Strange Fruit Music and Social Consciousness

The movie under consideration is the Strange Fruit directed by Kyle Schickner which aims to show people the social problems and their arousal by means of the appearance of one song, from the day of its creation up to the day of its release in public which has managed to make an outburst of public opinion and antiracial movement.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strange Fruit’ Music and Social Consciousness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Watching the movie from the first up to the last scene, you understand that the song has managed to raise social opinion and the historic facts cannot be changed, but the movie is directed in such a way that each time one is worried about the outcome. The movie is psychological as well as historic and the struggle against discrimination has always been a priority for some people, but n0o one believed that a simple song can impact the society in the way it did. As for me, i t was difficult to watch the movie as being psychological drama it made me worry about each of the characters, especially those who were subjected to lynching and discrimination. At the same time, I was impressed with the history of the song creation and how one single performance can change the attitude of the whole society to the problem. Even though the movie shows the history of the son and its creation, the main idea is deeper. The movie is devoted to the social illness and points at one of the solutions which may be taken for solving the issue which is in the air, but people are afraid of talking about it referencing to the fear and social prejudices. The main idea of the Angela Davis’ essay â€Å"‘Strange Fruit’ Music and Social Consciousness† is to show the society how one particular song may become the icon for the whole nation, how one particular idea may help people understand that it is important to resist lynching, racial discrimination and ot her specific biased attitude in relation to some particular classes of people. â€Å"She could not have predicted that â€Å"Strange Fruit† would impel people to discover within themselves a previously unawakened calling to political activism, but it did, and it does. She could not have foreseen the catalytic role her song would play in rejuvenating the tradition of protest and resistance in African-American and American traditions of popular music and culture† (Davis 196) is the quote which shows that the singer song this song to entertain people and could not even expect that others would feel the same as she did, the desire to act against those who believe that lynching and discrimination are the normal actions in the society;Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More it describes the meaning of the song and perfectly summarizes the main idea of the Angela Davis’ es say â€Å"‘Strange Fruit’ Music and Social Consciousness† as it points at the problems which the quote arises and at the same time considers the relation of the singer to the song, particularly the unexpected success of the song in the context is appeared; it is obvious that the song raises the problems of discrimination and it is important to remember that the presence of such films inspire other people for creating something new, such as the movie Strange Fruit also aimed at increasing the social concern about the problems of lynching, cultural and racial discrimination and the attitude of the society to the problems. Works Cited Davis, Angela. â€Å"‘Strange Fruit’ Music and Social Consciousness.† Blues Legacies and Black Feminism. Ed. Angela Davis. New York: Pantheon Books, 1998. Print. This essay on Strange Fruit’ Music and Social Consciousness was written and submitted by user Raelyn Kline to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Mother Of Invention Essays - Science And Technology, Engineering

