Black Betty by William Huddie Essay

In 1939 the Musicraft Recording Label released a record which included the track, â€Å"Black Betty† by William Huddie Leadbetter better known as â€Å"Lead Belly. † â€Å"Black Betty† had been said to be originated as far back as the 18th century or the early 1930’s. Lead Belly was the first one to ever commercially record it however, giving him most of the credit for the song. Lead Belly was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced. It was recorded acapella with just Lead Belly singing and clapping on the 4th beat in the 12 bar blues style song. The form is kind of AABCDEAA, where each verse begins and ends with â€Å"Whoa, Black Betty (Bam-Ba-Lam). † At the end of each line Lead Belly also repeats the phrase â€Å"Bam-Ba-Lam. † Although this song did gain some popularity in the early 1940’s because of Lead Belly, it really gained the world’s attention in 1977 when a band by the name of Ram Jam recorded it. Ram Jam was an east coast band formed in the mid 70’s. Its members consisted of Bill Bartlett (guitar), Howie Blauvelt (bass), Peter Charles (drums), Myke Scavone (lead vocals, guitar), and Jimmy Santoro (guitar). The song was released on their self-titled debut album Ram Jam in 1977. It reached the #7 position in the UK singles chart in September 1977. The single also reached #18 on the singles chart in the US. The album reached #34 in the Billboard Pop Albums chart in the US. Even though â€Å"Black Betty† shot Ram Jam to stardom overnight, it also brought along much controversy because of its lyrical meanings. Since this song has been said to have been originated back in the 18th century, the lyrics’ meaning has changed numerous amount of times. The origin and meaning of the lyrics are subject to debate. Some sources claim the song is derived from an 18th century marching cadence about a flint-lock rifle with a black head-stock; the â€Å"bam-ba-lam† lyric referring to the sound of the gunfire. Soldiers in the field were said to be â€Å"hugging Black Betty†. In this interpretation, the rifle was superseded by its â€Å"child†, a rifle known as a â€Å"Brown Bess†. Other sources claim the term was a contemporary reference for a prostitute, a prison bullwhip, heroin or the â€Å"paddywagon†. Lead Belly was said to have been incarcerated a number of times so the second meaning rather than the interpretation about the flint lock rifle seems more accurate in his case. A more in depth look at the lyrics could possibly say that the song is about a black woman who lives in Alabama by herself. She was young and made a couple wrong decisions like drinking, drugs, and having a one-night stand with somebody. This caused her to conceive a child that she wasn’t ready for. She wasn’t ready for the responsibilities of being a mother. Her child was out of control because of all the drinking and drugs she had done prior to having it. It was hard to be a single black woman and a mother in the south so the easiest thing she could do was to sell her body as a prostitute. The man in the song talks about how whenever he needs her she will be ready waiting for him. This is the kind of interpretation that gave Ram Jam much criticism and controversy. Members of the NAACP and other groups such as them were very angry saying the song degrades black women. Ram Jam just always said it’s not leaning towards race, it’s basically just having a good time with girl, whether a prostitute or not, and taking drugs such as speed which would go along with the line â€Å"She really gets me high. † Analyzing the musical aspect of the song is much easier than the lyrical because I is pretty straight forward. The poetic devices in this song are kind of repeating because the song isn’t that long. â€Å"Black Betty† has an AA, BB, CC rhyme scheme. The stanza is â€Å"whoa Black Betty (Bam-ba-Lam)† which is repeated 10x’s throughout the song (lines 1, 2, 8, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, & 24). The song is really just three verses so there is a lot of pure instrumental with miniature solos by all the instruments. The instruments used were, 3 guitars, a bass, and drums. The drummer keeps the beat throughout the first 35 seconds of the song with the hi-hat cymbal by hitting on all four beats by itself for the first 10 seconds but for the rest of the 35 seconds the guitars and bass come in to play the bridge. The crash cymbal then comes in with guitars and bass stopping and lyrics are sung and the crash cymbal is hit on beats 2 and 4, the back beat, and the hi-hat now hits on beats 1 and 3. This back beat is used widely through rock, hard rock, and especially by all forms of metal. Although it was used efore this song came out, â€Å"Black Betty† definitely highlighted the use of the backbeat. During this first verse, and the other 2 verses also, it is just the drummer and the singer with the guitars and bass coming in and just playing between every 2nd and 3rd beat. Once the verse is over however the tempo speeds up and the showcase of guitars begins. Once the second verse begins, it goes back to the drums and singer but once this second verse ends, the tempo speeds to double time beginning with a drum solo into guitar solos for a solid 1:35. Once that 2:50 part hits the song takes a turn towards an easy groove feel with the tempo going back to the way it was in the beginning. At 3:05 however the tempos speeds up a little bit and plays the bridge that it had played before the first verse was sung. At 3:30, the third and final verse is sung just like the other two with the drummer playing that same crash cymbal on beats 2 and 4 and the hi-hat on 1 and 3. Once the third verse is done, they play about 10 seconds of an outro and the song is over. Although lyrically the song is pretty simple, I believe if you can perfect a simple song, it will make it great and with the guitar, bass, and drums that Ram Jam had put into this song to accompany the lyrics, it is a great song. You can obviously see that they were influenced by Lead Belly, but also by early rock bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eagles, Kansas, and ZZ Top because it’s that southern rock sound and feel that those bands made famous. Since Ram Jam released â€Å"Black Betty† it not only put their name on the map but also rocketed that song to tons of movies and TV shows. It will go down as one of the best rock songs of all time.

