that were previously viewed as European are now being demanded. This has seen the growth of the many enterprises including tourism and cruise tourism in particular. Yongchan reports that the number of Chinese cruise tourists reached 93,000 in 2007 (2009). This goes to show that the perception of the Chinese tourist towards cruise tourism is changing. VALUES The modern Chinese tourist has begun to value diversity in their tourist products. Chinese tourists have ventured out of the traditional markets in Taiwan, Europe and North America to go into Africa, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Cruise tours offer a good opportunity for them to do so. MOTIVATION The serge in Chinese tourist numbers is being motivated by the new found wealth of the common Chinese people, the growth of the middle class and the opening up of the Chinese market and economy. The Chinese governments increased economic and social obligations in the world are also propelling the Chinese to tour more of the globe. CULTURE EFFECTS The world tourism industry has become more acceptable to the Chinese culture. They now offer products that are not seen as excessive according to Chinese culture. Chinese ingenuity is also having a significant effect on the industry. COMPARISON OF CHINESE AND EUROPEAN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR The modern Chinese tourist does not differ much from the European tourist. Information technology makes certain that both consumers have access to the same information. Popular culture propagated by the media also means that the demands, like and dislikes of both sets of consumers is similar. Nevertheless, the Chinese tourist differs from the European in their experience. Europeans have been at this game for a long time while the market in China is just being opened up. Their expectations also differ in the sense that the Chinese tourist is more conservative than their European counterparts. For example, while casinos may be a big attraction to a European tourist, it may not pull in the crowds in China. POTENTIAL CHINESE MARKET FOR CRUISING The per capita GDP of the main Chinese coastal cities have grown to levels the same as those of medium developed economies. These will provide a strong foundation for passenger liner tourism in the future for Chinas outbound cruise tourism. Its strong economic performance will be another asset (Yongchan, 2009). Chinas diverse and scenic landscape will ensure that tourist numbers keep going up in the future and the plans instituted by the Chinese Transport and Communications Association to improve cruise tourism in the country will also see it rise to one of the top destinations offered by cruise liners (Dervaes, 2003). BENEFITS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHINESE MARKET TO THE EUROPEAN MARKET Will the development of the cruise industry in China help Europe sell cruises to Chinese markets? The simple answer is yes. Development of the industry will not only benefit the Chinese market but Europe, North America and the whole cruise industry. Development of Chinese ports and shipbuilding industry will help the global industry by providing alternatives in the sector; the Chinese market will provide a new bracket of tourists while China itself will be a new destination for cruises from around the world. REFERENCES Cartwright, Rodger Carolyn Baird (1999). The Development and Growth of the Cruise Industry. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann Dervaes, Claudine (2003). Selling Cruises. New York, USA: Cengage Learning. Dowling, Kingston (2006). Cruise Ship Tourism. Cambridge, MA: CABI Publishing. Golden, Fran W. Jerry Brown (2002). European Cruises Ports of Call. Hungry Minds. Hannafin, Matt Heidi Sarna (2004). Frommers Cruises Ports of Call 2005: From U.S. and Canada Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii More. John Wiley Sons. Ludmer, Larry H. (2002). Cruising the Mediterranean: A Guide to the Ports of Call. Montreal, Canada: Hunter Publishing. Mancini, Marc (2004). Cruising: A Guide to the Cruise Line Industry. New York, USA: Cengage Learning. Maxtone-Graham, John (2000). Cruise Savvy: An Invaluable Primer for First Time Passengers. New York, USA: Sheridan House, Inc. Maxtone-Graham, John (2001). Liners to the Sun. New York, USA: Sheridan House, Inc. Stern, Steven B. (1997). Sterns Guide to the Cruise Vacation. 7th ed. Pelican Publishing Co. Robertsen, Graeme (2010). Cruise Ship Tourism Industry. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://www.lighthouse-foundation.org/index.php?id=112L=1 China Hospitality News (2009). Marketing MICE Cruises in China. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://www.chinahospitalitynews.com/en/2009/01/05/9635-marketing-mice-cruises-in-china/ Yongchang, Qian.(2009). The New Age of China Cruise Industry is Coming. Retrieved 2020-05-05 from http://www.ccyia.com/index.php/industry/viewen/1280 Zhao, Paul (2010).Chinas Cruise Industry is Growing Fast. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://prlog.org/10560599 G.P> Wild (International) Limited and Business Research and Economic Advisers (2007). Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Economies of Europe Cruise Industry News (2010). Upward Trend for International Tourism. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/3941-42910-upward-trend-for-international-tourism.html