Mother Of Invention Essays - Science And Technology, Engineering Mother Of Invention Necessity is the mother of invention or is it? The real mother of invention is not necessity, but curiosity. From the discovery of electricity, the invention of the light bulb, car, airplane, and air conditioning to Global Positioning Satellite systems curiosity has been the reason behind the invention. One of the greatest discoveries ever was the discovery of electricity. Ben Franklin has been given the most credit for the discovery of electricity. Before the legendary kite experiment in 1752 electricity was a known force of nature, but it had not been thoroughly studied. Even after that Franklin did not know what potential his discovery of electricity had. It is said that he once tried to kill a Christmas turkey with electricity, but accidentally made contact with the current and received a nice shock. As time progressed Franklin created more and more electrical devices including the battery and the lightening rod (Thinkquest.org). These inventions were discovered through theories and hypothesis that Franklin thought might be true and he tried them and they worked. All of these things are nice, and today people probably would have difficulty living without them, but at the time in the mid-1700's people had no need for electricity. There is another wonderful invention called the incandescent light bulb. Thomas Edison was a professional inventor. He wanted to see if he could create a better way to light a home that with candles or lamps. And so Edison invented the incandescent light bulb. Edison tried to come out with an invention every ten days. This invention came about in October 1879 (Thomas Edison birthplace Museum). Although people wanted another way to light their homes they did a fine job by using torches and lamps. They had a want for something better, but not a need for a light bulb. The invention of the air conditioning unit is a very popular one here in Phoenix. This again was not a necessity; in fact even today it is not a necessity it is actually a luxury. In 1902, after earning a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University Willis Carrier invented the first air conditioner. He wanted to see if there was a more efficient way of cooling air and making the air cleaner than what the current ventilation systems could do. This was a great invention because before the air conditioner people had good ventilation systems to cool off buildings and this worked somewhat. The air that came in would smell like the vents and the air wasn't really cooled. But with the air conditioning not only could you control the air temperature, but you could also control the humidity. This was good for scientific experiments (MIT's Invention Demention website). Even though the air conditioning was a great invention, it is not a necessity. People can and do live with out air conditioning units in both cars and homes, they may sweat a lot but they do live. Another great invention was that of the car. At the time that the car was invented people got around by horse and carriage, or by foot. This was the socially accepted means of travel and people did not need anything more than a way to get from point a to point b. In 1896 Henry Ford built his first automobile. Ford wanted to see if he could make a faster means of travel. In 1903 Ford established the Ford Motor Company. He revolutionized the world with his assembly lines, and the low cost of his cars. His first car the Model T is very well known and for around $200 was affordable. Ford paid their workers an unheard of $5 a day which meant that a worker could afford to buy the cars that they made (National Inventors Hall of Fame website). Although I like my car a lot and I know that many people couldnt function without their cars, but when Ford invented the car if you wanted to get somewhere you either walked or you rode a horse making the car not a necessity. The invention of the airplane was a revolutionary one. The Wright brothers invented the airplane in 1903. The Wright's wanted to see if it was possible for man to

10 Countries with the Highest Population Density

10 Countries with the Highest Population Density Cities are known for being crowded, but some cities are far more crowded than others. What makes a city feel crowded isnt just the number of people who live there but the physical size of the city. Population density refers to the number of people per square mile. According to the Population Reference Bureau, these ten countries have the worlds highest population densities 1. Manila, Philippines - 107,562 per square mile The capital of the Philippines is home to roughly two million people. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay the city is home to one of the finest ports in the country. The city regularly hosts over a million  tourists each year, making the busy streets even more crowded. 2. Mumbai, India - 73,837 per square mile Its no surprise that the Indian city Mumbai comes in second on this list with a population of over 12 million people. The city is the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India. The city lies on the West coast of India and has a deep natural bay. In 2008, it was dubbed an alpha world city. 3. Dhaka, Bangladesh - 73,583 per square mile Known as the city of mosques, Dhaka is home to roughly 17 million people. It was once one of the most wealthy and prosperous cities in the world. Today the city is the countries political, economic and cultural center. It has one of the largest stock markets in South Asia. 4. Caloocan, Philippines - 72,305 per square mile Historically, Caloocan is important for being home to the secret militant society that spurred the Philippine  Revolution, also known as the Tagalong war, against Spanish colonialists. Now the city is home to almost two million people. 5. Bnei Brak, Isreal - 70,705 per square mile Just east of Tel Aviv, this city is home to 193,500 residents. It is home to one of the largest coca-cola bottling plants in the world. Israels first womens only department stores were built in Bnei Brak; its an example of the gender segregation; implemented by the ultra Orthodox Jewish population. 6. Levallois-Perret, France - 68,458 per square mile Located roughly four miles from Paris, Levallois-Perrett is the most densely populated city in Europe. The city is known for its perfume industry and beekeeping. A cartoon bee has even been adopted at the citys modern emblem. 7. Neapoli, Greece - 67,027 per square mile   The Greek city of Neapoli comes in at number seven on the list of most densely populated cities. The city is divided into eight different districts. While only 30,279 people live in this small city thats impressive given its size is only .45 square miles! 8. Chennai, India - 66,961 per square mile Located on the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is known as the education capital of South India. Its home to almost five million people. Its also considered one of the safest cities in India. Its also home to a large expat community. Its been dubbed one of the must-see cities in the world by the BBC. 9. Vincennes, France - 66,371 per square mile Another suburb of Paris, Vincennes is located just four miles from the city of lights. The city is probably most famous for its castle, Chateau de Vincennes. The castle was originally a hunting lodge for Louis VII but was enlarged in the 14th century. 10. Delhi, India - 66,135 per square mile The city of Delhi is home to roughly 11 million people, putting it just after Mumbai as one of Indias most populated cities. Delhi is an ancient city which has been the capital of various kingdoms and empires. Its home to numerous landmarks. Its also considered the book capital of India due to its high readership rates.

