Thursday, January 30, 2020
Story of an Hour Essay Example for Free
Story of an Hour Essay In A Story of an Hour, Mr. Bentley Mallard was a controling figure that completely dominated his marriage with his wife Mrs. Louise Mallard. Through out the story Mrs. Mallard longed for some sort of freedom. She could never have that freedom because from a young early age she was empowered by her parents and when she became of age she married and her husband became in charge. You see freedom is something that we all crave, whether it be something insignificant or something earth shattering we all have the will and desire to do whatever we please no matter how silly it is we long to do things with out judgment or with out someone telling you what to do and how to do it. From the time that I was born, to the time that I reached about 14 years old there was an invisible barrier that developed called ââ¬Å"The Sacred Placesâ⬠in life. This ââ¬Å"Sacred Placeâ⬠separated me from the outside world. As a kid I was always told to stay inside unless I went outside with a parent or some sort of guardian watching over me. Theà reason behind this was not to keep us from all of the fun things that are outside of the four walls of my house, but it was to keep me safe and secure from harm. However if I did happen to go outside with out any sort of supervision I were punished with a spank or a stern voice informing me to never do that again or else I would be in bigger trouble. In A Story of an Hour, Louise Mallard was trapped in her home and was not aloud to go outside under any circumstance. Mr. Mallard didnââ¬â¢t let her go out because in those days women were treated as property and not as actual people with rights. When I was a little bit younger I thought that I knew everything and that I was my own person that had nobody to tell me what to do, and although I thought I knew it all until I reached the age of 18 I had to realized that I was my parents property and I had to submit to there authority. No matter what I did or what I said to them to try to convince them to let me do something that I wanted to do they would always stay true to there decisionà even it made me upset and frustrated with my parents. In the Story of an Hour, Mr. Mallard (the husband) was the head of the house; this meant that the house and everything in it was his including that people that lived in it. Being that Mrs. Mallard was his wife, he too owned her. Unlike me, Mrs. Mallard was contempt; she knew her role and her place in society and with out a word she obeyed she was used to this because this is how she was raised her whole life, she never questioned any authority. During this era married women and children were not aloud outside unless there were special circumstances such as a wedding or funeral, etc. This somewhat resembled my familyà because as I said before if I was being supervised by someone that was older than me and responsible (special circumstance) I was aloud outside to play in the yard. However I was aloud to go out when there wasnââ¬â¢t a funeral or wedding. When it comes down to it I believe that every single person wants freedom, I remember as a young kid looking out of windows everywhere I went. I would always look out and imagine what certain things looked like. For instance when I would drive on the freeway going towards Phoenix I would always pass the downtown area of Tucson and I would see big buildings towering over the city and I always wondered who lived there, what type of foods were over there, and many more different things like that. I think what fascinates all of us is being able to understand and know the unknown. Whatââ¬â¢s behind the curtain? Whatââ¬â¢s behind the wall? Whatââ¬â¢s behind door number three? Those are questions we all ask. Throughout A Story of an Hour I honestly wasnââ¬â¢t captured by the story until Mrs. Mallard was lying on her deathbed. They story says that ââ¬Å"she looked out the windowâ⬠. To me when the author says this I believe that she is yearning for the outside world and thinking about all of the things she could have done. 1 can only imagine what is going through her mind at this point because when I was 13 I would long to do something I wasnââ¬â¢t aloud to do and was always so consumed by the fact that I would have to stay behind and do whatever my parents did, but Mrs. Mallard on the otherà hand is on her Deathbed and has no control ofà what she can do anymore. Mrs. Mallard hasnââ¬â¢t done any of the things that she truly wanted to do in life and is forced to watch the world go by while she is helplessly on her deathbed. Has there ever been a time in your life where you wanted something so bad for so long but never actually got it, but on the day you finally got it suddenly lost interest in the object. Well thatââ¬â¢s how I was. From the age of 14 I wanted to drive and do my own thing. I literally counted down the days that I would be able to drive. The day finally came when I could drive and I was so excited and for the next few months I was on cloud nine. However as time went on I found my self strongly