Similarities Between Dana And Alice - 1015 Words

Have you ever been told that you and a friend are practically the same person? Something similar to this happens to Dana and Alice in Octavia Butler’s novel, Kindred. In Butler’s novel, Dana is a young black woman living in 1976. Next thing she knows, she time travels back to the antebellum South. Dana is given the task of saving her several times great grandfather, Rufus Weylin, from multiple life threatening situations. Along the way she meets her several times great grandmother, Alice, who is a young free black woman. In her novel, Kindred, Octavia Butler compares and contrasts Dana and Alice to show the theme that people will do anything in order to survive. Both Dana and Alice have to become slaves on a plantation, run away for a life of freedom, and tolerate the treatment of Rufus. One similarity between Dana and Alice is that they both must become slaves on a plantation. In the novel Dana is a free and independent woman. After she time travels back to the early 1 800s, she has to save Rufus from multiple situations to ensure that his daughter, Hagar, is born and her family tree stays intact. This means she will be spending a lot of time in 1800s Maryland. Dana must act as a slave in order to keep her identity of being a time traveler a secret. â€Å"We’re going to have to fit in as best as we can with the people here for as long as we stay. This means we are going to have to play the roles you gave us† (65). In this conversation Dana is telling her husband and RufusShow MoreRelated`` Kindred, By Octavia Butler1624 Words   |  7 PagesIn Octavia Butler’s novel, Kindred, Butler presents to the reader the controversial character of Rufus Weylin, a white plantation owner who is also the ancestor of the novel’s protagonist, Dana. As the story progresses, Rufus commits various heinous and agreeable acts that would have the reader question his innate goodness, or lack thereof. Butler never explicitly states whether Ruf us is naturally good or inherently evil, but, through a number of incidents that merge to illustrate his true characterRead More`` Kindred, She Challenges Humanity, And Racism1364 Words   |  6 Pagessending Dana through time, it highlighted the similarities and differences between characters and symbolic meanings. The theme of this novel is answering the question to â€Å"what if† a black woman, raised with rights, had to endure slavery? What tactics would she use in order to survive? Many people cannot imagine the agonies slavery has caused, not only to blacks, but everyone including loss of freedom, family, loved ones and self. The interracial couples in the novel, Dana and Kevin; Alice and RufusRead MoreThe, The Fire, And The Rope1791 Words   |  8 PagesBy far Dana showed the most relevance to the novel. She impacted on Rufus s decisions and made him think for himself. Dana is an African American woman in her late 20 s teleporting back in time during the antebell um to her old ancestors, which later she discovers about, and also is considered a slave. Dana has connected to every character throughout the novel. Rufus, Sarah, Alice and many more. Throughout her journey to Maryland during the 1700’s and 1800’s she learned many things, like believingRead MoreTo Keep from Crying: Reviewing Stories of Love and Marriage by Female Authors1721 Words   |  7 Pagesabundance of similarities found in Margaret Atwoods Happy Endings, Alice Munros How I Met My Husband, and Wendy Copes Lonely Hearts. Atwood and Copes works are satirical to the point of resembling farces, while Munroes short story is a moving tale of first love that is decidedly serious in its treatment of the motifs of emotions, sensuality, and the relationships between men, women and girls. Yet all of these works are primarily concerned with romantic relationships between the sexes, andRead MoreForgiveness Found in Poetry, Drama, and Fiction856 Words   |  3 Pagesnot alo ne!† or â€Å"It isn’t just me!† this in itself was therapeutic. In Alice Walker’s short story, Everyday Use, Mama, a black woman living in the south, has two daughters. The youngest, Maggie, still lives at home while, Dee, the oldest never returned after going off to college. As the two await Dee’s visit, Mama daydreams of an encounter with Dee on a television show. This encounter made me chuckle seeing the similarities in Dee and my oldest daughter as Mama stated, â€Å"†¦I am the way my daughterRead MoreA Step Toward Improvement Of Women s Rights2278 Words   |  10 PagesA Step toward Improvement Women’s rights have been progressing in the United States thanks to leaders such as Alice Paul, Rosa parks, and Sojourner Truth. Alice Paul, founder of The National Women’s Party fought for women’s suffrage. Rosa Parks, known as the mother of the freedom, was an African-American civil rights activist. Sojourner Truth delivered a speech known as â€Å"Ain’t I a Woman† which talks about inequities for women. These women have allowed their ideas on equal rights to influenceRead MoreStrategic Human Resource Management View.Pdf Uploaded Successfully133347 Words   |  534 Pagesand training their replacements. Likewise, there is less incentive to provide training or make other investments in them. A respected human resource scholar described the existing state of affairs as follows: I am constantly amazed at the contrast between the concern that strategists show for potential capital costs and the casual indifference they tend to display toward poten tial human resource costs (until, of course, the latter have gotten completely out of hand).1 Page 2 STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCERead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageslived, how they earned their livings, and their unprecedented ability to move about the globe. Moya and McKeown set the patterns of migration in the twentieth century against those extending back millennia, and they compare in imaginative ways the similarities and differences among diverse flows in different geographical areas and across ethnic communities and social strata. They consider not only the nature, volume, and direction of migrant movements motivated primarily by opportunities for economicRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesPerception? 