Native Dye Plants of the United States :: Botany

Native Dye Plants of the United States The first to use native dye plants in the United States were the Native Americans. Their culture was totally dependent on what the land produced. This is reflected in the wealth of information Native Americans possessed about useful plants, from medicinal to ceremonial and dye plants. This is reflected in the types of houses they built and the names of places (often after the plants that grew there). Early European colonists foolishly ignored the wisdom of the Native Americans and modern Americans are not much wiser. Americans need to learn about the plants and animals in our own country and how they can be useful to mankind. Instead of bringing non-adapted species of Europe to North America we need to learn what native adapted species can fulfill our needs and wants (Gilmore 1977). For example, we spend thousands of dollars feeding, sheltering, and caring for European cattle when we have native bovines, bison which are naturally adapted to the climate and environment. Melvin Randolp h Gilmore sums this idea up well in the following quote: "The country can not be wholly made over and adjusted to a people of foreign habits and tastes. There are large tracts of land in America whose bounty is wasted because the plants which can be grown on them are not acceptable to our people."(Gilmore 1977). Native Americans learned about the plants in their environment through general trial and error and through communication with other tribes (Gilmore 1977). Some of the dyes used by Native Americans of the Missouri River region are discussed below. Far more plants were used for medicines, shelter, and tools than dyes. Various green dyes came from pond scum probably Protococcus, Ulothrix, Chaetophora, and Spirogyra. Another green dye that was used for bows and arrows came from lamb's quarter, Chenopodium album. Yellow dyes came from a variety of places including smooth sumac, Rhus glabra, roots, the lichens Parmelia borreri and Usnea barbata, and young cottonwood (Populus sargentii) leaf buds collected in early spring; this particular yellow dye was used for coloring arrow feathers and quills. An orange dye also used as a feather dye was boiled out of the vines of dodder (Cuscuta paradoxa). Red dyes came from pokeberry (Phytolacca americana) and were used to paint horses and people. The familiar bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) was also used as a skin dye or to dye articles that were boiled with the roots.

Attack of the Cloning Regulations Essay -- Science Cloning Scientific

Attack of the Cloning Regulations Better and new technologies and ideas are constantly introduced through the passage of time, most of which are just for the convenience of modern life. There is usually not much of an objection when they are introduced into society because the pros of the idea greatly outweigh the cons; however, this is not the case with the discovery that human cloning is now practically possible. When a breakthrough like cloning comes about regulations must be set forth to insure the safety of all those who would use it. On one side there are people who want strong restrictions on cloning. They would prefer to have cloning be as limited as possible or even banned to prevent any unethical or dangerous experimentations. On the opposite side of the discussion are the people who want researchers to have as much control over their cloning projects as possible. They do not want any slowdown in the advancement of science. In all of the articles researched, logos and pathos seemed to be much more prevalent than ethos. Both sides of the argument about restrictions on cloning use a large amount of logos to present the facts showings the practical pros and cons of cloning. Each logos point brought up is usually not a stand alone argument; they are mostly in the form of rebuttals of the points raised by the other side. A large dose of pathos comes up with most of the points seeing as how cloning is not just normal scientific research, it brings up questions of morality and what is ethical in the progress of science. Both sides of the issue tell stories of strong emotional appeal of the people that could be hurt or