disliking the chore of driving, and I would be always asked to drive at night when I was tired so my dad could sleep, or my parents would ask me to go to the store for them at 11pm. The things that I didnââ¬â¢t think about, came back to haunt me. Another example would be when I would ask for the new game system that had just came out and after a few months it would be stuck behind the closet collecting dust because I was bored of it. Mrs. Mallard never had that freedom; she never had a choice or anything like that so it was something that she couldnââ¬â¢t have that made her want to be her own person. At the end of the story she was told that her husband had died, she became so excited that her heart began to beat at an extremely fast rate. Freedom and independence were something that she longed for, for such a long time and she finally had it. When Mr. Mallard walked into the room her heart and mind filled with so many emotions, she didnââ¬â¢t know what to do and how to do it so she was completely shocked. According to the doctors she died of joy. She thought that she had finally been freed from the life she was living but when she saw her husband things change. I believe that we all long to be our own person with no direction, but I believe that over time weà grow accustomed to the things we are comfortable with even if we donââ¬â¢t like what we are doing.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
They Just Dont Understand Essay -- Personal Narrative Family Culture
They Just Don't Understand As the weekend drew in I knew that itââ¬â¢s going to be another battle between my mom and me. About whether or not it is acceptable for me to stay out till the club closes, or if I should just stay home and live like a hermit and study. I respect my mom very much, and in no way do I want to give her a hard time, but come on If your 18,19 years old donââ¬â¢t you feel that you deserve at least a little bit of freedom. People always tell me that ââ¬Å"she is worried about you because you are her only sonâ⬠and things like that, which I already understand. I know that every ones parents feel like that about them. I think that what adds to the fire is the fact that she was raised totally different than me, in a totally different country with totally different customs. This I feel has a great effect on the way she treats me here in America people go out to clubs, people party and have fun on the weekends, where my mom grew up it was totally different. My mom was raised on a small farm in Rorzniaty Poland; it is a really tiny town, not even two miles in total going north, south, east, and west. Her parents were pretty religious folks and she was a total study addict. All she would do is help out in the field come back home bathe, eat and study. There were really no clubs or anything she can go to, and only from time to time did the school have a dance. Basically her child hood consisted of studying. After high school she went on to the University of Krakow where she studied education. Only then did she start to live a li... ...e that we are not in Poland any more and that most of my years were spent here so I adapted to the way things are. She should really try to adopt to the way things are here, and I do talk to her and it is getting better but still there are those times where it all just goes back to square one and it seems like all the talks were just a waste of time. Many different cultures and many different generations will be put through the same cycle, some will adapt and others will not, some will try others will not, but either way we all should just try to bare with them because the chances are that the ones who will be against you doing what you do will be your parents, and whether it is going to be because of there age difference or there cultural difference, is up to them, but I guess in a way it is up to us to understand them if its so hard for them to understand us.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Native American myth
The aspect of legends is a key part of the Native American or the Indian American history. These stories were told and handed down from generation to generation to better explain certain phenomena that Indian Americans at the time considered to be strange. In most instances, these tales were told in relation to the things that happened around the various Indian American tribes. Among these legends were the plant, animal and creation myth. This essay therefore seeks to examine the relationship between Indian American myths and nature.Long ago, before there were ant people, the world was young and water covered everything. The earth was a great island floating above the seas, suspended by four rawhide ropes representing the four sacred directions. It hung down from the crystal sky. There were no people, but the animals lined in a home above the rainbow. Needing space, they sent Water Beetle to search for room under the seas. Water Beetle dove down deep and brought up mud that spread qu ickly, turning into land that was flat and too soft and wet for the animals to live on. (Andrews, 1988:196+)à