A Long Journey of Hardships

            In his works, Langston Hughes creates a theme of the unrecognized contribution of African Americans to the American society, and their lack of equal rights and opportunities which led them to be abused by the institutions of slavery and segregation. Hughes uses verisimilitude for emphasis on the idea that, although he didn’t personally experience the numerous tragedies and hardships that African Americans went through, it is a collective struggle for all African Americans across America in their fight for equal rights. In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” Hughes incorporates the symbol of rivers as a guide through the history of his heritage. He begins with the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia—the cradle of mankind—and continues with the Congo and the Nile. He ends with “the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans…” which hints to the joy brought to African Americans by the Emancipation Proclamation. Although he hasn’t actually known “ancient, dusky rivers,” Hughes uses himself as an embodiment of his ancestors and describes the journey they made throughout history. The ideas that Hughes conveys in his poems through cleverly utilizing the art of verisimilitude compliment the changing ideologies brought by the Harlem Renaissance, showing that African Americans are just as capable as white Americans.   

Be Careful What You Wish For

“A self-made man means one who has rendered himself accomplished, eminent, rich, or great by his own unaided efforts.”

—John Frost, Self-Made Men of America (1848)

When we think of self made man, we think of the astronomically rich robber barons of the gilded age and the characters in Horatio Alger’s books; however, Fitzgerald uses the discourse of the self-made man in The Great Gatsby and The Diamond as Big as the Ritz to show that self-made men often do not completely fulfill all of their dreams even with their opulence and power.

First of all, I don’t really believe in such a thing as a “self-made man.” All of the successful people that embody the idea of the self-made man, at one point, needed help from another person which could’ve greatly impacted their career. We often hear the saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” The contributions from family, friends, and others played a major role in the success of those “self-made men.” Anyways, the use of the self-made man teaches many morals to the American audience.

Jay Gatsby and Braddock Washington are both rags-to-riches success stories that gained excess wealth that symbolized that of the Jazz Age. The former worked harder and, at first, had pure intentions to rightfully gain what he wanted, although the latter selfishly used his wealth and even killed people to protect his affluence. At one point, both men were corrupted by their wealth and desired more than they initially wanted. Even the title The Great Gatsby itself is a sarcastic statement of Gatsby and his “success.” Fitzgerald shows that these self-made men tragically died unhappy even though they were extremely rich; money doesn’t buy happiness.

I vaguely remember a story that I read when I was in 3^rd or 4^th grade about a man who got three wishes from a dragon, and he wished for wealth, a beautiful wife, and immortality but his greed and corruption resulted in him losing everything. The dragon comes back and tells him that he should have been wise and less greedy and instead wished for intelligence, honesty, and a good personality so that he could’ve achieved what he wanted without greed and corruption. Indeed, I either read very bizarre stories back then or I watched too much Dragon Ball Z, but this story shows that—like the stories of Gatsby and Washington—greed and corruption will leave you unhappy forever.

The discourse of the self-made man in the early 1920s gave Americans hope and motivation to strive towards a better life and achieve the American Dream, but in The Great Gatsby, The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, and many others of Fitzgerald's stories, Fitzgerald depicts the inevitable greed and corruption that is hidden in human nature itself and the dangers it holds for those who selfishly gain money. 

The American Dream: An Unattainable Paradox

The Great Gatsby—a title that is itself ironic. The tale of the dishonest, wasteful bootlegger known as Jay Gatsby and his obsessive dream to regain his past lover Daisy. Fitzgerald exemplifies many characteristics of the Jazz Age through themes, symbols, and motifs that depict the excess wealth, as well as the moral decay faced by a majority of Americans in the 1920s. One major theme Fitzgerald presents in The Great Gatsby is the corruption of the American Dream in the 1920s and the difficulty to achieve it.

Jay Gatsby rose from a boy in rural North Dakota to a very wealthy man in West Egg, New York. He believed that if he worked hard enough and gained maximum wealth, he could achieve any dream. Of course he was able to buy a lavish mansion and host luxurious parties, but he still didn’t fulfill his dream of winning Daisy’s love. Gatsby’s unfulfilled dream resembles the unattainable American Dream and its corruption through wealth and selfish desires. The American dream stood for values such as pursuit of happiness and individualism, but is adulterated in the 1920s into a paradox of endless desires that lead one to the next. Seekers of the American Dream will always be faced by disappointment, like Gatsby felt, when they are not able to totally fulfill their chain of unattainable dreams.

Good Times, Good Times...

World War 1 had a profound impact on the world and brought success and expansion to America; it instilled a new confidence and patriotism in the American people. This brought America into one of its greatest eras—the Roaring Twenties, also known as the Jazz Age. This era benefited all corners of the American society and brought economical and political advancements, as well as literary inspiration.