saved through the use of cloning techniques. These pathos appeals are mainly based on wh... ... rather than have this debate drag on. The problem is just reaching a solution that both sides are satisfied with which is the main dilemma. Until more research and data is collected the debate must continue on as is. No choice should be made until it is almost definitely sure that it is the correct one. Works Cited â€Å"Stop Cloning Now,† The Interim. February 2003. http://www.lifesite.net/interim/2003/feb/04editorials.html Stephens, Patrick. â€Å"Human Cloning is Good for All of Us,† The Objectivist Center. April 3, 2001. http://www.objectivistcenter.org/articles/pstephens_human-cloning-good.asp â€Å"Ten Reasons to Support the Brownback/Landrieu Cloning Ban,† Americans to Ban Cloning. http://cloninginformation.org/info/talking_points.htm Binswanger, Harry. â€Å"Immoral to Ban Human Cloning,† Religion vs. Morality. http://religion.aynrand.org/cloning.html Attack of the Cloning Regulations Essay -- Science Cloning Scientific Attack of the Cloning Regulations Better and new technologies and ideas are constantly introduced through the passage of time, most of which are just for the convenience of modern life. There is usually not much of an objection when they are introduced into society because the pros of the idea greatly outweigh the cons; however, this is not the case with the discovery that human cloning is now practically possible. When a breakthrough like cloning comes about regulations must be set forth to insure the safety of all those who would use it. On one side there are people who want strong restrictions on cloning. They would prefer to have cloning be as limited as possible or even banned to prevent any unethical or dangerous experimentations. On the opposite side of the discussion are the people who want researchers to have as much control over their cloning projects as possible. They do not want any slowdown in the advancement of science. In all of the articles researched, logos and pathos seemed to be much more prevalent than ethos. Both sides of the argument about restrictions on cloning use a large amount of logos to present the facts showings the practical pros and cons of cloning. Each logos point brought up is usually not a stand alone argument; they are mostly in the form of rebuttals of the points raised by the other side. A large dose of pathos comes up with most of the points seeing as how cloning is not just normal scientific research, it brings up questions of morality and what is ethical in the progress of science. Both sides of the issue tell stories of strong emotional appeal of the people that could be hurt or saved through the use of cloning techniques. These pathos appeals are mainly based on wh... ... rather than have this debate drag on. The problem is just reaching a solution that both sides are satisfied with which is the main dilemma. Until more research and data is collected the debate must continue on as is. No choice should be made until it is almost definitely sure that it is the correct one. Works Cited â€Å"Stop Cloning Now,† The Interim. February 2003. http://www.lifesite.net/interim/2003/feb/04editorials.html Stephens, Patrick. â€Å"Human Cloning is Good for All of Us,† The Objectivist Center. April 3, 2001. http://www.objectivistcenter.org/articles/pstephens_human-cloning-good.asp â€Å"Ten Reasons to Support the Brownback/Landrieu Cloning Ban,† Americans to Ban Cloning. http://cloninginformation.org/info/talking_points.htm Binswanger, Harry. â€Å"Immoral to Ban Human Cloning,† Religion vs. Morality. http://religion.aynrand.org/cloning.html

Use of Rhetoric in Jonathan Edwards Sinners in the Hands of an Angry G

On July 8th 1741, Jonathan Edwards preached the sermon â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God† in Enfield, Connecticut. Edwards states to his listeners that God does not lack in power, and that people have yet not fallen to destruction because his mercy. God is so forgiving that he gives his people an opportunity to repent and change their ways before it was too late. Edwards urges that the possibility of damnation is immanent. Also that it urgently requires the considerations of the sinner before time runs out. He does not only preach about the ways that make God so omnipotent, but the ways that he is more superior to us. In his sermon, Edwards uses strong, powerful, and influential words to clearly point out his message that we must amend our ways or else destruction invincible. Edwards appeals to the spectators though the various usages of rhetorical devices. This includes diction, imagery, language/tone and syntax. Through the use of these rhetoric devices, Edwardsâ₠¬Ëœs purpose is to remind the speculators that life is given by God and so they must live according to him. This include...