à Grandfather Buzzard was sent to see if the land hardened. When he flew over the earth, he found the mud had become solid; he flapped in for a closer look. The wind from his wings created valleys and mountains, and flat is why the Cherokee territory has so many mountains today. (Andrews 1988:196+)As the earth stiffened, the animals came down from the rainbow. It was still dark. They needed light, so they pulled the sun out from behind the rainbow, but it was too bright and hot. A solution was urgently needed. The Shamans were told to place the sun higher in the sky. A path was made for it to travel from east to west so that all inhabitants could share in the light. The plants were placed upon the earth. The Creator told the plants and animals to stay awake for seven days and seven nights. (Andrews 1988:196+)Only a few animals managed to do so, including the owls and mo untain lions, and they were rewarded with the power to see in the dark. Among the plants only the cedars, spruces, and pines remained awake. The Creator told these plants that they would keep their hair during the winter, while the other plants would lose theirs. People were created last. The women were able to have babies every seven days. They reproduced so quickly that the Creator feared the world would soon become too crowded. So after that the women could have only one child per year, and it has been that way ever since.Looking at the Native American myths of creation we see that, the basic premises of Native American creation mythology are intertwined with the natural world and frequently include animals that act as creators, messengers, protectors, guardians, and advisers. (Andrews, 1988:196+)à They were often thought to possess human qualities and had the ability to speak, think, and act like humans. Animals such as the coyote, bear, raven, spider, and turtle are often fo und in stories recounting the origin of a tribe. (Andrews, 1988:196+)They were thought of as spiritual guides or important players in the communityââ¬â¢s daily existence. In some instances they try to justify what nature had created. For instance, The Mojave, for example, believe that long ago, people lived underground. When their food diminished, they sent a hummingbird to the upper world to search for more. The bird found much food, and the people climbed out of the ground and moved into this new worldAlso, according to the lore of numerous tribes, animals walked the earth prior to man. They helped to Shape, teach, feed and spiritually nurture the people who later lived with them. Animals played a vital role in the life of the Native people, and honoring their spirits could bring blessings, life balance, and abundance. (Ella, 1966:112)à Many Native Americans believed in the special medicine, or power, that each animal held. The mythic beasts were often given the highest resp ect that could be bestowed on a spirit: the role of creator. When an individual or tribe needed assistance, it called upon an animalââ¬â¢s knowledge, power, and spirit. To this day, animals are considered sacred by the Native American peoples and are appealed to in times of need. (Ella, 1966:112)According to the Coyote myth common to Nez Perce, who lived in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, they trace their ancestry back to the tricky Coyote.à In the beginning, Old Man Coyote stood alone with water surrounding him. Two ducks swam by, and Coyote asked if they had seen anyone else. (Andrews, 1988:196+)à à à The ducks said no but thought that something might exist under the water. Coyote asked if they would travel underwater for him and report on what they saw.The ducks did as they were asked, finding nothing. He asked again, and the ducks returned with a root. On the third try, they found mud and Coyote was happy. He told the ducks that they could build with it, and he began to shape and mold the mud into an island. He blew on it, and it expanded. He blew again, and it grew into the earth. The ducks said they did not like the earthââ¬â¢s emptiness, so Coyote created grass and trees out of the roots that came from the water. (Andrews 1988:196+)Coyote and the ducks loved the earth, but it was fiat. They wanted rivers, valleys, mountains, and lakes. So it was done. Soon Coyote and the ducks made a perfect earth, but they grew lonely, with only the three of them to sit and enjoy the land. So Coyote molded dirt to form men and then more mud to create many types of male ducks. Soon, they realized that without women, the males could not have children. So with more dirt he made women and female ducks to populate the earth. (Andrews 1988:196+) à This myth does not explain the origin of water, the two ducks and the mud. This probably could be linked to nature.Among the Coyote tales also, is one in, which it is told how the Coyote visited the Porcupine, who scratched his nose until blood flowed freely out over it; he then roasted it until it turned into a piece of fine meat. Coyote invited his host to return the visit in two days. He tried to imitate the Porcupine, but failed ignominiously. He next