The Polished Hoe Analysis - 945 Words

There are shared assumptions that have developed overtime as a means of understanding the world, which are unique in every culture; these are commonly referred to as social constructions. In The Polished Hoe, written by Austin Clarke, these constructions become clear, in efforts to shed light on the inequalities that plague habitants of the Caribbean who inherited specific invariable traits. In the land of Bimshire, Barbados as we know it, being classified as anything other than a landowning white male, comes with a host of prejudices that deems one to a lifetime of indirect servitude. Gender is a clear barrier that decides whether someone becomes a wealthy citizen, or a submissive spouse at the mercy of her superior. Hence, the untold†¦show more content†¦And how to bury them. Inside their hearts. Concealed in their blood. They were strong women, then. Tough women. Women who gave birth in the fields today, and returned to raise their hoe and lift their load two afternoons l ater; wthin fourty-eight hours. In the same fields. Yes† (37). Throughout the Caribbean, the small population of white people controlled the majority of the wealth. Like everywhere else in the world, money is directly associated with power and social class. Women being seen as men’s inferiors, rather than their partners, is a social construction that plagues areas that have been affected by colonialism. That puts black women at the bottom of the social latter, with wealthy white men at the to; consequently, black women were viewed as disposable. Aside from gender, race played a huge role in deciding someone’s social class. Although race in the Caribbean is viewed differently than in the United States, darkness still comes with the same negative realities. Being of lighter complexion comes with better economic opportunity, and envy for darker counterparts. This is perpetuated because of colonization. White men became in places of power, and natives begin to connect prosperity with Eurocentric traits. Seeing that themselves prevented women from becoming successful, the only way they could provide a virtuous life for their child was to marry someone of a