Similarities Between Two Different Tragedies Essay

It is easy to notice a similarity on the surface of two things that look alike, but when two stories are completely different in their content, it is not easy to detect a similarity. For instance, after we read for the first time â€Å"The Necklace† by Guy De Maupassant and â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† by Mary Flannery O’Connor, we cannot connect these two tragedies together. Both were written in a different time by different authors, and they end in a different way. However, if we study deeply both stories, we can find their similarities even though their contexts are different. Although â€Å"The Necklace† and â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† are different tragedies, both of them focus on their main characters that suffer from pride, are manipulative,†¦show more content†¦In spite of all the differences between these characters, we can see that both of them suffer from pride. Mathilde wanted to be more important than anybody like th e grandmother in the other story. Mathilde wanted to look as important as she believed she was even if she did not have money. She was sure that she born to be rich. Mathilde only thought about her pain and never thought about what her husband wanted. Moreover, in the story â€Å"The Necklace† we cannot see that Mathilde when she was at the party thought if her husband was tired or was enjoying the party. She was just happy being there, and it was the only thing that she cared. We perceive the same with the grandmother in the other story â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† because the grandmother was sure that she was important, and probably she came from an important family. We can see it when she told her grandchildren that the little Negro child did not have what they have. Also, the grandmother only cared about herself. She did not care if the family wanted to go to Florida. She only thought about wanting to go to Tennessee and visiting her friends. Also, when the Mi sfit was about to kill the family, she only cared about her life. As a result of the pride, both characters became manipulative to get what they wanted. Mathilde always was sad because she did not have the money and the importance that she wanted, so her husband Mr. Loisel find invitations to an important party to see her happy;Show MoreRelatedEssay on Comedy vs. Tragedy876 Words   |  4 Pagesworks, the most popular styles were comedies and tragedies. These polar opposites appealed to many because of the way they brought the story to life. The same story written in both of these styles could have a completely different effect on the audience based on the style used. Although completely dissimilar, the two styles did have some similarities, which kept them in the Shakespearian style. Shakespeare’s more widely known comedy and tragedy, The Twelfth Night and Macbeth, respectively, areRead MoreMedea and Othello1559 Words   |  7 PagesTwo tragedies from two different tim e period, Medea and Othello show similarities and differences in their characters, story plots and settings. Euripedes’ Medea written in the classical period and Shakespeare’s Othello written in the romantic era, the two tragedies shows different feel of what tragedies are. First of all, the most obvious difference between these two play is how Medea shows unities (time, place and action) whilst Othello has none. It’s clearly shown in the first scene, as soonRead MoreThe Characters Of Foils In William Shakespeares Hamlet860 Words   |  4 Pagessimilar but tends to have key qualities that distinguish the two apart from each other. When an author uses a foil in literature they are emphasizing not only strengths and weaknesses the main character poses, but also understanding the obvious as well as hidden aspects of their lives.   In the Shakespeares tragedy, Hamlet, William Shakespeares applies foils to explore morality and social ethics and how to answer the overall question of the tragedy, what it means to be a human and what happens after deathRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Tragedy Essay1428 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is Tragedy? As defined on the Literary Devices website, tragedy in literature refers to a series of unfortunate events by which one or more of the literary characters in the story undergo several misfortunes, which finally culminate into a disaster of â€Å"epic proportions†. The website also states that tragedy is generally built up in 5 stages: a) happy times, b) the introduction of a problem, c) the problem worsens to a crisis or dilemma, d) the characters are unable to prevent theRead MoreComparing Shakespeare s Oedipus The King And Death Of A Salesman 1738 Words   |  7 PagesCOMPARING TRAGEDIES THROUGHOUT TIME By Daniel Konshak What is a tragedy? Merriam-Webster dictionary defines tragedy as a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force, such as destiny, and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that elicits pity or terror. Two such examples of literary tragedies are â€Å"Oedipus the King† by Sophocles and â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller. Although written over 2000 years apart, there are many similarities betweenRead MoreComparing Oedipus Rex And Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1255 Words   |  6 Pagesa. Tragedy†¦ we all will go through this at least once in our lifetime. It is inevitable. It has been around since the beginning of time. The ancient Greek’s used it in a manner in which we still use it today in Modern times. b. Today I will be comparing the two works such as Oedipus Rex, which is a playwright written by the great Sophocles and another playwright named Death Of A Salesman written by Arthur Miller. c. Through out the years, there has been a lot of controversy on whether or not DeathRead MoreOedipus And Aristotle s Definition Of A Tragic Hero1466 Words   |  6 Pagescharacterization of a tragic hero through his ability to maintain and keep his virtue and wisdom, despite his shortcomings and situation in life. Introduction I. Tragic Hero A. Definition of a tragic hero B. Oedipus’ Character II. Tragedy A. Language of Tragedy B. Tragedy and its affects on audience III. Plot A. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic plot B. Meaning of plot IV. Virtue and Morality A. Identifying with Oedipus’ character B. Oedipus gains virtue and wisdom through bad judgment. ConclusionRead MoreComparative Analysis of the Aeneid, Odyssey, and Iliad Essay962 Words   |  4 PagesComparative Analysis of the Aeneid, Odyssey, and Iliad The Iliad and the Odyssey are two of the best Greek epics written by Homer. Despite their popularity, almost nothing is known about the author beyond the existence of his masterpieces. Surprisingly enough no concrete evidence of his existence is available; not even to confirm the same person created the two works. The authorship of the Iliad and the Odyssey were debated even in the times of the ancient Greeks. Many scholars have arguedRead MoreComparison of Jim from Huckleberry Finn or Ethan Frome1540 Words   |  6 PagesJims situation from Huck FInn to Ethan Fromes situation. How are the two characters alike and how are they different. Base your answers on information regarding their genre. Which character has more of a chance of making it and why? Jim from The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn and Ethan Frome from Ethan Frome share many incidents in a indistinguishable occurrence. They also share many qualities that allow each of these two characters to have divergent and duplicate qualities. Jim is from theRead MoreOedipus The King, A Tragic Hero Story Of Fate1495 Words   |  6 Pages2015 Turabian Sophocles is one of the great ancient Greek tragedians in the history of drama. In the play â€Å"Oedipus the King,† Oedipus is an excellent example of fate happening to a tragic hero. In addition, this play has all the elements of tragedy; human weakness, powerless, suffering, and one not having control of his own destiny. As a result, â€Å"Oedipus the King† is the epitome of Aristotle definition of a tragic hero due to his superiority and high character, in spite of his flaws and outcomes

Dangerous Classes of New York Essays - 1074 Words

â€Å"We do the same thing as y’all. ‘Cept when we do it, it’s Oh, my God, these kids is animals! Like it’s the end of the world comin’.† --Namond, HBO’s The Wire Young black men crowd the corners of Baltimore. They are all hard talk, hard jaws, and crisp white t-shirts as big as sails—strapped. One precocious boy witnesses a shootout near a drug lord’s stash house and takes up sticks to play guns ‘n’ robbers. His trajectory is as follows: he graduates from sticks and piss-balloons, to g-packs and real guns, to taunting cops with brown bags of excrement, to housecats and lighter fluid, to bold, cold-blooded murder. In the words of social reformer Charles Loring Brace, this boy is one of the dangerous class—an undisciplined, delinquent†¦show more content†¦Yet, since its formal inception at the end of the nineteenth century, the measures for legitimate sanctions of juvenile delinquency have shifted. Where for a time sanctions delinquency relied solely upon a formal pronouncement from the juvenile court system, society has witnesses an increase in informal sanctions of delinquency which take place outs ide of the juvenile courts, as well as a dangerous rise in sanctions that result from false perceptions of juvenile delinquency. The former two [sanctions] have given rise to the well-argued Labeling Theory, which endeavors to explain criminal recidivism. The eye of the Wire passes over these shifts in delinquency sanctions but doesn’t stay long enough to inform its audience of their destructive force or of how juvenile delinquency truly functions in the American landscape. I. â€Å"†¦the class of a large city most dangerous to its property, its morals and its political life, are the ignorant, destitute, untrained, and abandoned youth: the outcast street-children grown up to be voters, to be the implements of demagogues, the feeders of the criminals, and the sources of domestic outbreaks and violations of law.† —Charles Loring Brace, The Dangerous Classes of New York Juvenile delinquency was developed alongside the invention of childhood in the mid-eighteenth century. That is not to say that there were no young people committing crimes before this time, but that before the middle of the eighteenth century,Show MoreRelatedThe Age Of Modern America1411 Words   |  6 Pagesone chapter lead to a new one: the birth of modern America., the Gilded Age. Major changes were taking place in the country, almost all being a result of the rapid industrialization that was taking place. Cities thrived with people, most seeking out work. Inventions flourished, light flooded the streets with the widespread availability of electricity and the lightbulb. Time were definitely changing, especially within the social classes of America. The changes effected the classes in many different ways:Read MoreReview Of Jacob Riis s Muckraker 870 Words   |  4 Pagesa book was written by Jacob Riis, who was a muckraking journalist. Muckraker was a journalist who pushed for r eform in publications that covered the issues of society for the middle and wealthy classes. In this book, Riis made a photographic report about the life of poor people in the tenements of New York. In the beginning, Riis described a raid which was made by policemen. The object of that raid was the stale-beer dives. He said that the squads sent to make simultaneous control on all tramp’sRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Muckraker By Jacob Riis867 Words   |  4 Pagesa book was written by Jacob Riis, who was a muckraking journalist. 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There are many people in the United States that believe that a owning a gun is morally wrong and there are a lot of people that think owning a gun is morally permissibleRead MoreProposal of Marijuana Legalization Essay1528 Words   |  7 Pagesstates are making decisions independently from the federal government. â€Å"A growing share of the American public supports liberalizing marijuana laws. For years surveys by CNN and other news organizations have found that most Americans agree pot smokers should not go to jail. In polls taken this year by Zogby, CBS News, and Rasmussen Reports, at least 40 percent of respondents went further, saying marijuana should be legalized.† â€Å"[Oregon] is gathering signatures to put the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act andRead MoreDrone ´s Should Not Be Used unless They are Completed Controlled and Tested716 Words   |  3 Pagesrequirements. 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The Republican Party Essay - 2545 Words