166 Factors That Influence Perception 167 165 Person Perception: Making Judgments About Others 168 Attribution Theory 168 †¢ Common Shortcuts in Judging Others 170 †¢ Specific Applications of Shortcuts in Organizations 173 The Link Between Perception and Individual Decision Making 174 Decision Making in Organizations 175 The Rational Model, Bounded Rationality, and Intuition 175 †¢ Common Biases and Errors in Decision Making 177 Influences on Decision Making: Individual Differences andRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesthis edition. Finally, and most importantly, we express appreciation to our families for their ongoing patience and support, which is reflected in their willingness to share their time with this competing â€Å"labor of love† and to forgive our own gaps between common sense and common practice. David A. Whetten Kim S. Cameron PREFACE xxi This page intentionally left blank MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   ââ€"   The Critical Role of Management Skills The Importance of Competent Managers

Essay about Influences that Have Shaped American Literature

Influences that Have Shaped American Literature There have been a number of influences that have shaped American literature. From the time that Western Europeans founded the country to the inclusion of Native American lore to the contributions of such literary giants as Mark Twain and Carol Sandburg, the composition of American Literature has been both constant and ever changing. In deed as much as America, itself, is a melting pot of diversity within a cultural concern, so too is this considerable diversity a significant aspect of its emerging literature. Grantland S. Rice, author of The Transformation of Authorship in America, contends that the ultimate composition of American literature is fundamentally based upon a combination†¦show more content†¦(Rice 12) Inasmuch as Rice attributes life’s influences as an integral component of American literature, so too does one of America’s greatest authors: Mark Twain. His Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, thought to be too racy for its own period, has always been received with mixed acceptance even in contemporary times. Capturing the American soul at its utmost depths, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn touches upon a number of unprecedented issues because of the shock value such a book portrays, it has been both embraced and banned for its content. However, it is this very content that has made it one of the most essential aspects of American Literature, as Twain was not afraid to depict America without rose-colored glasses. It has been called offensive, unpatriotic, racist and a whole host of other uncomplimentary terms; however, it has been – and continues to be – instrumental in describing the sometimes unsavory truth, As the author so eloquently stated to America: â€Å"This is how you are, like it or not† (Smith). As difficult as it has been for Americans to accept the fact that Twain’s account mirrors a harsh reality, the implications of such social atrocities as racism are painfully clear both in written representation as will as in real life. In fact, it can be argued that Adventures of Huckleberry Finn not only symbolizes what it means to be part of the AmericanShow MoreRelatedAmerican Literature in the Period between 1914-1945887 Words   |  4 PagesMany writers of the period 1914-1945, changed and shaped the American literary landscape by the country’s changing of the man ufacturing industries, advancement in technologies and the uprooting of many citizens. This era became committed to steering America back to a prewar way of life. Writers were associated with high modernism, objectivist and confessional movement that emerged post World War II. There was a major change socially, politically and culturally emerging multicultural perspectivesRead MorePuritanism in American Literature Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesPuritanism in American Literature The Puritans had a large influence in American literature and still influence moral judgment and religious beliefs in the United States to this day. Puritan writing was used to glorify God and to relate God more directly to our world. Puritan literature was commonly a realistic approach to life. â€Å"Puritanism as a historical phenomenon and as a living presence in American life has enriched American literature in ways far too numerous to detail here.† (GRead MoreNative American And American Literature Essay1351 Words   |  6 PagesIn all my years of studying literature while living in America, I have only one memory of ever having read anything Native American, and that was in grade school. Native American literature is typically left out of studies in general American Literature, although there do exist plenty of programs for studying these types of narratives separately and individually. It has yet to become a prominent area of study and there a differing reasons as to why this is. Part of the lack of study in this subjectRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Policies Essay1312 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican foreign policy relates to what is done in foreign countries by the United States of America. The foreign policies include controlling of the governments of fo reign countries or setting some rules in those countries. The foreign policy of America has always been changing all through the US existence. The changes have stemmed from the dynamics of exogenous and substantial influences of watershed up to the international system and also the effects and changes of endogenous inside the governmentRead MoreMat 540 Ash Course Tutorial/Tutorialrank Essay1311 Words   |  6 PagesPoll MAT 540 Week 1 DQ 2 Qualitative vs. Quantitative MAT 540 Week 2 DQ 