Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun Essay -- Raisin Sun essays

Dreams in A Raisin in the Sun Lena, Walter, Ruth, and Beneatha Younger all lived under the same roof, but their dreams were all different. Being the head of the household, Lena dreamed the dreams of her children and would do whatever it took to make those dreams come true. Walter, Lena's oldest son, set his dream on the liquor store that he planned to invest with the money of his mother. Beneatha, in the other hand, wanted to become a doctor when she got out of college and Ruth, Walter's wife, wanted to be wealthy. "A Raisin in the Sun" was a book about "dreams deferred", and in this book that Lorraine Hansberry had fluently described the dreams of the Younger family and how those dreams became "dreams deferred." Lena Younger, Walter and Beneatha's mother, was a widow in her early sixties who devoted her life to her children after her husband's death. Retired from working for the Holiday's family, she was waiting for her husband's insurance money to arrive. With the ten tho...

‘the Lesson’ by Toni Cade Bambara

â€Å"The Lesson† From The Mentor Whenever there is a civil rights movement going on, there are always 3 parties involved. One the Oppressor, second the Oppressed and lastly the Activist or the Mentor. The Activists usually always emerges from the Oppressed. That is when the Oppressed intellectuals feel that it’s time to standup to defend the identity of their people and make them strong enough to make a name of their own. This is what happened during the early 20th century within the African American community. They were racially termed as Negros meaning blacks.And were separated from the mainstream white American society with the Powerful class denying their rights for equal opportunities in basically every field of life. This paved way for the Black Arts movement. When the discrimination of the blacks reached its peak with the assassination of Malcolm X- the great influential African American leader, LeRoi Jones thought that it was time that African Americans bring a bout their true talent collectively. It all started in Harlem. Spanning the 1920s to the mid-1930s, the Harlem Renaissance was a literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that kindled a new black cultural identity.Critic and teacher Alain Locke summed up its essence in 1926 when he declared that through art, â€Å"Negro life is seizing its first chances for group expression and self determination. † (Foner, Garraty). The Harlem Renaissance as it was called, influenced future generations of black writers. And Toni Cade Bambara was one of them. The historical information mentioned above was necessary because it is important to know what period of time a writer lived in, it helps us to understand what influenced the writer to write and thus make us understand the stories better as the writer writes what he or she sees and feels.Toni Cade Bambara grew up in Harlem, so the essence of the Harlem renaissance was in her blood. Following her predecessors, she wanted to give the Af rican American community the bases to stand up for their own selves. And this is what â€Å"The Lesson† is all about. In this short story, Bambara uses her personal life experiences and her work in the field of social justice to describe the injustices done towards the African American society and how education and mentoring can play an important role in the uplift of the African American community and in general the society as a whole.In â€Å"The Lesson†, Toni Cade Bambara tells us about the economic and socio-political situation of the African American community through the eyes of Sylvia along with the hope of an uplift through good people like Ms. Moore. Sylvia, being the first person narrator, portrays the role of a strong willed young Black American girl. She along with her group of friends belongs to a small isolated town of blacks, in Harlem. The way she is seen talking to her friends shows that no proper education and guidance was being provided to them and t hat they were being deprived economically too. â€Å"Can we steal? Sugar asks very serious like she's getting the ground rules squared away before she plays. â€Å" (Bambara 27) This line from â€Å"The Lesson† clearly confirms the above point. Basically, the whole story revolves around the time when Ms. Moore takes out this group of friends for an educational ride. Her character, I think is the exact portrayal of Toni Cade Bambara. Ms. Moore like Toni Cade Bambara belonged to Harlem and was an activist for African Americans’ rights. She like her, made her mission to raise awareness amongst the African Americans, to make them realize their