Essay on Wilson’s League of Nations and Its Legacy

Wilson’s League of Nations and Its Legacy As much of the world lay in shambles as the closing to the War to End All Wars approached, President Woodrow Wilson contemplated the global state of affairs. In his Fourteen Points, Wilson expresses his desire for â€Å"a just and stable peace† and outlines ways in which to accomplish it. One of his points—the fourteenth—suggests the creation of a group of nations with a common purpose. As his idea took root, it grew into the League of Nations. Despite good intentions, the League of Nations proved too weak to be effective at the outbreak of World War II. Even though the League itself failed, the legacy of its framework and missions live on in the current international system, most obviously in the†¦show more content†¦Doing so would further one of Wilson’s goals: â€Å"to make the world safe for democracy† (Mingst 51). Though it is usually true that the only sure thing in life is change, the goals of the international community have not wavered. The passage of time has seen many generations, conflicts, and leaders, yet the desire for international security and peace remains steadfast. It is this constancy that has allowed the framework and organizational mechanics of the League of Nations to be recycled into a new but fundamentally similar entity—the United Nations. Though the two entities are not exactly the same, the rebirth of the League of Nations as the much stronger United Nations is evident. Even just a superficial comparison of the Covenant of the League of Nations with the Charter of the United Nations leads to recognition of their similarity. The preambles of the documents of both organizations set almost identical primary goals—â€Å"to promote international co-operation and to achieve international peace and security†Ã¢â‚¬â€and cite the same ways to go about achie ving this goal. The tragedy and horror that resulted from World War I left a bitter taste in the mouths of people worldwide. In order to prevent such events from happening again, President Wilson desired to form a group of nations dedicated to the preservation of international peace. This group—theShow MoreRelatedThe Great Presidents By Woodrow Wilson Essay1281 Words   |  6 PagesPresidential greatness isn’t necessarily determined just by success or remembrance, but is determined by the ideas that a president has and how it impacts the people. Each president sets out with an agenda to accomplish and to leave a legacy behind, however, only few presidents are remembered, celebrated, and taught about. The history of great presidents often correlates to time of war for America. This is because great presidents often emerge to the people in times of crisis, such as wars. Of theRead MoreThe Antitrust Act Of Woodrow Wilson1532 Words   |  7 Pagesand competition (First Inaugural Address , online). His success lies in the work the FTC did to protect the interests of small businesses and consumers then, and the work they continue to do to protect us from more modern threats such as hackers. Wilson’s failures began when he entered foreign policy. Over the course of his presidency, the U.S. was involved in Nicaragua, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico and various other countries, the greatest intervention occurring in our southern neighbor’sRead MoreWoodrow Wilson s President Of The United States1476 Words   |  6 Pagesknown as the President who led our nation through the First World War Wilson also happens to be well remembered through Wilson’s famous Fourteen Points. President Wilson had also led America through important events on the domestic front and in her foreign affairs. Almost every American has heard of President Thomas Woodrow Wilson as his legacy is still seen in America today as all his choices had a significant effect on America and her future. During President Wilson’s presidential terms, American IndustryRead MoreWoodrow Wilson s Vision For A League Of Nations1321 Words   |  6 Pagesshaped how he would help foreign nations. Through the proposal of the 14 point speech on new methods to dispute in worldwide affairs peacefully, and the immediate rejection by the senate, his legacy was brought in the creation of foreign countries who unite peacefully to diplomatically dispute. In relevance to time, the freshly established Soviet Russia, imposed a different view that conjugated that by the one declared by Wilson. The vision for a league of nations was conceived by the horrifyingRead MoreTheodore Roosevelt vs Woodrow Wilson Essay880 Words   |  4 Pagesforeign policies of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Which do you think was a more effective president? Why? In foreign affairs, the white mans burden helped to justify Roosevelts New Imperialism in foreign policy. 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They each had their own ideas on how peace should be achieved, but they were alike in one way though; they were both important revolutionaries of the twentieth century. Wilson’s vision for the postwar world was direct and accommodating of the entire world and was more appropriate unlike Lenin’s vision; Lenin believed peace is obtained by waging war first, a belief I believe is more realistic. Wilson believed that peaceRead MoreEssay on Woodrow Wilson1285 Words   |  6 PagesWoodrow Wilson President Woodrow Wilson’s legacy of being a peace-keeping president has lasting impression on the United States. From his great intellect and progressive reform, to the tragedy of the Great War and his hope for peace, Wilson was a strong leader through it all. Decades after his death, he is still remembered as the man that he was: an ethical and caring person who desperately wanted to better the world. It was in the beginning of the 20th century when this man finally left his markRead MoreThe United States Into World War I1368 Words   |  6 Pagesthe war even though the United States tried to remain a neutral nation, they had no choice but to join the Allies and enter into the first world war. The First World War was caused by several different happens among the nations. The European nations signed secret treaties that created a system of alliance and the leadership was poor. There were no international organizations to help them deal with the problems at large. The nations built huge armies to defend themselves and gain empires. With allRead MoreThe Beginning to World Instability: World War I956 Words   |  4 Pagesover the installation of Russian communism were among the negative legacies of World War I. Combined they would contribute to an unstable geopolitical climate inevitably leading to future world conflict. The European and Middle Eastern map changes ushered in by the Allied victors at the end of World War I were punitive and had an unfortunate effect on future world stability. The Allies determined that they would create new nations to split up the ex-German territories and ex-Ottoman Empire colonies