1 Scatter Plot MAT 540 Week 2 DQ 2 Correlation and Causation MAT 540 Week 3 DQ 1 Actuaries MAT 540 Week 3 DQ 2 Probability Video Analysis MAT 540 Week 4 DQ 1 Normal or Bell-Shaped Curve MAT 540 Week 4 DQ 2 Standardized Testing MAT 540 Week 5 DQ 1 Repeated Sampling MAT 540 Week 5 DQ 2 Confidence Intervals MAT 540 Week 6 DQ 1 Statistical Concept MAT 540 Week 6 Final Paper --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read MoreAmerican Foreign Policy During The United States Essay1315 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Foreign Policy American foreign policy relates to what is done in foreign countries by the United States of America. The foreign policies include controlling of the governments of foreign countries or setting some rules in those countries. The foreign policy of America has always been changing all through the US existence. The changes have stemmed from the dynamics of exogenous and substantial influences of watershed up to the international system and also the effects and changes of endogenousRead MoreManifestation of Latin-American Gender Roles in American Media1220 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Manifestation of Latin Gender Roles in American Media Objective The objective of this study is to examine the manifestation of Latin gender roles in American Media. Towards this end, this study will examine the literature in this area of inquiry. Introduction Gender roles are reported to be generally defined as sex-based categories that specify appropriate rules of conduct for males and females in a particular culture or society. Although grounded in biological differences between males andRead MorePlymouth Plantation By Jonathan Edwards And William Bradford Essay1473 Words   |  6 Pagesmain influence from history has been from a religious standpoint. Common religious beliefs have been ingrained into our government bodies and even into our every day culture and tendencies. Religion has made a major impact on American lively hood since the early days of settlement. Due to Americas strong religious ties, religion has been ingrained in our literature, influencing and directing our culture. The writers Jonathan Edwards and William Bradford have had a major influence on American cultureRead MoreEffects Of Social Class On British Literature1113 Words   |  5 Pagesconflicts in British/World Literature made a significant impact throughout t he history of literature. The effects of social conflict throughout literature dictates the lives and how they shape literature within novels and throughout the world. Social class in British Literature had a tremendous presence and the force of class difference in literature are self evident. Which leads a reader to ask â€Å" How did social class affect literature?† and â€Å" What was its purpose on literature?† The goal of this paperRead MoreLiterature And Everyday Life : Toni Morrison s The Dark, And White Privilege And Male Privilege Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pagesplays in literature to its looming existence in our everyday lives, race has an undeniable influence on many aspects of our lives. Toni Morrison and Peggy McIntosh, a writer and an activist respectively, both have the urge to understand this presence and impact of race in literature and everyday life specifically. Through self-reflection and attempts to see from others’ perspectives, both Morrison and McIntosh manage to answer their own questions regarding race and its role in literature and everyday

Philosophy Of Matematics And Language Essay Example For Students

Philosophy Of Matematics And Language Essay Throughout its history mankind has wondered about his place in the universe. In fact, second only to the existence of God, this subject is the most frequent topic of philo-sophical analysis. However, these two questions are very similar, to the point that in some philosophical analyses the questions are synonymous. In these particular philoso-phies, God takes the form of the universe itself or, more accurately, the structure and function of the universe. In any case, rather than conjecturing that God is some omnipo-tent being, supporters of this philosophy expound upon another attribute habitually asso-ciated with the Man Upstairs: His omniscience. That particular word, omniscience, is broken down to semantic components and taken literally: science is the pursuit of knowl-edge, and God is the possession of all knowledge. This interpretation seems very rigor-ous but has some unfortunate side effects, one of them being that any pursuit of knowl-edge is in fact a pursuit to become as Go d or be a god (lower case ?g?). To avoid this drawback, philosophers frequently say that God is more accurately described as the knowledge itself, rather than the custody of it. According to this model, knowledge is the language of the nature, the ?pure language? that defines the structure and function of the universe. There are many benefits to this approach. Most superficially, classifying the structure and function of the universe as a language allows us to apply lingual analysis to the philosophy of God. The benefits, however, go beyond the superficial. This subtle modification makes the pursuit of knowledge a function of its usage rather than its pos-session, implying that one who has knowledge sees the universe in its naked truth. Knowledge becomes a form of enlightenment, and the search for it becomes more admi-rable than narcissistic. Another fortunate by-product of this interpretation is its universal applicability: all forms of knowledge short of totality are on the way to becoming spiritu-ally fit. This model of the spiritual universe is in frequent use today because it not only gives legitimacy to science, but it exalts it to the most high. The pedantic becomes the cream of the societal crop and scientists become holy men. Its completely consistent with the belief that mans ability to a ttain knowledge promotes him over every other spe-cies on Earth, and it sanctions the stratification of a society