The Political Effects of the Vietnam War on 1960’s Pop Culture

Tie Die, JFK, The Beatles, Drugs, Peace, Love, Dr. Martin Luther King, Woodstock, Go-Go Boots, Civil Rights, and Vietnam. When we say any of these words we think of the 1960's. The 1960's were a landmark in history remembered for effecting pop culture. What lead to such a dramatic change? In the 1950's the style was scarves, poodle skirts, and letter sweaters. The popular music was about teenage boyfriends and girlfriends. Then there was the 1960's. Could we have foreseen that people would wear mini skirts? Could we have foreseen that women would burn their bras in protest? Could we have foreseen that music would take a huge turn toward lyrics of peace, drugs, and mainly rock and roll? Probably not. What could have happened that would change American pop culture so much? There were many events that took place in the 1960's that had an affect on American citizens. The death of John F. Kennedy surprised and upset many Americans. However, the Vietnam War had the most profound effect on American pop culture. The Vietnam War changed music, fashion, and overall attitudes. Because of the Vietnam War and the undertones of the civil rights movement, 1960's pop culture significantly impacted our nation in a way that will be remembered for many years to come. 2Szymanski The Vietnam War still effects many people. Today, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is commonly associated with veterans of the Vietnam War. (Berk 346) During the 1960's there was an Anti-War movement that evolved from the Freedom of Speech Movement. This movement began on college campuses and spread cross-country. (Radical Times) The Antiwar Movement took place because people didn't understand why American soldiers were in Vietnam. People wanted the soldiers brought home. The Freedom of Speech Movement easily converted to the Antiwar Movement because of the similarity. People felt that this was not right and the issue was of such great importance that it needed to be addressed. I feel that the Antiwar Movement was successful and important because it did bring a lot of change to the nation. This change was both political and pop cultural. The Freedom of Speech Movement had limited success. In fact, the Antiwar Movement as well as the protests had a large effect on the ending of the Viet nam war. (Radical Times) In conjunction with the Antiwar Movement was the Civil Rights Movement. This event is commonly associated with Dr. Martin Luther King. However, the movement initially began with Rosa Parks and her ability to stand up for what she wanted, a seat toward the front of the bus. (Radical Times) At the time of the Black Civil Rights Movement a group called the Black Panthers evolved. This group arose as a militant group of young black men led by H. Rap Brown who risked his life to register blacks to vote in 1966. (USA Today) The difference between these civil rights groups is that Martin Luther advocated power through non-violence, whereas the Black Panthers promoted violence as a means to gain political footholds. (USA Today) For the African 3Szymanski American race there was a lot of momentum gained in the 1960's and there was a lot of ground made politically. The impact of these movements was phenomenal. The Antiwar Movement changed the dress, the music, and the style of nearly all college campuses in the United States. When a person would walk past a college dormitory there would be peace signs hung in windows. (Radical Times) The statement made was seen across America. A wonderful example of the effects of the Antiwar Movement on society is shown in Forrest Gump. There is a scene in which the audience sees an anti protest. The people there epitomize the effect that this had on pop culture. The clothes they wore and the music they listened to exemplifies the profound influence this had on the nation. The Civil Rights Movement is one that also made a lot of headway during the 1960's. The assassination of Martin Luther King had a profound effect on the American Society. This event impacted all races. Martin Luther King stood for the feeling of that time. His emphasis on peace was one that effected the entire nation. (Carroll 173) Martin Luther King Jr. is a symbol of harmony, human understanding, tolerance, unity, justice and brotherhood-for every generation. (Albright) Now that we have explored some of the political events that took place in the 1960's, we will explore some major changes in pop culture and how those relate to the political events in depth.The Antiwar Movement had a significant influence on the pop culture of the 1960's. This effect was shown through both music and fashion. The term â€Å"flower children† emerged from the anti war protesters. (Radical Times) They stood for peace love and harmony. They were the first to make tie die and hip huggers extremely 4Szymanski popular. They also had a large influence on the â€Å"natural look†. Women without bras or makeup and men with long hair and grown out facial hair. Prior to the antiwar movement, appearance was valued when one was neat and cleanly. (Walley) The pop culture of the 1960's was changed through the antiwar movement and one of the facets of pop culture changed was music. The following lyrics are from a popular song about the antiwar movement. â€Å"Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now.