Though the Republican Party was founded on pro-minority ideals and continued to have the support of minorities its reputation quickly began to change. Wagner (2007) states that during the early late 1800s and the early 1900s, Republican support weakened among the working class. In addition, many Americans, including a sizable number of Republicans, believed that American society had lost its moral fiber. As a result of these factors, many Republicans became affiliated with the Progressive Movement, a reform movement designed to assist the working class attain better working conditions in the form of religious fundamentalism. During the Progressive Era, the Republican Party split into two groups: those Republicans interested primarily in†¦show more content†¦Rueter (1995) provides a detailed look into the world of politics during the civil rights era. Rueter asserts that prior to the civil rights era, the Republican Party was not as effective in gaining rights for minorities compared to proposals made by the Democratic Party in the 1960s. He states that it was clear to minorities that the Democratic Party was more supportive of civil rights versus Republicans due to their lack of voting support of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Because of this, Republicans were seen as being against minorities due to their lack of cooperation with the Democratic Party to end segregation and with President Johnson to allow equal voting rights (240-1). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 barred unequal application of voter registration requirements, outlawed discrimination in public accommodations engaged in interstate commerce, encouraged the desegregation of public schools and authorized the U. S. Attorney General to file suits to force desegregation, authorized the withdrawal of federal funds from programs which practiced discrimination, and outlawed discrimination in employment in any business (Loevy 1997, 211-3). According to Klarman (2004) the civil rights movement caused southerners to cling to the Republican Party and gave the Democratic Party more momentum to further support minority interests. The Republican Partys inability to quicklyShow MoreRelatedThe Democratic Party Of The Republican Party1531 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical parties differ significantly on policies, a prospect that may work to the advantage or the disadvantage of the candidate for Democratic Party of the Republican Party. After months of the long bruising primaries, the GOP conducted its convention in Cleveland while the democratic sect held their convention in Philadelphia. The speeches delivered in the two conventions had significant policy differences which are likely to influence voting patterns in the November elections. Republican PositionsRead MoreThe Republican Party And The Democratic Party Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesThe Republican Party has long relied on the support of older, white, conservatives. Regrettably, they are a shrinking portion of the voting population. The problem that they face is a shrinking voter base, mainly due to age. As their electorate shrinks, it is imperative for the party to appeal to the more liberal younger generations for support. The Republican Party needs to look forward to true reform. Above all, the party needs to abandon much of their social conservatism to appeal to millennialsRead MoreThe And Republican Party Establishment920 Words   |  4 PagesThe GOP and Republican Party establishment elites are no longer on the side of the true American. The true America is what our founding fathers had risked and gave up so much to establish with the Declaration of Independence and the signing of The Constitution. Unfortunately in this election cycle, the establish ment has made it very clear that they are more concerned with their political party elitist ideals than being a representative of the American voter. Each political party has a duty to itsRead MoreThe Democratic Party And The Republican Party1931 Words   |  8 PagesThe Republican Party has a total of 18 US presidents that were in office, the most of any political party to date. The Republican Party started with Abraham Lincoln and working its way down to George W Bush. The first start of the Party was in February, 1854, when antislavery Whigs met together to discuss a formation of a new political party. One such meeting on March 20th, 1854, in Wisconsin, is remembered as the Founding meeting of the Republican Party. The Civil War made the Republican Party victoriousRead MoreEssay on The Republican Party3091 Words   |  13 PagesThe Republican Party The Republican party is one of the two major POLITICAL PARTIES in the United States, the other being the DEMOCRATIC PARTY party. It is popularly known as the GOP, from its earlier nickname Grand Old Party. From the time it ran its first PRESIDENTIAL candidate, John C. Fremont, in 1856, until the inauguration of Republican George BUSH in 1989, Republican presidents occupied the WHITE HOUSE for 80 years. Traditionally, Republican strength came primarily from New EnglandRead MorePolitical Parties And The Republican Party Platform1464 Words   |  6 Pagesthat there are two main political parties—the Republicans and the Democrats. Having two main parties has its advantages and, of course, its disadvantages. For example, in By the People James E. Monroe and Rogan Kersh (301) point out having this type of system creates â€Å"predictability and stability.† However, they also declare (301) it can â€Å"lead to a gridlock.