Database security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Database security - Essay Example is is not done, then databases are subjected to several threats that could lead to loss of integrity, loss of availability, and loss of confidentiality (IFIP, 2013). Privacy protection is both a personal and fundamental right for any individual. It is the right of every individual to hold the expectation that organizations that collect information will ensure confidentiality of personal information. One way in which this can be achieved is by ensuring that organizations will collect, maintain, utilize, and disseminate personal information and data only to the extent that is necessary to enable them perform their functions (Doyle & Bagaric, 2005). Privacy laws regulate how entities handle personal information. They also include obligations that govern the collection, use, disclosure, and access to personal information, requiring entities to observe reasonable measures for the protection of personal information in their possession from misuse, loss and from unauthorized access, use, modification or disclosure. The NIST triad for privacy is set under the above set of requirements for privacy. It is a model for information security that incorporates three main components namely confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Each of these components in the triad stresses a key objective for information security. Confidentiality requires that data is only availed to appropriate parties, integrity means the certainty that there is no tampering with the data prior to and after collection, and availability means that the data will be made available as and when needed (Nemati, 2008). IFIP TC11/WG 11.3 International Conference on Database Security, & In Jajodia, S. (2013). Database security XII: Status and prospects : IFIP TC11 WG11.3 Twelfth International Working Conference on Database Security, July 15-17, 1998, Chalkidiki,

Case2.1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case2.1 - Essay Example The first is that the hospitals showed that they were committed to decreasing the delays that could potentially occur during the treatment process. The next thing that was observed was that the senior management actually supported effort that would lead to improvements. Additionally, there are protocols that each of the hospitals followed, but they were open to revamping the protocols as needed. Another characteristic that was seen among all of the hospitals is that they worked together as a team. The nursing staff worked with the cardiology staff, and with who all worked with the emergency staff. It was also observed that the hospitals all had the capability of real-time feedback in order to measure the success of the treatment. Lastly, but not any less important than the other characteristics, the hospitals demonstrated that they had an organizational culture that allowed the hospitals to be flexible when it comes to setbacks. Overall, these hospitals demonstrated characteristics t hat hospitals across the country should look at to help improve their â€Å"door-to-balloon† treatment time as these hospitals have managed to do.

Musical Instruments Essay Example for Free

Musical Instruments Essay 1. Do you believe it is still possible that new musical instruments could be invented and widely distributed? Empirically, though the diversity of musical instruments has reached a quite high level, human has never stopped their exploration into music. So, I think it’s highly possible that several new musical instruments can be invented and widely distributed. The musical history has already proved this. Before 19th century, the majority of musical instruments are acoustic, and most people at that time held the opinion that we already have enough instruments. However, accompany with the development of electricity and latter computer technology, electronic music has grown rapidly. Musical instruments are no longer bonded within the acoustic. Maybe in the future, we can even use the photon to make some music. 2. Do you think that existing orchestral instruments will be drastically altered in the future? I think some fine turning may occur on existing orchestral instruments but drastically change may not happen. With hundred years of development and perfection, orchestra has already formed its own system and process. Its requirement to musical instruments is almost fixed. Already some fine turning may be applied in order to achieve better acoustic effect, but the outer shape and essential component of these musical instruments won’t be changed since they have already be a symbol of orchestra. 3. Will the computer and other electronic instruments eventually replace acoustical instruments? Which do you prefer? Definitely not. Diversity is an essential part of music, if all the music is generated by electronic devices, it can be quite boring and people will suffer aesthetic fatigue. Personally, I prefer acoustical instruments, why, just personal taste. 4. Please open YouTube and listen to composition Desintegrations for 17 instruments and computer tape (1983) created by French composer Tristan Murail (1947-). Can you separate sound materials created by the acoustic instruments from the tape material? Are they often fused? Are they created to resemble each other? For those parts in which only one instrument occurred I can figure out the type, while for those with more than two, I can not. Yes, they often fused together, especially in modern music. Yes, they do resemble to each other otherwise the music won’t achieve harmonic sound effect.

