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"Transformation of Virginia", 2008.
A review of the book "Transformation of Virginia" by the Australian author Rhys Isaac.
1,074 words (approx. 4.3 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 37.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the historical and informative book, "The Transformation of Virginia" by Rhys Isaac. The paper notes that the author goes much deeper into the cultures and community life of Virginia than other books of American history. The paper comments that Isaac delves into the everyday events and duties of ordinary people, including slaves, that brings the history of this period in the building of America to life in a very educational and entertaining way. The paper concludes that the book, rich with illustrations and references, takes a closer look at some of the issues and pastimes, by slaves and white citizens, that make colonial history far more interesting than most other books.
From the Paper
"As an example of how effectively he uses his sources, and where he gets them, on page 32 the author is pointing out that slaves didn't work in the fields and labor at other tasks seven days a week. They had Sunday off, as a rule, and they made the most of it. Whereas many history books make it seem like slaves were out there under the whip almost ever day of their lives, working fingers to the bone and being beaten if they refused any order. Sundays they commonly spend in fishing making Potatoes [digging up their small lots of ground allow'd by their Master], building and patching their Quarters or rather cabins" (taken from A Plantation tutor of the Old Dominion, Williamsburg VA, 1957). And also on page 32, the author takes a passage from a book that was published in 1784 by Englishman J.F.D. Smyth, A Tour in the United States of America."
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"The Wages of Whiteness", 2008.
A review of the work "The Wages of Whiteness : Race and the Making of the American Working Class" by David R. Roediger.
971 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses the book "The Wages of Whiteness: Race and the Making of the American Working Class" by David R. Roediger which analyzes the history of racism in the United States, beginning with colonial racism and working its way up to the present. The paper notes that the author attempts to place race in a larger perspective than just class and focuses on the larger issues of race, class, and racism in society, and how society manages them. The paper comments that the author explores the conceptual categories of race, racism, the working class, and society in the United States.
From the Paper
"He says in the first chapter of the book that he began to recognize racism early and did not understand it, and has worked to eradicate it from an early age. This context certainly shapes his text, because he attempts to show why racism exists, but also how to conquer it. In the Afterward, he notes there are several "mistakes" in his original text, including the assumption that only white males made up the initial working class of America. However, this reader feels he did make his points strongly and backed them up with outstanding research, and he simply may be a little too hard on himself in retrospect of his work."
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"Native Son", 2008.
A review of Richard Wright's novel, "Native Son".
1,121 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, APA, $ 38.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses and summarizes the novel "Native Son" by Richard Wright and looks at how it was a true reflection of the time frame it was set in. The paper contends that, although possibly offensive to some readers, the story is highly relevant and worth studying as a great work of American literature.
Outline:
Introduction
Thesis
From the Paper
"The protagonist and most-discussed character in Native Son is of course Bigger Thomas. Readers know more about Bigger than about any other character, and yet Bigger has a hard time expressing his emotional experience fully and comprehensively. Much of the narrative and dialogue in the book centers around Bigger's struggle to articulate his inner feelings, and his attempts to come to terms with what he has done and what will happen to him. On page 225 the narrator explains: "There was something he knew and something he felt; something the world gave him and something he himself had... and never in all his life, with this black skin of his, had the two worlds, thought and feeling, will and mind, aspiration and satisfaction, been together, never had he felt a sense of wholeness." He had trouble answering the simplest of questions sometimes."
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Supernatural Tales of Death and Jealousy, 2008.
A comparison of Edgar Allan Poe's "Masque of the Red Death" and Robert Olen Butler's "Jealous Husband Returns in the Form of a Parrot".
939 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 33.95
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Abstract
The paper analyzes how Edgar Allan Poe's "Masque of the Red Death" and Robert Olen Butler's "Jealous Husband Returns in the Form of a Parrot" use supernatural plots to highlight the intense emotions humans often feel about death and the loss of a loved one to someone else. The paper compares the supernatural quality and the style of narration in both works.
From the Paper
"Poe's tale is written in the style of American Romanticism, and uses highly ornate language and a European setting to create an atmosphere of death, misery and decay. Poe's tale begins strangely, and becomes even stranger as the narrative wears on. The final appearance by death as a masked figure at a costume ball makes the allegorical theme of the story horrifyingly real--not even the wealthy can escape sickness and the inevitability of death. Butler's tale begins in a way that seems utterly surreal to the modern reader, even more so than Poe's narrative. However, the colloquial voice of the parrot gives it a greater sense of immediacy and realism than is present in Poe, and also a greater sense of pathos, despite its allegorical content. Eventually, the reader comes to sympathize with the figure of the parrot, who cannot communicate with his wife, no matter how hard he tries to speak her language."
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"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl", 2008.
A review of Harriet Jacobs' "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl".
962 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 34.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses Harriet Jacobs' "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" and asserts that it remains one of the most captivating and compelling autobiographical slave narratives. The paper looks at the major themes explored, including the different types of slavery, the Fugitive Slave Law, religion and spiritual salvation and the fight for freedom. The paper opines that Harriet Jacobs' book is interesting, historically relevant and easy to read.