† This is not a new concept either as there has been a divide since the beginning of both parties. The two parties more often than not disagree onRead MoreThe Republican Party Or Grand Old Party937 Words   |  4 Pages The Origin, The Change, The Present The Republican party or Grand Old Party (GOP), for over 150 years, has maintained itself as a major political party within the United States of America. As a whole, the republican party follows the belief of military build up ,less taxes, and more importantly, a limited government. However, throughout recent years there has been an influx of conservative values being spread throughout the GOP. These values include harsh stances against: homosexuality, immigrationRead More democrat and republican parties Essay2690 Words   |  11 PagesDemocratic Party at its worst is better for the country than the Republican Party at its best.† This was a statement made by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1955. Lyndon B. Johnson of course was a Democrat. Is this quote true today? That is a question that can only be answered after a careful analysis of the philosophy of the Republican and Democratic leaders that help to run this nation. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"Neither of the two major parties is made up of people who are all of one mind. Each party is aRead MoreFacts and History of the Republican Party504 Words   |  2 Pagesfor anyone (including the wealthy) and that wages should be set by the free market. Stand on Military issues: Increased spending Stand on gay marriage: Oppose (some Republicans disagree) Stand on abortion: Should not be legal; oppose Roe v. Wade (some Republicans disagree) Stand on Death penalty: A large majority of Republicans support the death penalty. Social and human ideas: Based on individual rights and justice Traditionally strong in states: Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas Symbol: Elephant Read MoreRepublican Democratic Parties Essay1073 Words   |  5 Pagespolitical parties fighting in each country in order to take control of their government. The United States of America is not an exception, as the Democratic and Republican parties compete against each other in every election in order to gain control of the US Government. These two political parties are the most popular and powerful in the US, there are very popular that other political parties have no chance on competing against these two in an election race. In order to win elections the parties need

Personal response to Emily Dickinsons poetry Essay Example For Students

Personal response to Emily Dickinsons poetry Essay The money is then stolen by Thelmas new lover JD, who in the process teaches her how to rob a convenience store, which enables them to acquire money to continue running from the patriarchal system, yet getting them in to deeper trouble, to the point in which there is no turning back. Dargis describes men as signposts along the way, yet the fact that males are seen less in the film gives them a behind the scenes controlling status, like an invisible creature who has the power to give and to take away. Carlston mentions that it seems implausible that Thelma would be so trusting of men after her near rape experience. When they arrive at the first hotel Thelma goes to the pool in a provocative bikini, while the camera adopts the male gaze of Thelma as an object (which got her into trouble in the first place). This implausibility may be directing us to the concept that although men provide the crucial turning points in the plot narrative, they dont provide all of the reasons for the changing personalities and styles of the female characters. Louise doesnt immediately throw away her makeup after the first incident of killing the rapist because she and Thelma suddenly decide they dont want to be objectified anymore for safety reasons. Its a gradual process which is brought to light in the scene in which they are driving in the night, and a series of dissolves from the face of Thelma to Louise and back again shows how similar they are now in looks. Their hair is wild, no make up or jewellery (Louise traded hers for a practical cowboy hat) and similar clothes. Carlson suggests this is part of their transition to becoming men, yet although they arent made up they dont look like men. I think the point is that they dont care what they look like any more, they arent trying to be something else, as we can see when Louise throws away her lipstick. The narrative is definitely about change, and becoming who you want, not what others want you to be. In this case it is irrelevant that the characters where forced into this lifestyle. This challenges our conception that women should be a particular stereotype, as these women act somewhat like men in certain ways and like women in others. This change is hinted at in the first shot of the desert scenery which is in black and white, then slowly merges into colour. The fact that the scenery is dull and is slowly enhanced also echoes the story of Thelma and Louise, whose lives are enriched when they try to escape from that which was keeping them subserviant. They managed to achieve some freedom, if only for a short while. Yet as much as Thelma and Louise challenge typical conventions and ideologies, the ending repeats the common view on women in movies. If a woman steps outside of her place in society, she must either repent or die. That they chose death rather than repentance shows that they had become unwilling to give in to men anymore, and I guess in their own way they won. Yet this still suggests that theres no room in society for women to be themselves as opposed to what men want them to be. The photo taken at the beginning of the trip flies away, signifying the end of the road. Bibliography Making a Good Script Great Linda Seger Film, Form and Culture Robert Kolker Thelma and Louise and the Tradition of the Male Road Movie Manohla Dargis Is This what Feminism is all About? 1 Is This What Feminism Is All about? by Margaret Carlson and Thelma and Louise and the Tradition of the Male Road Movie by Manhola Dargis.