visited the Wolf, who roasted two arrow points that were transformed into minced meat. (Bruchac 1999:5-9)Again the Coyote tried to imitate his host, but failed. Compare with this the tradition of the Chinook, who tell how Bluejay tried to imitate his host; that of the Comox, Nootka, and Kwakiutl of Vancouver island, and of the Bella Coola and Tsimshian of Northern British Columbia, who tell the same story of the Raven; that of the Ponca, who tell the same story of Ictinike, and that of the Micmac, who relate how the Rabbit tried to imitate his host. Although the peculiar method of producing food by magic is not always the same, the whole stories are identical to all intents and purposes. (Bruchac 1999:5-9)Later on it is told how the Coyote w as playing with his eyes, tearing them out of their sockets and throwing them up; then they fell back into their sockets. We find the identical incident among the Shuswap in the interior of British Columbia and among the Blackfeet. Once upon a time the Coyote met the Brown Giant. He proposed to him that they should vomit. He placed a large piece of pine bark before each as a dish, and bade the Brown Giant keep his eyes shut till he was told to open them. (Bruchac 1999:5-9) Coyote vomited bugs and worms, while the Brown Giant vomited fat venison. Coyote exchanged the dishes, and then told the Giant to open his eyes. The Shuswap ascribe the same trick to Coyote when he met the Cannibal Owl. (Bruchac 1999:5-9)The people sought to divine their fate. (Clements 1986:220) à They threw a hide scraper into the water, saying, ââ¬Å"If it sinks, we perish; if it floats, we live.â⬠It floated, and all rejoiced. Then Coyote repeated the same test with a stone. It sank, and therefore peop le die. Among the Black feet, the first woman asked the ââ¬Å"Old Manâ⬠if people would be immortal. In order to decide this question he threw a buffalo chip into the water, saying that if it floated people would resurrect on the fourth day after their death. It floated. Then the woman took a stone, saying, ââ¬Å"If it floats, we will always live; it sinks, people must die.â⬠It sank, and therefore people died. (Clements 1986:220) This again tends to explain the mystery of death thereby emphasizing the point that, Native American myths are closely tied to nature as death is natural.There also existed the myth of plant among the Indian Americans. This specifically was the corn myth and was common among North Carolina-Cherokee Indians. It held that, many years ago there was an old woman who lived happily with her grandson until the boy turned seven years old. On his birthday she gave him a bow and arrow with which to hunt. (White 1993:164) On his first expedition he came b ack with a small bird. She was very proud of him and told him so.The Grandmother went out to her storeroom behind the lodge in which they lived. She soon came back with corn in a basket. She made a delicious soup with the corn and the little bird. (Bruchac 1999:5-9) Everyday that the boy brought home the fruits of his hunt his grandmother would go to the storehouse and bring back the corn to make the meal. The boy became very curious and decided to follow her. He watched her as she stood in front of her basket and rubbed her hand along the side of her body. As she did this the corn filled the basket. He became afraid and thought that she might be a witch. He hurriedly returned to the lodge. (Bruchac, 1999:5-9)When the Grandmother came in she knew that he had seen what she had done. She told him that because of this she must die and leave him. She would tell him what to do so that there would always be food for their people. She said, ââ¬Å"When I die, go to the south side of the lo dge and clear the Earth until it is completely bare. Then drag my body along the Earth seven times and bury me in the ground.â⬠(Bruchac, 1999:5-9)The boy did as he was told. He dragged her body over the Earth and wherever a drop of her blood fell to the ground a small plant would appear. He kept the ground cleared around each plant and soon they grew very tall with long tassels of silk at the top which reminded him of his Grandmotherââ¬â¢s long hair. Eventually ears of corn grew and his Grandmotherââ¬â¢s promise came true. Even though the Grandmother has passed from this Earth she is still present as the corn plant to feed her people. (Bruchac, 1999:5-9)Native American Indian also had the horse myth, which was part of the animal myths. This myth was generally known as the sky dog myth as it holds for other animals. This myth holds that, a long, long time ago we had to walk and walk from sky to sky, from camp to camp. (Dutton, 1996: 94) Our dogs carried our rawhide bags a nd pulled our travois sleds. We walked so much that we wore out many moccasins going across the plains. Of a sudden, one day, coming from Old Manââ¬â¢s sleeping room, west of the mountains, we saw some strange looking beasts. (Yolen, 1990:62) They were as big as elk and they had tails of straw.Lying across the backs of these beasts were two Kutani men. One beast was pulling a travois sled. We became afraid because we