† (Forrest Gump) Popular artists such as the Beatles, Cat Stevens, and even the Righteous Brothers wrote music that inspired antiwar protesters and became associated with them. Further in this paper there will be information on Woodstock, a musical and historical event associated with the Anti War movement. The Antiwar Movement was not the only political event to have an effect on pop culture. Although the impact from the Antiwar Movement is seen the most the civil rights movement did have an important role in the evolution of the 1960's pop culture. The Black Civil Rights Movement did have an effect on American Society. The effect of this was not seen as much on pop culture, but it was there. The true effect is shown in the dramatic increase of popularity in rhythm and blues. Prior to rhythm and blues, jazz music was associated as â€Å"black music.† It wasn't played very much on the radio. However, in the 1960's more black artists emerged. The Black Civil Rights Movement heavily effected music. Toward the end of the 1960's African American 5Szymanski styles emerged as popular. â€Å"Afros† were a common and popular hairstyle. (NetFirst) The music styles of Jimmy Hendrix as well as many other African American artists became known as legendary. (SixtiesMusic.com) Albeit, the civil rights movement and the political ground it gained, put African American styles of fashion and of music in the American pop culture arena. As touched on before, the effect of politics (namely the Vietnam War ) had a significant influence on the fashion of that time. A feeling of the need for freedom†¦of expression and speech swept over the nation. Because of this feeling, people expressed themselves not only through words of protest and actions of protest, but through their clothing. This was the countries way of expressing themselves without saying a word, but through what they wore. As shown in an analytic pop culture web site, â€Å"Fashion is never just about clothes, but attitude and expression as well. Up until about 1967, fashion had reflected a period of discover for youth; fun-loving, outrageous and colorful.†(Sixtiespopdiary. -fashion) So, what were these fashions that were about â€Å"attitude and expression?† Miniskirts (and even later micro skirts), caused moral outrage and were one of the first dramatic styles to come out in the 1960's. Later, a sloppy look became popular with T-shirts and sandals. Skintight pants also became popular, even so as a unisex article. (Sixtiespopdiary-fashion) The world was changing as fast as the fashions. In a personal opinion, looking back on this time of a political whirlwind, fashion was just as confusing as the world was. In this subject having to with politics and society, Woodstock is able to show the political influence on pop culture in one single event. In a mere 3 days, 6Szymanski thousands of people and influential artists were able to almost spontaneously put on one of the most historically significant pop culture events ever. The hippie look was dominant. Rock and roll and music of expression were the dominant sounds. A feeling of freedom was dominant. In one event, the world expressed the feeling of an era. (Interview) Today, the world of pop culture hails this event by trying to repeat it. Much to the dismay of many, the event cannot be repeated. The later generation looks at the event and realizes that this event was one of expression without even knowing the political events of that time. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair in August of 1969 remain a legend even today. The spontaneous event captured a generation's good feelings. Ironically, there were nearly as many Americans at Woodstock as there were in Vietnam. (Interview) Woodstock took place for 3 short days and there was a lot of rain. People didn't care about the rain, food, or bathrooms. â€Å"No one wanted to let the essence or the aura go. Halfway through an era of bad news, in the middle of a horrible war, barely a year after the wrenching, terrifying assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy, an entire, desperately wished -for era of good feeling was compressed into a single place and time. That compression produced a corresponding intensity of wonder and delight.