The Views of Doctorow in Ragtime Essay Example

The Views of Doctorow in Ragtime Essay In the classic E. L. Doctorow novel, Ragtime, we see the juxtaposition of many motifs to represent Doctorows view of the early century. By combining history and fiction Doctorow allows himself to write a semi-accurate interpretation of the early 1900s while also being able to strongly express his own biases and opinions of the era. The biggest, and perhaps most important theme Doctorow applies in the novel is social tension, or the battle of the rich versus the poor. Other important themes include rebirth, racial tension, and high randomness of events. By using these themes and others, movie makers created a film, which they believe best represents Doctorows views. It is apparent that Doctorow clearly favors the poor, lower class, in their struggle for economic and social mobility against the few, rich, upper class citizens. Doctorows thoughts are best depicted through the novels characters. Tateh, Coalhouse Walker and Sarah are all characters who are portrayed as good. These characters, while representing a wide range of economic success, all symbolize socially challenged individuals. Throughout the novel, Doctorow always chooses these or similar types of characters to be the protagonists. Doctorow wants the reader to feel for Coalhouses situation. He wants the reader to hope that Willie Conklin is harmed and the Model T Ford is repaired. On the other hand, Doctorow tells a different tale for the economic elite, upper echelon of society, represented by J. P. Morgan and Henry Ford. Morgan is presented as a snobbish old man, who always gets his way, and we are supposed to feel no remorse for him when his museum is broken int! We will write a custom essay sample on The Views of Doctorow in Ragtime specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Views of Doctorow in Ragtime specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Views of Doctorow in Ragtime specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We, the readers, are inclined to agree with Doctorows opinion only because that is the way he planned it. Doctorow did not touch on any negative aspects of Coalhouse Walkers actions, such as innocent firemen that he killed, and their families, perhaps, because this might sway the readers belief as to Coalhouses innocence. The film, Ragtime, does support Doctorows social tension beliefs, however it leaves more things open for the reader to decide. For example the book gives the impression that Coalhouse is killing the racist bad firemen. The movie shows him shooting and blowing up firemen, who perhaps could be good people. The concept of rebirth is used liberally by Doctorow. Doctorow commonly has a character go through a major transmogrification, or rebirth. This rebirth ordinarily happens when moving from one social class to another. Tateh, Houdini, Coalhouse, and mothers younger brother and clearly are examples of these rebirths. When Tateh goes from being a poor street peddler to a rich movie maker, he goes through a transformation. Tateh starts dressing and acting a lot differently, perhaps also forgetting his Jewish heritage and 5000 years of oppression. Houdinis alteration is greater than Tatehs. Houdini goes from a not so well off family to a rich and famous escape artist. Through this social change, Houdini changes his Jewish name Erich Weiss to a more appropriate Christian name of Harry Houdini. As well as changing his name, Houdini also seemed to forget his background. However, later in the novel we find out that Houdini did in fact not forget his heritage. He just changed his name as a career move. Coalhouse Walkers rebirth is much more dramatic and swift than Tatehs or Houdinis. Coalhouse goes from a fine upstanding citizen to a disgruntled man, caught at the end of a racist prank, and out for revenge. At one point, He sat down with a sheet over his shoulder and permitted one of the young men to shave his head and his neat mustache. The change in him was striking, (). This symbolic and actual rebirth occurs as Coalhouse moves from being a wealthy prominent