did not understand. My best friend, Jumps-Over-the-Water hid behind his motherââ¬â¢s skirt. The bravest of all of us known as Running Bear, ran behind the nearest tipi to hide. I was so frightened I could not move. I was away from the safety of my fatherââ¬â¢s tipi. The men in our tribe yelled that we were not to be afraid that we were the mighty Piegans who took the land sway from the Kutani. As I looked around I saw that they were afraid. They all had big eyes and four of them had their hunting bows aimed. Then our chief Long Arrow laughed. He said, ââ¬Å"Th ese are from Old Man. They are a gift like the elk, antelope, buffalo and bighorn sheep they are called Sky Dogsâ⬠. (Yolen, 1990: 62)To wrap up this discussion, it worthy to note that most Native American myth were a bid to provide an explanation for what nature had created. It is for this reason that we have the creation myth, the sky dog myth, and the plant myth, to name these. Thus the contention that, literary analysis of Native American myths emphasizes a bond with nature.BIBLIOGRAPHYBruchac J. (1991) Native American Stories. Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing.Clements M.W. (1986) Native American Folklore in Nineteenth-Century Periodicals.Athens Swallow PublicationElla C. (l966) Indian Legends from the Northern Rockies, Oklahoma: University ofOklahoma Press.Yolen J. (1990) Sky Dogs. Harcourt CA 92101.Dutton B. and Olin C. (1996) Myths and Legends of the Indians of the Southwest. SantaBarbara Bellerophon Books.White H.M. (1993) à Everyday Life of the North American Indian, New York Indian HeadBooks.MagazinesAndrews T. J. (1998) World and I. ââ¬Å"Share in the Light: Native American Stories ofCreationâ⬠.vol.13 News World Communications
Monday, January 6, 2020
Role Of Music In Sonnys Blues - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 485 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Sonny's Blues Essay Did you like this example? Music plays an integral role in the development of social theory and understanding of identity. Sonnys Blues incorporates the idea of music to help define the characters and establish a better understanding of the sociopolitical reality and culture of Harlem. The rather turbulent relationship between the two brothers becomes apparent early on as Sonny yearns to translate his passion for music into a careera decision his brother struggles with accepting. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Role Of Music In Sonnys Blues" essay for you Create order The two brothers have different visions of life, which, in turn forces them to continually have contrasting views. Sonny struggles to be heard especially by his brother however it is through music that Sonny is able to express that which could not be articulated in the verbal language and continually communicates his reality through the medium of jazz. The pain and suffering Sonny endures can be witnessed through the characters adoration of Charlie Parker, a jazz musician who himself died at an early age as a result of drug addiction. We see the parallel between the character and Charlie Parker who at the end of the short story plays his music in front of his brother. The narrator finally listens to his brother Sonny play, revealing the raw essence of his reality which in turn brings the brothers closer and provides both understanding and acceptance of the other in a previously strained relationship. Music served as Sonnys salvation and allowed for the two brothers to open a respectful and understanding dialogue. The narrators understanding can be further demonstrated when he says, Sonnys fingers filled the air with life, his life. But that life contained so many others, indicating that he had now accepted Sonys music and no longer undervalued the meaning it holds. Sonnys Blues is a story about suffering and triumph which play a fundamental role in the development of identity. Each experience served as a chance for salvation and an opportunity for the brothers to make sense of the cruelty of life. Through communication the two brothers are able to achieve a form of salvation by articulating that which seemed impossible. Through listening the two brothers are able to achieve a sense of freedom from the despair that fuels their reality. Music acts as the underlying method of communication for Sonny allowing the character to express his internal struggles that his brother ultimately understands. Baldwin ultimately believes that true sympathy is shown not by trying to change an individuals lifestyle or personality but to support the individual and remain at their side. True compassion does not stem from agreeing with an individuals perspective but rather results from a meaningful attempt to understand the perspective of others that leads to genuine regard for one another. Perhaps this was the message Baldwin attempted to illustrate in Sonnys Blues, that in order to function as individuals in a rather austere environment it is paramount to communicate and listen, for that is what will ultimately free us.
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