† (Interview) The reason for Woodstock is well understood. However, it amazes me that such a spontaneous event could have such an unbelievable turnout. 7Szymanski Jimi Hendrix was one of the most influential musicians associated with Woodstock. It was there that he played his rendition of the â€Å"Star Spangled Banner.† Jimi's rendition was considered a brutal insult in its time. It was said that it sounded like a â€Å"blasted seizure of the national anthem.† (Interview) However, today Hendrix's national anthem is popular. When Hendrix performed this there were approximately 30,000 people left at Woodstock. His performance was spontaneous. It was described as â€Å"†¦his great No to the war, to racism, to whatever you or he might think of and want gone. But then that discord shattered, and for more than four and half long, complex minutes Hendrix pursued each invisible crack in a vessel that had one been whole, feeling out and exploring and testing himself and the music against anguish, rage, fear, hate, love offered, and love refused. When he finished he had created an anthem that could never be summed up and that would never come to rest.† (Interview) In summary, because of the Vietnam War and the undertones of the civil rights movement, 1960's pop culture significantly impacted our nation in a way that will be remembered for many years to come. Throughout the nineties, the hippie look became a popular style as a way of expressing ourselves. Popular artists have redone music from the sixties. For example, Natalie Merchant has recently redone the popular sixties hit â€Å"Peace Train.† The movie Forrest Gump, which is a summary of both the political and pop culture America in the sixties, won best picture in 1994. Even today, the sixties are a political and pop cultural landmark for the nation. Does this say that the sixties were a period of more turmoil and more change than other decades? Does this say that the fashion change more dramatically and rapidly than 8Szymanski other decades? Personally, I feel this decade did. From an outlook of a person who did not live during that time or during the time of many other decades, that decade stands out far above many others. Many political and pop culture figures are remembered and recognized by all ages today. In this era, the politics and pop culture overlap. To think that politics affected Americans so much that politics changed people's perspectives is remarkable, even profound. The death of Kennedy and Martin Luther King had a devastating influence over an entire nation. Yet, everyone soon focused on that feeling of freedom and love. This roller coaster of emotions had a roller coaster of an affect. Has any other decade changed a nation so much and so fast?

Race / Ethnicity: Compare and Contrast Essay

Although the topic of the certain short stories and poems have different themes and comprehension of what corresponding works that might have similar or different topics, will tell a person what racial background and ethnicities are represented in the short story â€Å"Country Lovers† and the poem â€Å"What It’s like to be a Black Girl†. Finding out whether the characters are the same, if the setting is different between the two, if the theme told outright or did one have to â€Å"think outside of the box† to determine its meaning will lead to what content the two have. If one literary work is a ballad or a play, if one is longer or shorter than the other one, if the tone is the same between the two works, if the language differs between the two works or if it is the same, and whether one works using metaphors, while the other uses similes, will give a person clues as to what the short story and the poem have as far as form, and style. The content of the short story of â€Å"Country Lovers† and the poem â€Å"What It’s like to be a Black Girl† have women who deal with unfairness for the reason of their race and has the main character or protagonist being a black female. Racism can be something that some people experience almost daily just like in the short story â€Å"Country Lovers â€Å". The short story called â€Å"Country Lovers† was written by Nadine Gordimer in 1975† (Clugston, 2010). This short story is about a forbidden love between a young black girl named Thebedi and a young white boy named Paulus Eysendyck which took place on a South African farm. The main characters Paulus and Thebedi were raised together. The setting of the story takes place in mainly three areas, which would be the farm house where the boy lives, the river where they meet to hide their relationship, and the village where the girl lives. The settings in the story help my understanding of the theme because it gives me a distinct awareness as to how the social classes play a part in the prohibition of love. The boy lives in a beautiful home that is described to be of a high social class. In the text the home is described as, â€Å"The kitchen