musician to a fugitive on the run. Mothers younger brother also goes through a rebirth. His rebirth involves going from a wealthy family to a fugitive gang. Because of this social change, Doctorow has mothers younger brother go through a rebirth as well. This was in the form of him putting black makeup on his face to fit in with Coalhouses black gang. All four of these examples express Doctorows opinion that in order to go through a social change, one must go through a physical rebirth of some sort. The movie does complement Doctorows view on this issue. The film portrays all four characters as going through physical transformations as well as social changes. Racial tension is certainly a major motif throughout the book. Without it, the book simply would be neither entertaining nor fulfilling. In writing Ragtime, Doctorow knew that racial tension was the most obvious theme in his book, as well as being the foundation for a major plot in the book. One does not have to dig to deeply in order to discover that Doctorow believes that there was racial tension and blatant racism in the early century. To represent this racial tension, Doctorow uses a mix of fiction and history. On the fictional side, Doctorow has Coalhouse Walker and his fiancÐ ¹ Sarah. On the historical side, Doctorow has Booker T. Washington, a famous black rights leader who believed in non-violent methods. Doctorow has Coalhouse and Sarah interact with other fictional characters, the Vice President of the United States, Willie Conklin, the other firemen, and others in order to put racial tension in place. Then Doctorow has Coalhouse have a conversation with the famous Booker T. Washington. This interaction shows the extent to which Doctorow believed in the racial tension many years ago. The book shows that Doctorow believed racial tension to be a strong driving force in the actions of the early 1900s. The film did justice to the book in that respect. The film accurately portrayed strong racial tension, as well as a beautiful dialogue between Coalhouse and Booker T. Washington. After Washington made a fabulous and convincing speech to Coalhouse, Coalhouse replied, My wife Sarah would have loved to meet you Mr. Washington. You speak like an angel. However, we are on Earth. This dialogue from the movie shows how high strung the racial tension was, because it depicts Coalhouse making a rude comment to the most prominent Civil Rights figure of his time, in order to stand up to a small racist practical done on him. E. L. Doctorow wrote Ragtime in a very interesting way, in that the fate of characters seems to be based on a high entropy, or randomness. In a usual circumstance, fate, if one believes in such a thing, follows a set up, logical, pattern of events. This, however, is not the case in this novel. Mother and Coalhouse are good examples of this high disorder and randomness. Mother was very satisfied with her marriage to father. She waited when he went on his adventures to the arctic, and she was a faithful wife. Early in the novel there is no way that anyone could have predicted that mother would leave father and marry Tateh. This new relationship was very random and created a lot of disorder. When we first meet Coalhouse Walker, he is nothing but a gentleman. In fact, he holds a stable job, has a good car, and a steady income. He also has a soon to be family and everything is going great for him. Who would have guessed that one small incident would change Coalhouse into a criminal, a murderer, and running from the law. This example perfectly illustrates the ambiance of high disorder in the book. It is clear that Doctorow beliefs the early century to be a random and crazy time. Doctorow believes that in the early 1900s anything could happen. Little on the earth was regulated and many laws were not enforced to the extent they should have been. The movie does a satisfactory job in reliving this randomness. If the movie did not do a satisfactory job, it would not even have been considered based on the book, because these random events of Mother and Coalhouse are fundamental ideas that needed to be included in the film.