The Slave System By Solomon Northup - 1618 Words

The slave system was kept in existence for many years since the early 1600’s. A never ending cycle of pain, and harsh conditions From being in 12 years of slavery, Solomon Northup recounts the time when he had once been a free man to be kidnapped of that freedom back in 1841. The relationships that Northup encountered were neither positive or negative . From friends he gained or his slave masters, the relationships were shaped by slavery and helped intact the slave system. In those relationships, how the supervisors of the slaves treated them impacted the slaves work ethic and the friendships that were made during this harsh time, thus supporting the slave system. One of the first social relationship Solomon encountered when he entered slavery was James H. Burch. When Solomon was captured, Burch chained him up and put him in a cell; something Solomon was not used to at all. Although he claimed he was a free man, Burch beat him every time he said he was, and forcing Solomon to say he was from Georgia. Burch frightened Solomon with his beatings and threatening words and because of how cruel Burch was, Solomon kept his mouth shut and refused to say he was a free man to any of his future slave masters, fearing of the treatment again. With James Burch treating the slaves in that matter; implemented to the system of slavery, forcing the slaves to become who they wanted them to be. That allowed slaves to follow orders, and not to protest against the supervisor s treatment,Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Movie Twelve Years A Slave Essay1684 Words   |  7 PagesWithout slavery, America’s history would not be the same anymore. The film Twelve Years a Slave by Steve McQueen is an adaptation of the 1853 slave narrative memoir twelve Years a slave by Solomon Northup. The movie gives us just enough ideas and information how slavery was back then. With just the first few minutes, the movie already brings its audience in about slavery by opening up with a gro up of slaves receiving instruction on cutting sugar cane. The film principal message about slavery concernsRead MoreDehumanization in Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup1295 Words   |  6 Pages Solomon Northup was born free, in Minerva, New York in 1808. Northup became known in his community as an exceptional fiddle player. When two men approached Northup and offered him good wages to go to Washington DC, to play in a travelling music show, he quickly accepted. Solomon Northup was drugged, kidnapped, captured, and sold into slavery. He served for many masters; some were violent and cruel while others treated him humanely. Solomon Northup experienced shear torture, cruelty, and the lossRead MoreThe Life Of Frederick Douglass And Solomon Northup1278 Words   |  6 Pagesstrived to rid themselves from the system. However, within these numbers there were few who succeeded, and even fewer who recorded their journeys in the form of a book. The autobiographies, Twelve Years a Slave and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written by Frederick Douglass and Solomon Northup respectively, documented the lives of how their enslaved authors fought their way to freedom. The book s portrayed not only the hardships of their lives as a slave but also how they achieved resistanceRead MoreThe Slave System And The Treatment Of Slaves Essay1493 Words   |  6 PagesSlave narratives were written for several main purposes such as to present a true description of the slave system and the treatment of slaves, to show the religious ideals of the main characters, and to appeal to abolitionists by showing the common humanity of slaves. Solomon Northup’s dominant purpose in writing the narrative novel Twelve Years a Slave is to present a true description of the slave system and the treatment of slaves. This purpose is chosen over the rest because he gives a clear explanationRead MoreThe Protest Without Hatred By Solomon Northup968 Words   |  4 PagesProtest without Hatred â€Å"12 years a slave† is a book about the slavery in the pre-Civil War South. It was written based on a true story that happened to Solomon Northup who is also the author of the book. The story was a violent protestation, but also full of love without any hatred of Black people, who were being slaved for all their life. The Slavery was abolished in North America; however, it still existed in the South America at that time. Solomon Northup, a Black citizen of New York City, wasRead More12 Years A Slave : An Accurate And Verifiable Account Of The Common Slave Experience Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesHistory 2111 November 23, 2015 12 Years a Slave The film 12 Years is an accurate and verifiable account of the common slave experience in the United States in the antebellum South. 12 Years a Slave is set in the mid to late 1800s and tells a true life story of the life of Solomon Northup a free Black man sold south into slavery. He was the son of an emancipated slave. Northup was from upstate New York, and was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Northup lived, worked, and was married in upstateRead MoreSlavery Is A Terrible Thing905 Words   |  4 Pagesinto slavery, and sometimes slaves actually escape to freedom. If an African American was considered a free man, he or she had to get official documentations stating so. Even after the documents were given to them, some of them still found themselves as slaves. There are many different stories about slavery, but just because a slave escapes from slavery, does not mean he or she is free from a slave’s mindset. Although they were in different positions in life, sl aves and free African Americans experiencedRead MoreA Man With Black Skin Essay1818 Words   |  8 Pagesalso experienced the painful lash of slavery. Solomon Northup, who presumably died with the same freedoms he entered the world with, spent twelve years imprisoned in a system that he knew of, but was not familiar with. This southern slave institution proved to have infested southerners with a mindset dissimilar to the ideals of the Constitution, but rationalized it with their capitalistic and Christian culture. This same rationalization would send Northup â€Å"downriver† to a twelve-year purgatory, oneRead More12 Years a Slave and Crossing the River: Postcolonial Critique1155 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Atlantic slave trade, subsequently producing unconscious bigotry and racialized fantasies. As a postcolonial United States absconded from the political, cultural and economic ways of Great Britain, imperialism remained as a consequence of the human colonialism of slavery. S teve McQueen’s adaptation of 12 Years a Slave depicts the legacy of slavery and racism, and its relation to the African American diaspora. Through the collapse of identity and white prevalence, 12 Years a Slave subverts orderRead MoreAn Analysis Of Solomon Northup s 12 Years A Slave Essay1370 Words   |  6 PagesSolomon Northup, in his autobiography 12 Years A Slave, uses religious language to depict the horrendous nature of institutional slavery and slaveholders. In specific, the primary use of religious language in Northup’s autobiography is to express his and many other slaves’ sufferings and subjugation, to present the biblical justification adopted by slaveholders to mistreat their slaves, and to convey the significance of religion to him and the African American slaves; therefore, religious language