was it lively thoroughfare, with servants, food supplies, begging cats and dogs, pots boiling over, washing being damped for ironing, and the big deep-freezer the missus had ordered from town, bearing a crocheted mate and a vase of plastic iris (Clugston, 2010)†. This quote from the text helps me imagine a well-to-do home for the boy. Paulus Eysendyck was the child of the farm owner and Thebedi’s dad worked for Mr. Eysendyck on his farm. Paulus (a white boy) and Thebedi (a black girl) played together and spent much of their youthful days with each other. As time passed they began to grow up and the closeness between the two also grew apart. They both knew that they could not be together openly. All the way through this short story there are many extraordinary consequences. The first takes place when the narrator talks about Paulus going away to school â€Å"This usefully happens at the same time when the author states about the age of twelve or thirteen; so that by the time early adolescence is reached, the black children are making along with the bodily changes common to all, an easy transition to adult forms of address, beginning to call their old playmates missus and baasie little master† (Clugston, 2010). However, the attachment formed between them as children is still there. Both Paulus’ and Thebedi’s parents never forbid them from seeing one another but there was always this unspoken knowledge that they knew it was wrong because they always seemed to be hiding the fact that they did spend a lot of time with one another. An example of this would be when Paulus came home from school and brought Thebedi a gift. â€Å"She told her father the missus had given them to her as a reward for some works she had done-it was true she sometimes was called to help out in the farmhouse. She told the girls in the kraal that she had a sweetheart nobody knew about, tat away, away on another farm, and they giggled, and teased, and admired her. There was a boy in the kraal called Njabulo who said he wished he could have brought her a belt and earrings. † (Clugston, 2010). There’s loss of innocence and forbidden love as described here when Paulus watches Thebedi wade in the water, â€Å"The schoolgirls he went swimming with at dams or pools on neighboring farms wore bikinis but the sight of their dazzling bellies and thighs in the sunlight had never made him feel what he felt now when the girl came up the bank and sat beside him, the drops of water beading off her dark legs the only points of light in the earth–smelling deep shade. † (Clugston, 2010). They were not afraid of one another, they had known one another always; he did with her what he had done that time in the storeroom at the wedding, and this time it was so lovely, so lovely, he was surprised . . . and she was surprised by it, too—he could see in her dark face that was part of the shade, with her big dark eyes, shiny as soft water, watching him attentively: as she had when they used to huddle over their teams of mud oxen, as she had when he told her about detention weekends at school. † (Clugston, 2010). The racialism sets in hard towards the end of this short story when Paulus Eysendyck arrived home from the veterinary college for the holidays. This is where he finds out that the young black girl Thebedi had given birth to a baby. When he finds out about the baby he goes to Thebedi’s hut to see for himself. When he reaches the hut and see’s the baby first hand â€Å"He struggled for a moment with a grimace of tears, anger, and self–pity. She could not put out her hand to him. He said, â€Å"You haven’t been near the house with it? â€Å"’ (Clugston, 2010). By his response when finding out that the two of them had created a life during their prohibited connection shows how he knew that such thing was not accepted in his society. As the story goes on Paulus returned to the hut where Thebedi and the infant child lived; and it states â€Å"She thought she heard small grunts from the hut, the kind of infant grunt that indicates a full stomach, a deep sleep. After a time, long or short she did not know, he came out and walked away with plodding stride (his father’s gait) out of sight, towards his father’s house† (Clugston, 2010). As you read on you get the realization that Paulus killed the infant child that day when he returned to Thebedi’s hut. â€Å"The baby was not fed during the night and although she kept telling Njabulo it was sleeping, he saw for himself in the morning that it was dead. He comforted her with words and caresses. She did not cry but simply sat, staring at the door† (Clugston, 2010). Reading this part of the story tells me that Paulus was very afraid that the community would find out about the relationship between the two and he tries to cover it up as if nothing ever happened between the two of them of which shows you how difficult life