rights and to make them learn to live in the real world.Ms. Moore, seemingly the only educated person in the ghetto town of Harlem to which the kids belonged, wanted to help out and educate the kids. And give them an understanding of how the world sees them and how they should create a good life on their own. For instance when she asked them to pay to the taxi cab driver along with a 10% tip, this shows that she wanted them to learn to calculate. And by firing away questions and trying to make them share their views about the happenings in the toy store on the high profile FIFTH AVE. hich was for the upper white class (where she took them to show the disparity and learn), she wanted them to realize that injustice is done towards them and they should learn to live to live on their own and earn respect. Not all is gone in vain (referring to Sylvia’s and other kids’ cold responses) and Ms Moore is delighted by Sugar’s response. â€Å"You know, Miss Moore, I don't think all of us here put together eat in a year what that sailboat costs. † And Miss Moore lights up like somebody goosed her. â€Å"And? † she say, urging Sugar on. Imagine for a minute what kind of society it is in which some people can spend on a toy what it would cost to feed a family of six or seven. What do you t hink? † (Bambara 99). Giving us the idea that intelligence and awareness exists everywhere, it just needs to be awakened just like Ms. Moore did. Introduction of the side characters shows us that Bambara tries her best to tell the readers that the children of the African American community are as normal as they are. Just like normal white kids, they have their own personalities, they fight, they have insecurities etc. nd like other normal white kids, they can do wonders with a little guidance. With the parents of the children willing to send them with Ms. Moore, Bambara tries to portray that even while living in tough conditions, African American parents want their kids to lead a good life, unlike their own. All this and the conversational style of the story reflect Bambara’s connection with the Harlem world. With even Sylvia’s strong character showing signs of weakness, when she wasn’t able to stand the bitter truth by her sidekick Sugar, makes us wonderf ully realize that Toni Cade Bambara has summed up the entire life of the oppressed in general.That no matter how strong headed or violent they seem, there is always this timid person behind the mask to hide the real face, i. e. the insecurities and also that intelligent minds exist everywhere, they just need to be mentored. Just what Ms. Moore was trying to do and Sugar was living up to Ms. Moore’s expectations. Overall the story deals with the reality of racial and class injustice, yet there is a sense of hope in the conclusion of the story. As the narrator Sylvia (even though realizes and understands what Ms.Moore was trying to make the kids learn but being strong headed was unwilling to accept the fact) is determined to rise above her circumstances and create a better life for herself. â€Å"She can run if she want to and even run faster. But ain't nobody gonna beat me at nuthin. â€Å"(Bambara 109) The above thought also strengthens the sharp contrast between Sylvia and Sugar that even though Sugar comprehends Ms. Moore’s lesson first, she forgets it as soon as they are done with the trip, by starting to think of things they could do with the change money Ms.Moore allowed them to keep while Sylvia who didn’t understand the lesson at first is now determined to deal with the situation. Though we don’t know for sure how Sylvia would end up but her words show that with a determined and sharp mind, she is all geared up to change the way she as a part of community is perceived. This is how Toni Cade Bambara sums up her life long mission through the heart and soul of Sylvia. Which is, that the oppressed (in general, not only the African American community) should always be aware of the injustices done towards them and never should give up with understanding the fact that awareness and education are the eys to success. Work Cited Bambara,Toni Cade. â€Å"The Lesson. † Gorilla,My Love. New York. Random (1972. ) Print. 4th Octobe r. 2012 Tate, Claudia, ed. Black Women Writers at Work. New York. Continuum (1983. ) Web. 4th October. 2012 Garraty, Foner, Editors. The Reader's Companion to American History: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company (1991. ) Web. 4th October. 2012 Gale Research Group. â€Å"Toni Cade Bambara. † Discovering Authors. 1999. Griffin, Farah Jasmine. â€Å"Para Las Chicas Cubanas. † Callaloo: A Journal of African Diaspora Arts and Letters 26. 1 (2003): 74-82. Web. 4th October. 2012