based on scholarship, a mold that has been in use for some time. Now that weve defined the structure and function of the universe as knowledge, we must now further analyze our definition by analyzing knowledge itself. If the society is stratified by knowledge, there must be some competent way of measuring the quantity of knowledge an individual possesses, which means one must have a very articulate and rigorous notion of knowledge. At first glance, one would think that knowledge was sim-ply the understanding of the universe through the possession of facts about it. This un-derstanding creates problems, however, because it now becomes necessary to stratify knowledge, to say that this bit of information is inherently ?better? than that one. This question was first answered using utility as a metric, but it became obsolete because util-ity is too relative. A new, more practical answer was eventually found: rather than meas-uring knowledge, we should measure intellect, the ability to attain knowledge. Even though this has the same problem of stratific ation, its overlooked because philosophers believe that they know the best way to pursue knowledge. To them, the language of complete understanding is logical inference. If one can state a set of facts in the simplis-tic linear progression of statements using logical connectors, the information is in its most readily understandable form. The philosophers used this convention to rigorize mathe-matics, the rigorization process became associated with it, and logic suddenly became mathematical logic. The name stuck, as people refer to the process by that name to this day. The previous analytic development is the essence of the modern understanding of the natural universe. It starts from the fundamental belief in a deity and transforms it into this mathematical logic, a system of communication that according to our summation minimizes the number of justifiable interpretations, therefore standardizing the universe. There are some limitations to this approach, however. The rationale is, by its very nature, a logical development: it constructs a functional model of the pure language that is con-sistent (i.e., free of contradiction). Therefore, the pure language inherits any limitations of logic by definition?in other words, it assumes that the pure language is (a subset of) logic. Secondly, even though its very rigorous in its approach, it presents pure language as an inherent truth viewed through the lens of mathematical logic, as opposed to pure language being synonymous with mathematical logic. This is an important but distinc-tion, but its subtle temp eraments cause it to be frequently overlooked. Beowulf Vs. Grendal EssayThe problem with such a modification to our definitions is that it isnt consistent with our practice. Because mathematical logic (or our conception of it at least) is a lan-guage, it has evolved considerably from its definition. Now, math excursions arent per-formed through discovery, but through construction: mathematicians state axioms (as-sumptions) and definitions, and logically derive all of mathematical from them. Mathe-maticians believe this process to be more rigorous than any other method of proof in that, aside from the ubiquitous set of axioms (axioms are a necessary part of every construc-tion), its logically impeccable. The quest for the truth has become a secondary concern, and the quest for the logically consistent has ran to the top of our list of priorities. For example, in the widely-accepted construction of the field of analysis (one of three ex-haustive subcategories of math), arithmetic involving infinity is defined in such a way that i s inconsistent with what we know from other mathematical excursions to be true:It may seem strange to define 0 ? ? = 0. However, one verifies without diffi-culty that with this definition the commutative, associative, and distributive laws hold on without any restriction. (Rudin, p.18)This reveals a subtle but intrinsic difference between the pure language of the universe (i.e., the truth) and mathematical logic in practice today. Another aspect of the logical construction that distinguishes it from the pure lan-guage is the linear progression. By its very nature, every logical argument is linear in its development: A implies B, implies C, implies D, etc. But, every line has a beginning, i.e., every logical construction has a beginning, a group of definitions and axioms from which all other results derive. (This seemingly obvious fact was stated earlier and even-tually logically proven.) Therefore, its necessary to first define, for example, what ? is exactly, and derive all other mathematical relationships involving ? from that. However, since the development states exact the nature of ?, all other results are not much more than mathematical coincidences; they become part of what is ? only in another construc-tion, where these facts are taken into account in the definition. This is not true of the pure language: as has become more and more apparent in science since the 1950s (and the new mathematics that arou se from it), nature is very non-linear. This means that there is no beginning or end to the truth: the number ? can be (intrinsically) many things at once, because there is no definition that nails down one interpretation of ?. Even though mathematical logic can be used to see the truth, the truth becomes unavoidably biased by it. There are many shortcomings of logic that keep it from being the pure language, the absolute truth, the Man Upstairs. Yet and still we have embraced this theology whole-heartedly (if not consciously, through societal conditioning). Our desire to com-pletely understand the universe (along with our belief that we can completely understand the universe) has blinded us into accepting falsehoods as facts. We dont have to scrap the whole idea of logic all together; we must, however, understand that logic isnt neces-sarily the truth, and always is neither the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Mathematics