This Life :: essays research papers

The American Revolution was largely economic and political in nature. The political reasons were that England neglected the colonies, taxation without representation and limitation of individual rights and privacy. Then there was the most important side the economic. There was trade restriction, mercantilism, and taxation. On the economic side of the revolution colonist acknowledged that natural laws should govern their economy. But only the southern colonies were bound to England in connection with tobacco trade. Outside of the southern colonies they made their way by trading outside the empire. And if they wanted to put this trade to a stop there would be a rebellion. Then mercantilism, which was the idea of directing all trade through England, was a restriction upon economic prosperity of New England colony. The major reason for this all is that the colonies gave up to England. England then taxed it colonies with many acts. Such as the Stamp Act passed in 1765 and led by prime Minster George Greenville, which affected every colonist. It imposed a tax on all legal documents like newspapers and marriage licenses. Other acts like Currency Act, which banned all paper currency, the Sugar Act in efforts to try to reduce smuggling. In 1776 William Pitt took over he was a popular in the colonies. He opposed things like the Stamp Act and thought colonist had the same rights as English citizens. But after suddenly becoming sick Charles Townsend took over and he was not concerned with the rights of the colonist and he just wanted to strengthen the Parliament. And he then convinced Parliament to pass a series of new laws taxing lead, paint, paper, glass, and tea imported by colonists. Then Sam Adams spoke out and said that Parliament was taxing illegally and the majority of the colonists agreed and a boycott started on British goods. And because of the Currency Act they left paper practically worthless. This is the main reason for the revolution. Then there was the political side, which was not as important leader into the American Revolution but still a key role that led into the revolution. The taxation without representation was one of the major reasons that led to the revolution. The British were taxing the colonies and they had no way of standing up for themselves. They had no representation in England so they were unable to stop any taxes or polices coming over from them. The plea of taxation without representation is how the colonists stood up to acts like the Stamp Act. The colonies were being neglected from England. They left them

Joining the Navy Essay

It was a rainy, humid morning on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, a day I could never forget. I turned over calmly and realized it was 4:30am, time to get out of bed. It was the big day. All these thoughts were racing through my head. â€Å"What am I doing? Am I sure this is right for me? Will I succeed in this? † I was timid, excited, and fluttered all at the same time. It was the day I’d no longer be a civilian. Eight weeks from that day I’d be calling myself a United States Navvy Sailor. As I woke up and started to get ready, I could feel goose bumps Jitter up my spine. What occupied my mind was the thought of leaving my family. I was the last child still living at home. My brother’s were already gone. Would my parents be able to cope? I know my dogs would miss me terribly. It was time to depart to the recruiting office. From there, NCI Valencia had to drive me to the Military Entrance Processing Station. That day felt like a surreal blur. NCI Valencia would give me advice with a big grin on his face, and I would hear him, but not listen. My nerves were overpowering my body and I couldn’t manage them. I then pent the whole day in a building completing all these exams to make sure I was hearty and robust to leave. That day was the longest day of my life. Looking around, I felt at ease. All the other recruits were giving out the same body language I was giving. We were all feeling the same feelings and thinking the same thoughts. I wasn’t alone. It was time for the Oath of Enlistment Ceremony. A few men in sailor uniforms brought all the recruits into a room with a variety of flags. My family was the only family that attended to take pictures of the big event. I then elevated my right hand, hile standing in the position of attention, and reiterated after Chief, â€Å"l, Amanda Lazcos, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and†¦ † Using my peripheral vision, I noticed my mother crying. Keeping my emotions intact was extremely arduous. Think about this: I was embarking on a new Journey and leaving the two most important people in my life at the age of 19. This was the first time I would be away from my parents for a long period of time. It was a life-defining moment. The event had come to a close. It was now time to say my farewells. At this point, it was nearly impossible to even glance at my family. Looking at them would make me realize how much they mean to me. I tried to make it quick and simple so I wouldn’t shed a flood of tears. The last scent I reminisced on my mother was her Sunflowers perfume. She adored (and still does) that perfume. My father had this truly glorious look in his eyes. I knew he was so delighted to see me doing something positive towards my future. At the same time, I knew he was going to miss me a lot. In an instant, I was on the bus, and off to the airport along with 37 other recruits.