Discuss An Issue Of International Concern And Its Importance To You Essay Example For Students

Discuss An Issue Of International Concern And Its Importance To You Essay It was easy to empathize with Andy Dufresne and the other prisoners in The Shawshank Redemption as they suffered in their prison cells, I suffered while watching the movie. It was not because I disliked the film far from it. But while the prisoners in the movie were serving their sentences in Shawshank Prison, I served my own three hour sentence for drinking five cups of fruit punch before entering the theatre. When the credits finally began to scroll, I strode quickly to the mens room, opened the door and found, to my dismay, that all seven urinals were already occupied. Well, not exactly. There were only four people using the urinals a person at every other one. Although there was a considerable line of guys eagerly awaiting the opportunity to relieve themselves, the three odd urinals remained unused. I did not dare to use one of the unoccupied urinals. Instead, I waited my turn along with the two dozen other men ahead of me. I reached the urinal a scant few seconds before losing c ontrol. Why is it that the middle urinals in mens restrooms remain tacitly forbidden? Whether a set of urinals is in an executive washroom or in the train stations public washroom, no man dares to use a urinal located next to a urinal in use. There seems to be no rational explanation for this, and it bothers me that this issue is given so little attention. Some men claim they just want a bit of privacy. An understandable reason, to be sure, but it lacks substantiation. In the mens restroom of a particular gym close to my home, there are 3 urinals. As one might expect, the middle urinal remains unused. If privacy is the reason for this, why do the men at the gym shower together? There are no barriers whatsoever in the showers, nor are the urinals separated from the shower room. On busy days, all shower heads are used, and these same men who shower together refuse to relieve themselves while standing next to one another. So much for the privacy excuse. The issue is even more confounding when one learns that this is an international phenomenon. The every-other-one rule is not limited to developed countries where public restrooms are common; my father grew up in a tiny village in India and told me that Indian men relieve themselves at every other tree, even though there is plenty of distance between adjacent trees. The whole situation becomes even more ludicrous when it is learned these same men bathe together in the river!Granted, there is a high degree of levity in an issue such as this. But when one considers how many people suffer on a daily basis, we move from amusement to acute discomfort. Undoubtedly, men can empathize with each other, for we all know the feeling of squeezing our legs together and hopping from foot to foot while waiting for an isolated urinal to become available. Women must surely understand the agony of waiting there are always ridiculously long lines in front of womens restrooms. This issue is not one I alone deem important; it has probably crossed the mind of nearly every person who has ever had to wait. The primary reason for its importance to me can be stated simply: waiting for facilities is decidedly uncomfortable. It is absurd that I, as well as nearly every male who has ever used a public facility, must suffer from holding it in when there is an unused urinal in the restroom; I would make a brazen attempt to use this urinal, but I fear the incredulous looks my bathroom comrades would give me. The every-other-one rule piques my curiosity not only because of its lack of substantiation, but because it is an excellent reflection of humanitys other quirks. Why is it that we lock our car doors while keeping the windows rolled down? Why do we push the up button on the elevator control pad immediately after seeing someone else push it? If I can find out why it is socially unacceptable to stand next to another man while in the rest room, maybe the elusive answe rs to the rest of these imponderable questions will also become apparent. Until then, I will only watch movies with generous intermissions.