must have been back then with the racial discriminations. At the very end of this story the police had dug up the baby and brought charges against Paulus for murder. Thebedi up on the stand said â€Å"She cried hysterically in the witness box, saying yes, yes (the gilt hoop earrings swung in her ears), she saw the accused pouring liquid into the baby’s mouth. She said he had threatened to shoot her if she told anyone† (Clugston, 2010). Over a year had gone by when Thebedi returned to the court house; but this time she told the court that â€Å"she said she had not seen what the white man did in the house† (Clugston, 2010). Nadine Gordimer penetrates the normal life that guards a person from our own evaluation. As an aspect this insight, the writer also pierces the dissimulations of clandestine operatives, those ordinary-looking folk in one’s circle whose real lives are based on active opposition to the police state. What are exposed are not their secrets, but their humanity. Because of her testimony â€Å"The verdict on the accused was â€Å"not guilty†(Clugston, 2010). The poem â€Å"What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl (For Those of You Who Aren’t)† (Clugston, 2010), which was written by Patricia Smith in 1991. An explanation in its purest form of â€Å"What it’s like to be a Black Girl (for those of you who aren’t)† by Patricia Smith, is just that, an explanation. From the first three syllables â€Å"First of all,† the author gives a sense of a story being told. She uses jagged sentence structure and strong forceful language to also show the reader the seriousness of her topic. Smith’s poem gives the audience an insider’s view into a young black girl’s transition into black woman-hood at a time where both being a black girl and a black woman was not as welcomed. Puberty is usually defined by the biological changes a young girl’s body undertakes around the age of 9 up until about 14. â€Å"It’s being 9 years old and feeling like you’re not finished,† writes Smith, â€Å"like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong. † (Smith, 4) These thoughts run through the minds of puberty stricken young girl. The poem, â€Å"What’s it like to be a Black Girl†, is a look into the mind of a black girl in a society that is fueled with racism and discrimination, both of race and gender. This person is transitioning from a young black girl into young black women and trying to accept the changes that are taking place within her body. She has been taught to be ashamed of who she is, what she looks like, and where she comes from. She wants her features to look like those who are accepted in society. Nadine Gordimer was born in 1923, â€Å"She has lived in South Africa since birth and, except for a year spent in university, has devoted all her adult life to writing—completing 13 novels and 10 short story collections, works that have been published in 40 languages. Her strong opposition to apartheid, the socioeconomic system that oppressed the majority black population in South Africa (1949—1994), is a dominant theme in her writing, with her later works reflecting challenges accompanying the changing attitudes in the country toward racial relationships. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991† (Clugston, 2010). Patricia Smith who was born in 1955, was an African American poet and performance artist, has won the National Poetry Slam four times. The hardships that these women suffer during their life can be suffered by anyone but growing up in a discriminatory atmosphere creates a more dramatic story or outcome. The great thing about reading is that it brings you to another place, time and feeling. At times a story can make you smile with the character, and other times make you cry with him. Even with some stories and poems the literature may even allow the reader to identify with the characters. In conclusion, reality can often be a lot like a piece of literature, in that a person may be going through the exact same thing, or something similar, and be feeling the same way. It is effortless to view the tough and unspoken racism demonstrated in Nadine Gordimer’s â€Å"Country Lovers† as well as how the girl feels in Patricia Smith’s What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl (For Those of You Who Aren’t). In both readings you get a sense of the hardship’s that both the characters had faced because of racism; the things that people may do or allow happening because it is so hard. References Clugston, R. W. (2010). Country Lovers, Nadine Gordimer. In Journey into literature (chapter 3) Retrieved from https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2/sections/h3. 2. Clugston, R. W. (2010). Poems for Reflection. In Journey into literature (chapter 12 section 2). Retrieved from https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 2/sections/sec12. 2.