Organizational Culture, Reengineering Services Process, and HR Organization Description Essay

Magneti Marelli Holding S. p. A. , a division of Fiat, is headquartered in Corbetta, Italy, and is an international manufacturer that designs, produces, and supplies high-tech automotive components. The primary product range is engine control systems for gasoline and diesel engines. Magneti Marelli is currently present in five continents and 18 countries (Fiat, 2010). To create a more consistent environment in the global process, World Class Manufacturing (WCM) has been implemented in all Fiat manufacturing companies. World Class Manufacturing is an international methodology for the organization of the manufacturing cycle to manage plants in accordance with the best standards. The application of WCM principles and methods resulted in logistics and quality and significant cost reductions. Fiat’s manufacturing structure has become increasingly efficient and flexible and has enabled the company to gain a competitive edge. Strategy Description For several years, the Fiat Group has been working to develop into a global manufacturing entity with the highest standards. The implementation of World Class Manufacturing addresses all aspects of the organization including environmental, health and safety, quality, maintenance, cost and logistic issues from the standpoint of continuous improvement. The entire process revolves around the methodical identification and decrease or elimination of waste through application of standardized techniques and tools and involves everyone in the company. WCM recognizes that employee involvement and empowerment are critical to attaining continuous improvement in all fundamentals of the manufacturing system. Organizational development occurs predominantly through employee involvement. World Class companies invest relatively more in their worker relationships and offer appreciably more training. For program achievement, Human Resources needs to be a business strategic partner and a key member of the management team overseeing and providing operational leadership (Entrepreneur, 1996). Strategy Application The key to developing and maintaining a workforce capable of supporting World Class Manufacturing is to cultivate an atmosphere of employee engagement and team building. Developing a skilled and flexible workforce creates value for external customers. To sustain a talented labor force, Human Resources initiatives involve recruitment and hiring; performance management; employee development and training; leadership development and training; team building; and safety and health programs (Scondanibbio, 2010). By recruiting and retaining top talent by identifying skill gaps and focus training as characterized by WCM, turnover and absenteeism rates are lowered and productivity and efficiency from workers increases. Training employees provides the chance to take ownership of their daily activities. Working in teams and cross-functional training increases efficiency and eliminates clutter and confusion on the plant floor. One section of World Class Manufacturing is People Development (Scondanibbio, 2010). HR provides team facilitation, leadership, and direction guidance in meeting instructional needs. The second activity in leading and managing change involves creating a vision that depicts the core values and purpose that guide the organization. It provides a worthwhile direction for designing, implementing, and assessing needed organizational changes. HR Professionals must sustain the change momentum through to completion by providing resources for change, developing new competencies and skills, and reinforcing new behaviors. Strategy Implications Organizational change involves moving from the known to the unknown which can impact worker competencies and coping abilities. Human Resources must prepare the workforce by meeting instructional needs. The second activity in leading and managing change involves creating readiness for change and overcoming resistance to change. This requires HR to be both the constant and supporter in the middle of the turmoil of change. The organization looks to HR to provide needed structures, processes and approaches to support change management and to ensure the efforts deliver results (Belilos, 1997). World Class Manufacturing has defined key principles that define the organization and inspires doing things better and improving quality, delivery, cost, and customer satisfaction. It is important to understand exactly what waste is and where it exists. For each identified waste, a strategy is prepared so performance and quality are improved. The identical process is also applied to human errors and gap analysis. Specific training models are designed applicable to the need. As the phrase indicates, World Class Manufacturing enhances an organization to be a global leader in performance and quality. Human Resources should have a clear understanding of the value of metrics and continuous measurement as the key to achieving sustainable efficiency and effectiveness. Using these outcomes, HR will have a thorough focus on talent and performance management to establish an integrated workforce management system that is closely aligned to the business needs and brand.