How to Write the Hook of an Essay

How to Write the Hook of an Essay You can think of the first sentence of your essay as you would a fishing hook. It grabs your reader and allows you reel the person into your essay and your train of thought. The hook for your essay can be an interesting sentence that captures a persons attention, it can be thought-provoking, or even, entertaining. The hook for your essay often appears in the first sentence. The opening paragraph includes a thesis sentence. Some popular hook choices can include using an interesting quote, a little-known fact, famous last words, or a statistic. Quote Hook A quote hook is best used when you are composing an essay based on an author, story, or book. It helps establish your authority on the topic and by using someone elses quote, you can strengthen your  thesis if the quote supports it. The following is an example of a quote hook: A mans errors are his portals of discovery. In the next sentence or two, give a reason for this quote or current example. As for the last sentence (the thesis) : Students grow more confident and self-sufficient when parents allow them to make mistakes and experience failure. General statement By setting the tone in the opening sentence with a uniquely written general statement of your thesis, the beauty is that you get right to the point. Most readers appreciate that approach. For example, you can start with the following statement: Many studies show that the biological sleep pattern for teens shifts a few hours, which means teens naturally stay up later and feel alert later in the morning. The next sentence, set up the body of your essay, perhaps by introducing the concept that school days should be adjusted so that they are more in sync with the teenagers natural sleep or wake cycle. As for the last sentence (the thesis):  If every school day started at ten oclock, many students would find it easier to stay focused. Statistic By listing a proven fact or entertaining an interesting statistic that might even sound implausible to the reader, you can excite a reader to want to know more.   Like this hook: According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, teens and young adults experience the highest rates of violent crime. Your next sentence can set up the argument that its dangerous for teenagers to be on the streets at late hours. A fitting thesis statement might read: Parents are justified in implementing a strict curfew, regardless of a students academic performance. The Right Hook for Your Essay The good news about finding a hook? You can find a quote, fact, or another type of hook after you determine your thesis. You can accomplish this with a simple online search about your topic after youve developed your essay. You can nearly have the essay finished before you revisit the opening paragraph. Many writers polish up the first paragraph after the essay is completed. Outlining the Steps for Writing Your Essay Heres an example of the steps you can follow that help you outline your essay. First paragraph: Establish the thesisBody paragraphs: Supporting evidenceLast paragraph: Conclusion with a restatement of the thesisRevisit the first paragraph: Find the best hook Obviously, the first step is to determine your thesis. You need to research your topic and know what you plan to write about. Develop a starting statement. Leave this as your first paragraph for now. The next paragraphs become the supporting evidence for your thesis. This is where you include the statistics, opinions of experts, and anecdotal information. Compose a closing paragraph that is basically a reiteration of your thesis statement with new assertions or conclusive findings you find during with your research. Lastly, go back to your introductory hook paragraph. Can you use a quote, shocking fact, or paint a picture of the thesis statement using an anecdote? This is how you sink your hooks into a reader. The best part is if you are not loving what you come up with at first, then you can play around with the introduction. Find several facts or quotes that might work for you. Try out a few different starting sentences and determine which of your choices makes the most interesting beginning to your essay.