Lily Owens Characterization

Lily Owens is a complex character that went through a trauma in her childhood that affects her as we read the first chapter. She lives alone with her father after her mother died in an accident years before. Her father, T. Ray, owns a peach farm and has Lily working at a peach stand to sell them during the summer. Lily and T. Ray have a black maid, Rosalie, who Lily sees as a surrogate mother. She even fantasize about Rosalie being white and marrying T. Ray, or her and T. Ray being black and living like a family with Rosalie. Lily seeks attention and love from T.Ray, but knows that he will not give it to her freely. After an accident when she was around four years old, in which she killed her mother with a gun she picked up off the floor, her father, T. Ray rarely acknowledges her. He makes her work for him during the summers, he doesn't buy her things, and he doesn't acknowledge any of her attempts for attention and affection. T. Ray doesn't allow her to read even though she has â⠂¬Ëœscored the highest number a human being an get on their verbal aptitude test' because he says that he cannot afford to send her to college.Because of this Lily never thought of aspiring to anything other than working for T. Ray, but when her teachers told her otherwise, it opened her eyes to the possibility of a future for her. Lily in appearance is a young teen who is fourteen years old, with ‘UN-cool' clothes and wild hair. Her clothes are UN-cool because she makes them herself and T. Ray doesn't want to waste money on things like clothes for young girls. Lily believes her eyes are nice like ‘Sophia Lore's' and that she doesn't have much of a chin.Her description of her hair was that ‘it was constantly going off in eleven wrong directions' and that her ‘black hair is a nest of cowlicks'. She is disappointed with how she looks and thinks that she has a hard time ‘being a girl'. Lily's mom's name was Deborah, which T. Ray refuses to say. T. Ray rare ly tells Lily things about her mother, and she misses having one for moments like buying bras and getting her first period. She doesn't know much about her mother, but found some of her mementos in the attic.These mementos are: a photo of her mother, a pair of white gloves, and a small wooden picture of a black Mary with â€Å"Tiburon, S. C. † scratched into the back. She took these and put them in a tin box and buried them in the orchard in her ‘secret place'. After Lily is punished by her father for being caught out in the orchard she loses all hope of T. Ray loving her at all. She decides to stand up to T. Ray even in a silent ay and plans of leaving to make her own future.How To Register To Vote: Voter Eligibility: * You must be a U. S. Citizen. * You must be 18 years old (17 in some states) How to Register: * You can register to vote by mail. * Or you can register to vote at these places: motor vehicles * Armed services recruitment centers * Public assistance agenc ies * Any public facility that a state has designated as a voter registration agency * State-funded programs that serve people with disabilities * In some states you can register to vote online.