Items to Exclude from Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Items to Exclude from Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) No one likes writing a resume, but its a critical part of the job search in all fields. In academics, the resume is called a curriculum vitae (or CV) and it is even less fun to write. Unlike a resume which presents your experience and skills within a 1-page format, the curriculum vitae has no page limit. The most prolific professionals I have encountered have CVs that are dozens of pages long and bound as books. Thats highly unusual, of course, but the point is that the CV is a comprehensive list of your experiences, accomplishments, and the products of your work. Your mentor likely has a CV of 20 pages or more, depending on his or her productivity, rank, and experience. Beginning graduate students usually start out with 1 page CVs and work hard to flesh them out into multiple page documents. It can be easy to add pages when you consider what goes into a CV. The CV lists your education, work experience, research background and interests, teaching history, publications, and more. Theres lots of information to work with, but can you include too much information? Is there anything that you should not include on your CV? Dont Include Personal InformationIt was once common for people to include personal information on their CVs. Never include any of the following: Social security numberMarital statusBirthdateAgeHeight, weight, hair color, or other personal attributesNumber of childrenPhoto It is illegal for employers to discriminate against potential employees on the basis of personal characteristics. That said, people naturally judge others. Allow yourself to be judged only on your professional merits and not on your personal characteristics. Dont Include Photos Given the ban on personal information, it should go without saying that applicants should not send photographs of themselves. Unless you are an actor, dancer, or another performer, never attach a picture of yourself to your CV or application. Dont Add Irrelevant Information Hobbies and interests should not appear on your CV. Include only extracurricular activities that are directly related to your work. Remember that your goal is to portray yourself as serious and an expert in your discipline. Hobbies can suggest that youre not working hard enough or that you are not serious about your career. Leave them out. Dont Include Too Much Detail Its an odd paradox: Your CV presents detailed information about your career, but you must take care not to go into too much depth in describing the content of your work. Your CV will be accompanied by a research statement in which you walk readers through your research, explaining its development and your goals. You will also write a statement of teaching philosophy, explaining your perspective on teaching. Given these documents, there is no need to go into minute detail describing your research and teaching other than the facts: where, when, what, awards granted, etc. Dont Include Ancient Information Do not discuss anything from high school. Period. Unless you discovered a supernova, that is. Your curriculum vitae describes your qualifications for a professional academic career. It is unlikely that experiences from college are relevant to this. From college, list only your major, graduation year, scholarships, awards, and honors. Do not list any extracurricular activities from high school or college. Do Not List References Your CV is a statement about YOU. There is no need to include references. Undoubtedly youll be asked to provide references but your references do not belong on your CV. Dont list that your references are available upon request. Surely the employer will request references if youre a potential candidate. Wait until you are asked and then remind your references and tell them to expect a call or email. Do Not Lie It should be obvious but many applicants make the mistake of including items that are not entirely true. For example, they might list a poster presentation that they were invited to give but didnt. Or list a paper as under review that is still being drafted. There are no harmless lies. Dont exaggerate or lie about anything. It will come back to haunt you and ruin your career. Criminal Record Although you should never lie, dont give employers a reason to dump your CV in the trash-pile. That means dont spill the beans unless you are asked. If theyre interested and youre offered the job you may be asked to consent to a background check. If so, thats when you discuss your record - when you know that they are interested, Discuss it too soon and you may lose an opportunity. Dont Write in Solid Blocks of Text Remember that employers scan CVs. Make yours easy to read by using bold headings and short descriptions of items. Do not include big blocks of text. No paragraphs. Dont Include Errors Whats the fastest way to get your CV and application tossed? Spelling mistakes. Bad grammar. Typos. Do you prefer to be known as careless or poorly educated? Neither will help you advance in your career. Always review your CV carefully before submitting. Dont Include a Touch of Flair Fancy paper. Unusual font. Colored font. Scented paper. Although you want your CV to stand out, be sure that it stands out for the right reasons, such as its quality. Do not make your CV look different in color, shape, or format unless you want it passed around as a source of humor.