From the Paper
"Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is an autobiographical narrative recounting the author's journey to freedom and the impact she made on the abolitionist movement. She has no formal credentials for writing the narrative and in fact was assisted in compiling it by the abolitionist activist Lydia Maria Child. However, her personal experiences are all Jacobs needs to bring her story to the world: a heart-wrenching series of anecdotes that illustrate the horrors of slavery. Her credibility lies mainly in there having been accurate records of her life, and the entire book is comprised of her stories and personal reflection on them."
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Edgar Allan Poe, 2008.
A review of the background of Edgar Allan Poe, the American short-story writer who is well known for his tales of the macabre.
1,366 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 45.95
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Abstract
The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the writer Edgar Allan Poe. The paper specifically discusses how his writings are dark and filled with death. From a very early age, Edgar Allan Poe seems to have been obsessed with the topic of death, and many (or most) of his works are dark, brooding pieces filled with mystery, dark deeds, and the death of at least one character, or the lingering theme of death. The paper questions why Poe was so consumed with death and dying.
From the Paper
" He writes, "He also offered his famous pronouncement that 'the death of a beautiful woman is the purest of all poetical themes'". Thus, Poe recognized this theme recurred in his works, and found it both satisfying and pure, elements of his fiction that might not seem satisfying and pure to others. After losing his parents and living in a foster home, Poe met Mrs. Jane Stith Stanard, who he became very fond of, and many people believe he loved. He wrote the poem "To Helen" to her, but her life ended tragically, as well. An early Poe biographer writes, "Mrs. Stanard soon went mad and died. "
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Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", 2008.
A review of American poetess, Maya Angelou's autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings".
2,034 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 8 sources, MLA, $ 64.95
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Abstract
The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the novel "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. The paper discusses the themes of racism and segregation in the book, strong themes that are woven throughout this moving autobiography. The paper notes that in this book, author Maya Angelou recounts the story of her early life, including the racism and segregation she experienced throughout her formative years. The paper highlights that with wit, candor, and remarkable talent, Angelou shows that racism is a product of ignorance and prejudice, and that she has found the strength to rise above this crippling condition.
From the Paper
"Angelou encounters an entirely different world when she and her brother move to St. Louis to live with her mother and her family. Here, she encounters black people like her mother and grandmother, who actually have some power in the community, and who live an entirely different life than the rural life in Arkansas. They have jobs, make relatively decent money, and do not live in abject poverty. However, they are also violent, engage in illegal activities, and ultimately her mother's boyfriend molests and then rapes Angelou, then threatens her with killing her beloved brother if she every tells an adult. This leads to a long period of time where she refuses to speak to anyone. She writes of this time, "There was an army of adults, whose motives and movements I just couldn't understand and who made no effort to understand mine".
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Alice Walker's "Everyday Use", 2008.
A review of the book "Everyday Use" by the African American author Alice Walker, famous for her novel "The Color Purple".
1,418 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 47.95
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Abstract
The paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker. Specifically, the paper discusses the character of Dee in the story, and what she needs to learn to become a better person. In this short story, Dee, the sophisticated sister, is whiter than she is black, even though she changes her name to the African Wangero. The paper notes that even with her African name, her clothing, her speech, and her Muslim inclinations, these are not her real racial heritage.
From the Paper
"Walker depicts Dee as self-centered and arrogant. She is the one who gets the nice clothes to wear, while Maggie simply does not care about clothing and style. Walker writes, "At sixteen she had a style of her own: and knew what style was". In addition, Dee obtains the education and the tools she needs to break away from her rural roots. Dee is ashamed of her family and where she comes from, and acts as if it is a miracle for her to bother to visit at all. When she does visit, it is simply to show off and to take things, like the quilts and the butter churn; she can use to impress the people back in the city. Dee has become a snob and has thrown away the roots of her family and her rich culture. She cannot see it, but she acts whiter than she does black. If anyone pointed her behavior out, she would certainly disagree, since she is so adamant she is totally in touch with her black heritage. Walker points this out when she writes about Dee's sudden interest in the quilts, "I didn't want to bring up how I had offered Dee a quilt when she went away to college. Then she had told they were old-fashioned, out of style". Because of this, she seems fake and insincere, and certainly does not value the love of her family and the vibrancy of her family's traditions and heritage."
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"The Joy Luck Club", 2008.
An analysis of the conflicts between generations and cultures in "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan.
1,666 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 5 sources, APA, $ 54.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how, in the context of the Woos, Jongs, Hsus, and St. Clairs in Amy Tan's book, "The Joy Luck Club", the tension between mothers and daughters is greater than just a change in generations. It discusses how the mothers are all first generation immigrants from Mainland China and how the values their daughters learn and adopt from the contemporary American society are very different and challenging. The paper further explores what kind of healing is needed to provide these families with some common ground and understanding between generations and what could be done to bring about a better relationship between mothers and daughters. In addition, the paper also proposes a concept to heal the alienation between the rift between the daughters and their mothers in the book.
From the Paper
"The Joy Luck Club daughters are so impressed with this presentation, they immediately plan to put on a play just for their own families and for their immediate community of Chinese-Americans and close Caucasian friends. They know how much their mothers and their ancestors respected Confucius and the Buddha. The play they wrote embraced the teachings of Confucius in the play, and it was designed to show their mothers they have the same respect for Chinese cultural history as they do for American cultural history. The play will remind listeners that much of what Confucius taught to the Chinese community represented a dramatic departure from the ideas and practices of his day, just like many of the cultural rituals in America are a departure to Chinese immigrants. "
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