Last Minute Guide to Cramming for the ACT 10 Tips

Last Minute Guide to Cramming for the ACT 10 Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT is upon us, and it seems fair to assume (since you're reading this article) that you're under-prepared. If you've got less than three weeks before the exam and haven't really studied yet, you're officially cramming for the ACT. Now, if you're willing and able to put in some 60 hours of preparation before the test, take a moment to read our cram plan for those very circumstances. If that doesn't sound realistic for your circumstances, though, read on to discover the most useful strategies you can employ to get up to speed on the test in a pinch. We'll cover tips specific to each part of the test, as well as some global advice on topics like guessing and keeping a level head on test day. General Guidance:Work Hard, Rest Well It's important to put serious, committed effort into cramming for the ACT.You should go all out on the test, and you need to practice what that's really like. Plus, with limited time, you need to work especially hard to make the most of your studying. However, it's important to take care of yourself, too.A day or two before the test, slow down the pace. Don't stop preparation altogether, but focus on recuperating from the past several days of pushing so hard. Focus on getting good sleep. It takes more than just one night to catch up on those z's, and fatigue is not your friend on test day. Pay attention to your mindset. As cheesy as this may sound, ask yourself whether you're looking at the test through the lens of a glass half-empty or a glass half-full. Remember, this is an opportunity to excel at the test. Pay attention to your stress level, too. Nerves are healthy- they can give us the adrenaline we need to complete Herculean tasks. Pure stress is less helpful- it freezes us up and tears us down. Finally, take a realistic view of the test. It's important; I'm definitely not denyingthat. However, it's not a matter of life and death- so don't treat it like one. Wear your reality goggles when you look at the test. Preparation Strategies Let's talk about some specific, actionable steps to take between now and the test. #1: Take a Practice Test This is a crucial step; taking a practice testwill help you get used to the format and directions of the test, not to mention practice the content. You don't want to spend a lot of time sorting through instructions on test day, so use the practice test to work out any kinks. Also, knowing what you're up against on the test will help ease the anxiety you're likely to feel. For every answer you get wrong, take the time to read the explanation ofwhy that answer is wrong. This is an important first step towards understanding the way the test-makers think. Use your performance on each section to determine which task (English, Math, Reading, Science, or Writing) is your weakest. Focus your energy there. #2: Practice, Practice, and Practice Some More Practice with sample problems, and drill the ones that are a challenge for you. That being said, don't burn yourself out; try to situate yourself in the sweet spotof studying, between about one andthreehours a day(on average). There's more information on what to practice and drill as we continue on below. Mostly, though, try to use as many official practice materials as you can. #3: English - Review the Basic Rules of English Review some basic grammar rules, including: Punctuation marks (and how they function) Basic sentence structures (and how they function) Parts of speech (and how they function) Now, it's all about how these concepts are put into practice. You won't be asked to parrot rules; you'll be asked to apply them to passages in context. As an experiment, take a text that you trust to be error-free, and work through part of it, identifying what's going on with the punctuation, structure, etc. That's "English" the language, not "English" the nationality. #4: Reading- Immerse Yourself in Literature Read (a lot). This doesn't have to mean holing up with a giant volume for hours on end- just keep reading on hand for spare moments throughout the day. Don't read just any old thing, though- Calvin and Hobbes is sadly not going to help. Read material that feels a little tough- newspapers, academic journals, challenging books, etc. Iknow you know how to read; that's not the issue. The question is your level of comfort with being immersed in a difficult text and your willingness to reach beyond your comfort zone. I've acted Shakespeare professionally, and it still takes me a little time to adjust to the language I'm hearing when I go see a Shakespearean play. That's because I'm not immersed in it every single day; it would be a different matter if I were. By loose analogy, getting regularly cozy with tricky writing leading up to the ACT will save you some discomfort on test day. Read critically and analytically, not passively. Engage with the text- ask questions, look for answers, and make observations. This is the quickest path to understanding a text on the level the ACT requires. The test is going to ask you questions that require more than a once-over, surface-level familiarity with the text, so, again, you'll be glad to be comfortable with the literary delving process on test day. #5: Math- Get to KnowYour Formulas The ACT, unlike the SAT, does not give you any kind of formula list- so get memorizing. The more complex geometric formulas will be given to you in the context of the question- but the bulk of it all you need to provide on your own. Memorize at least themost crucial formulas, and make sure you know how to apply them. #6: Science - Find Scientific Writing to Analyze Don't worry about cramming actual scientific facts and data- you should be more concerned with being able to interpret the facts and data being given to you. Read scientific publications with a decent reputation (like Popular Science), and spend extra time poring over all thecharts and graphs that you find. Beyond that, keep up the pace with drilling practice passages. #7: Writing - Debate, on Paper or in Person Outlining samples essays is, as one might suspect, golden. If, however, you just can't take any more silent, individual activity, try setting up a debate with fellow crammers- or even other friends or family members, if they're willing. It's a great way to get instant feedback on your ideas! The Writing test is all about argument, and learning how to articulate ideas clearly and effectively is of the utmost importance. Keep your debates civil, now. ACT Test-Taking Tips Cramming is a journey all its own, but don't forget that nothing's over until you turn in that test. Here are some ideas on how to get through test day. #8: Warm Up on the Morning Of Wake up early, giving yourself plenty of time to get ready and arrive at the test center. Take a moment to do a warm-up problem or two. Don't cram any more, but review a particularly nasty problem you've mastered or try a moderately difficult question that you haven't seen yet. This will warm your brain up a little- get the cobwebs out- without taxing it by tryingto cram more information in. #9: Mind Your Mindset Talk to yourself in a positive and supportive manner. Visualize what's going to happen over the course of themorning, and visualize yourself coming through with flying colors. #10: Guess When You Don't Know the Answer The ACT doesn't have a guessing penalty; a wrong answer won't gain you points, but it won't actually lose you any points, either. Do all the questions you're confident in. Next, make educated guesses where possible. Finally, put down answers for everything you're completely lost on. Take a moment now to read some additional guessing strategies prepared by our experts. Conclusion So there you have it: the techniques you need to cram your way to test day with the ACT. We've seen the importance of practicing as much as possible while maintaining a reasonable balance of work and self-care in your life. We've seen tips for each category on the test, and we've also covered test day do's and don't's. One of the biggest things left to say is: don't get stuck cramming if you can avoid it. If at all possible, think about taking the test again when you've had more time to prepare in a traditional fashion. Take it leisurely, next time around. What's Next? If you've read this and you're thinking you want to rely almost solely on the practice test side of things, check out our twenty-hour guide to prepping with mock exams. However you prepare, we here at PrepScholar wish you the best of luck on this test.If, though, it doesn't go as well as it might, we hope to see you back here as you prepare for the next one. One article that might come in handy covers your options with a low score. Don't think it's all over; you've got a few different paths you can take. For a morale boost, there's also our article examining whether your ACT scores really predict your future success.