Analysis of Lester Burnham

From the outside, Lester seems to have a perfect salary, and a perfect family who lives in a perfect neighborhood. In reality, things are not what they seem to be. In fact, he is on the verge of getting fired from this job, his wife and only child hate him, and he also hates himself. Slowly a series of crises begin to occur that ensure that eventually the family will be destroyed. It starts off with the deterioration of his relationship with, his daughter Jane, and wife Carolyn. â€Å"She wasnt always like this. She used to be happy. We used to be happy. †(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) Everyday is different in his life, but also the same. He goes to work and comes home only to have dinner with the same music and same people who despise him the most. Not to mention how every dinner ends the same, with personal attacks towards him, only to make him feel worse about himself. The worst part is that he knows he is going to do the same tomorrow. As things seem to escalate more and more it is becoming more obvious that he has reached his mid-life crisis. Especially when he meets Angela, his daughters attractive best friend, he thinks he has finally found a new purpose for living. This is when Burnham has reached a critical point in his life. This film revolves around many ideas and themes. One of these is the value of life. â€Å"I have lost something. Im not exactly sure what it is, but I know I didnt always feel this sedated. But you know what? Its never too late to get it back. †(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) From now on, in the movie, Lester decides to turn his life around. Starting by getting himself out of the depression he is currently in. As the movie goes on, one of the first things you notice while watching the movie is how perfect the houses are aligned and how his whole entire house is furnished with the color gray or light shades of blue. The only things that do seem to have color are either painted with red or blue. In turn the red signifies the things that make the characters happy and the blue signifies the troubles the characters are facing. How does that person interact with others in the movie? Lester’s interaction with others in the movie was the one significant thing that showed his true colors of his character. He seemed to have a positive outlook on gaining relationships, but most characters in the film wanted nothing to do with him. They saw him as an impersonal individual with no care in the world, but to fulfill his own desires. On the other hand, all he wanted was to have a happy relationship with his daughter and wife. However, in return they never showed him an ounce of gratitude. Especially his daughter Jane. From the first time I saw them have dinner with the vase of red flowers and perfect family portrait between them, I knew that Jane had repressed anger towards her father. Particularly when Lester tried to conversate with Jane and she clearly expressed that she could care less. â€Å"Well, what do you expect? You cant all of a sudden be my best friend, just because you had a bad day†¦I mean, hello. Youve barely even spoken to me for months. †(Cohen, Mendes,1999) At this point in the movie it has become pretty obvious that the main character is not only depressed but he also has a passive aggressive personality disorder. The first psychological behavior shown was depression. Depression is an Axis I disorder under the DSM-IV-TR criteria. Which is also described as by doctors Sharp and Lipsky in 2002 as a â€Å".. common psychiatric disorder in children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Persons who are depressed have feelings of sadness, loneliness, irritability, worthlessness, hopelessness, agitation, and guilt that may be accompanied by an array of physical symptoms. A diagnosis of major depression requires that symptoms be present for two weeks or longer†¦Targeted screening in high-risk patients such as those with chronic diseases, pain, unexplained symptoms, stressful home environments, or social isolation, and those who are postnatal or elderly may provide an alternative approach to identifying patients with depression† The main characters loneliness and sense of worthlessness has become more evident when his neurotic wife no longer wants to engage in sexual activities with him. And his fourteen year job as a writer for a media magazine has come to an end. In addition, what seems to throw him over the edge is the lack of communication he has with his daughter. Although she wants nothing to do with him, he still longs for her happiness. A Person who is also depressed shows a sign that life is not worth living for them. The character of Lester Burnham didn’t hesitate to express this within the first minute of the movie. He narrates â€Å"My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighborhood. This is my street. This is my life. Im forty-two years old. In less than a year, Ill be dead†¦Of course, I dont know that yet†¦And in a way, Im dead already. †(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) However what ultimately deteriorates Lesters life is his passive aggressive personality disorder. Also found in the Axis II DSM-IV-TR criteria. These are all the things that the character of Lester Burnham embodies on a day to day basis: â€Å"People with this disorder resent responsibility and show it through their behaviors, rather than by openly expressing their feelings. They often use procrastination, inefficiency, and forgetfulness to avoid doing what they need to do or have been told by others to do†¦A person with this disorder may appear to comply with anothers wishes and may even demonstrate enthusiasm for those wishes. However, they perform the requested action too late to be helpful, perform it in a way that is useless, sabotage the action to show anger that they cannot express in words†(Vorvick, Rogge, 2008) His evident mid life crisis causes him to irresponsibly buy a red sports car and fall in lust with someone that is the age of his daughter, also known as Angela in the film. His first encounter with Angela started the red rose petal frenzy. Everytime he interacted with her red rose petals appeared in her significance. The rose petals signified a sense of happiness for Lester and acceptance by the only female in the film. Another symptom for passive aggressive behavior is feeling resentment and hostility. Mr. Burnham clearly displayed his feeling of resentment and hostility in the second dinner scene where him and his wife get into an altercation over how Lester up and quit his job, when he had a clear chance to save it. But things started going downhill after Lester shouted across the table to his daughter â€Å"And your mother seems to prefer I go through life like a fucking prisoner while she keeps my dick in a mason jar under the sink†(Cohen, Mendes, 1999) By this point Carolyn and Lester are screaming to each other, but all Lester seems to want is someone to pass the asparagus. Finally, he becomes feed up with the non-respect he is shown as the man in the household and he gets up himself to get the asparagus. After serving himself, a minute later he throws the aspargus directly across the wall next to the perfect family portrait, in order to command attention from his ungrateful wife and daughter. Another sign for passive aggressive personality disorder in Lester Burnham is the drug abuse and poor career development. (Something that Lester didn’t hide throughout the film. ) Especially his interest in smoking marijuana, which he ironically receives from his neighbor and also his daughters boyfriend, Ricky Fitts. By this time, the main character Lester, has shown how withdrawn he actually is from the world and how irresponsible he has become.

Langston Hughes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Langston Hughes - Essay Example Langston's sensitive nature was also responsible paradoxically in reinforcing his sense of separateness as a Negro. He acknowledged his race to be clearly an advantage, which gained him fame and recognition not only among his peers but also among those towards whom he was subjected towards color sensitivity, as it was his color that acknowledged and helped him in seeking his own identity in revealing the black experience. Langston Hughes was aware of the fact that being a black, his race would never be granted permission to gain access in participating in any effort towards America. He wanted the blacks to awake from the long sleep and start making the dream of their homeland a reality, although it was the dream which according to Langston was converted into a nightmare for Southern blacks, he aimed at rehabilitating that nightmare again into an American dream. No doubt Langston Hughes was among one of those renaissance writers who produced little work on Harlem, but whatever they produced, the work emerged as a magnum opus in the Harlem Renaissance history and produced a true Harlem color. Langston Hughes, the Harlem writer was especially adept at portraying New York's ghetto life concerning about people, culture and religion. What he experienced during the renaissance enabled him to portray the true face of white Americans and in the form of words he described it. Langston's work about Harlem reveal his versatility as wh... ons African Americans had to face regarding social and economic factors of Harlem, he found a ready market among some blacks who wanted to read about life in the black metropolis on one hand, while on the other he was aware of those whites who were attracted to the exotic, strange, and colorful rhythms of 'nigger heaven'". (Wintz, 1988, p. 45) Harlem, though, was more than a playground for white Manhattan, for Africans it was more than a battle. A battle conducted not to loose, but to win and make whites acknowledge their identities as African Americans. "It was a teeming, overcrowded ghetto, and much of its laughter and gaiety only thinly veiled the misery and poverty that was becoming the standard of life for the new black urban masses. This, too, was reflected by the Harlem Renaissance, viewed from the perspective of Langston". (Wintz, 1988, p. 46) "Langston portrayed the outbreak of World War I as the only means, which intensified racial conflicts in America. He was aware of the sacrifices given by every single African of America and realized the importance of African traditional people in supporting America's war, with a hope that their efforts would display one day a result of loyalty and battlefield gallantry to win them popular support in their quest for equality". (Rampersad, 2002, p. 54) Langston encouraged their efforts to participate fully in their country's battles; blacks have traditionally confronted a government reluctant to accept their services. During World War I the already existing racial strife intensified these problems. Some poets saw Harlem slightly different as compared to other poets of Renaissance in a sense that unlike many would be black writers; Langston Hughes was strongly drawn to the black people of Harlem, which won the hearts of