Class Essay-Type Questions and Responses Essays

Class Essay-Type Questions and Responses Essays Class Essay-Type Questions and Responses Essay Class Essay-Type Questions and Responses Essay Essay Topic: Questions The story â€Å"Journey by Night† by Norah Burke, as suggested by the title, talks about the journey of a young boy called Sher Singh in order to save his little brother. It shows the courage and determination shown by him in spite of the darkness and unknown dangers that may have existed in the forest. Sher Singh was a boy of nearly twelve years of age living in Laldwani village. He showed immense courage in absence of his father to carry his younger brother to the hospital fifty miles away from his village crossing dense forest and two rivers. He was heroic in his successful attempt to save his brother’s life. Life offers many challenges and it is only the brave ones who face those challenges with extreme dexterity and courage and emerge victorious. Sher Singh was one of them who did not care about his own pains, his tiredness, his fears and agonies and walked with the weight of his brother on his shoulders to take him to the hospital. He did not waste even a second to decide to take the journey by night through the dark jungle with two rivers in the midway out of which one was flooded. One by one he crossed all the barriers and headed towards his destination. He had no option but to keep on striving so that his brother may be able to survive, and he made that remarkable choice. He cared a lot for his brother. He did not lose hope and kept moving forward. His character is a source of inspiration for many who limit themselves and suffer from hidden fears and are unable to conquer it. He was focussed and dedicated which made him live and reach his destination, which can be followed by anyone. Therefore, at the end when he is referred to as â€Å"Sher Singh Bahadur†, a title conferred to his father, the readers feel is as if not more courageous than his father, because his father’s courage was all a part of his profession and passion but Sher Singh’s courage was shown to save his brother’s life. The story â€Å"India’s Heroes† f

Definition of Dramaturgical Perspective

Definition of Dramaturgical Perspective When William Shakespeare declared All the worlds a stage and all the men and women merely  players, he may have been on to something. The dramaturgical perspective was developed primarily by Erving Goffman, who used a theatrical metaphor of stage, actors, and audience to observe and analyze the intricacies of social interaction. From this perspective, the self is made up of the various parts that people play, and a key goal of social actors is to present their various selves in ways that create and sustain particular impressions to their different audiences. This perspective isnt meant to analyze the cause of behavior just its context.   Impression Management Dramaturgical perspective is sometimes called impression management because part of playing a role for others is to control the impression they have of you. Each persons performance has a specific goal in mind. This is true no matter what stage the person or actor is on at any given time. Each actor prepares for their roles. Stages   The dramaturgical perspective assumes that our personalities are not static but change to suit the situation we are in. Goffman applied the language of the theater to this sociological perspective in order for it to be more easily understood. An important example of this is the concept of front and back stage when it comes to personality. Front stage refers to actions that are observed by others. An actor on a stage is playing a certain role and expected to act in a certain way but backstage the actor becomes someone else. An example of a front stage would be the difference between how one would behave in a business meeting versus how one behaves at home with family. When Goffman refers to backstage means is how people act when they are relaxed or unobserved.   Goffman uses the term off stage or outside to mean situations where the actor is, or assume their actions are, unobserved. A moment alone would be considered outside.   Applying the Perspective The study of social justice movements is a good place to apply the dramaturgical perspective. People generally have somewhat defined roles and there is a central goal. There are clear protagonist and antagonist roles in all social justice movements. Characters further their plot. There is a clear difference between the front and backstage. Many customer service roles share similarities to social justice moments. People are all working within defined roles to complete  a task. The perspective can be applied to how groups like activists and hospitality employees. Criticism of Dramaturgical Perspective   Some have argued that the Dramaturgical perspective should only be applied to institutions rather than individuals. The perspective wasnt tested on individuals and some feel that testing must be done before the perspective  can be applied.   Others feel the perspective lacks merit because it doesnt further sociologies goal of understanding behavior. Its seen as more of a description of interaction than an explanation of it.

Why people are obsessed with their appearance Essay

Why people are obsessed with their appearance - Essay Example The appearance need not be lavish for all occasions but at least pleasant. Women generally tend to be give more importance to their appearance than men – this is because they are the fairer sex and it comes naturally for them. Men tend to focus on such things as fitness, body building etc. But one strong motivation for both genders is to be attractive to the opposite sex. Apart from appearance being helpful in attracting partners, it also helps establish status among peers. A good dressing sense and a well-kempt appearance will help gain respect among peers (provided, of course, that the individual's behavior is in line with his/her sophisticated outward appearance) What aids and facilitates this obsession is the multi-billion dollar advertising industry which repeatedly projects images of beauty and attractiveness (which are to a degree subjective) onto our television screens, newspaper columns and billboards. It is fair to say that the advertising industry is obsessed with s elling products (useful or not) to people (who want it not) in the guise of projecting them as essential commodities. Popular culture outlets such as Hollywood and Television also plays a part, in that, many ageing movie and TV stars resort to plastic surgery to revive their looks. Fans of the these stars then follow suit. But, in the final analysis, outward appearance cannot compensate for flaws of the personality.