However, what directly caused this sudden economic prosperity? It can be mainly attributed to the highly active consumer market after the Great War and their investments in stocks. The 1920s was now a period where it was not uncommon to own a car, radio, telephone, and other luxuries that previously were only owned by the upper class. In class, we looked at a few ads which advertised useless products such as car curtains; this depicts the wealth among Americans and their desires to buy fancy, unnecessary things. Although, the Americans should be careful around this time because this excess wealth brought upon stability, pride, overconfidence, and then arrogance; this success foreshadowed the most tragic economic collapse known as the Great Depression.

Another improvement that was established during the Jazz Age was the 19^th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. This brought a major change in the role and importance of women in the society; the political equality that women sought for centuries was finally granted in the United States. The “new woman”, also known as the flapper, emerged and depicted their newfound independence and confidence in making an impact in society, both politically and socially.

All of this change broke traditional values and began a new era in literature—modernism. Many writers were inspired by this dynamic change to show their view of the changing views and traditions during the Jazz Age. Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald exemplifies this period of wealth in the setting of The Great Gatsby through the character of the affluent Jay Gatsby.  The luxuries and freedoms enjoyed during the Roaring Twenties were taken for granted, but in the meantime it inspired many great Modernist contributions to American literature.

Punctuation.?!

“Evaluate the significance of punctuation.”

I’m sure that a great percentage of people asked that question would respond that punctuation is very important and adds emotion, meaning, and clear expression of thought in a piece of writing. I would too. We’ve been using it since kindergarten and we can’t really find anything wrong with it because it is ingrained in our formal writing style. I mean what is punctuation? It’s a variety of symbols that indicate a pause, separation of ideas, and even a continuation of an idea. It was made to help deliver a writer’s thought clearly without misunderstandings, like “lets eat grandma” instead of “let’s eat, grandma!” However, it is obvious that no one wants the complete eradication of punctuation; the opposition only gives a lower value to punctuation. Lewis Thomas describes the usefulness of each main symbol of punctuation and states that “there are no precise rules about punctuation.” Why then, do I get marked down on an essay for not having correct punctuation? The simple answer is that incorrect usage of punctuation can negatively impact your writing and its meaning. You aren’t controlled by punctuation, but you can use punctuation however you want to express your ideas and emotions. I hate to see “fights” regarding this “very sensitive” topic. If I didn’t use quotation marks in the previous sentence, you might not have sensed my sarcasm. (That example was a joke, please don’t hurt me) Unfortunately, we can’t come to a compromise in this debate and the answer isn’t “Why not both?” But in all seriousness, I believe that punctuation isn’t something to be toyed with because using it correctly effectively conveys a common message to be understood by both the readers and the writer.

Intolerance and Inequality

Intolerance and Inequality

            Puritans are infamous for their intolerance in religious and societal matters. They came to the New World in order to set up their “City Upon a Hill.” They came to the New World in order to practice their own religion freely, yet it’s ironic that they persecuted others that didn’t follow Puritan beliefs—the kind of behavior that they ran away from England. Although the Puritans aren’t completely bad, Nathaniel Hawthorne highlights the bad qualities and shows the absurdity of some Puritan beliefs in The Scarlet Letter. He wants the readers to sympathize for Hester Prynne and Pearl, and look upon the Puritan society, even Dimmesdale, with disappointment.

            Hawthorne negatively portrays Puritan intolerance and hypocrisy in The Scarlet Letter. The townspeople ostracize Hester for the adultery she committed, yet refuse to accept that Reverend Dimmesdale took part in the same sin due to his high status and religious knowledge. This shows the inequality of the townspeople regarding this sin. The Puritans punish Hester, but cannot even think of giving a punishment to Dimmesdale; mainly because she is a woman and that her identity is shaped solely by her virginity and actions. Hester is publicly shamed, but she endures the scarlet letter on her chest with fortitude, yet Dimmesdale bears his scarlet letter beneath his ministerial robes as a secret from the Puritan society to avoid judgement and punishment.   

            Hawthorne illustrates the inequality faced by Puritan women in the 1600s, which is still in a way applicable to what women face today. Women were treated as an inferior kind in all places, even in the United States, until the major advancements in women’s rights in the 20^th century. Women were given the right to vote, right to work a “man’s job” and even run in elections for positions like governors and even presidents; however, it confuses me as to why women do not have equal rights and are forced to grow in the shadow of a man. Many mistakenly argue that women have not taken equal responsibility, so they don’t have equal rights; this is wrong because women, in reality, actually have more responsibility than men in some cases, like raising children and keeping a job. So do they need more rights? I think, at least in the United States, that women have been given the same rights as men. The main problem lies in the ingrained preconceptions of society that men are superior to men. If we somehow peacefully put away these notions, forget what the Puritans followed, and listen to Hawthorne’s morals in The Scarlet Letter, it is possible for women to be truly equal to men.

Status, Status, Status

Your status in the social hierarchy determines a lot about you: your wealth, character, and credibility. Most of us try everyday to keep our reputation and status high among society. Why do we give so much importance to this concept of status when it actually may be a disadvantage to you? A higher status means higher expectations from society. This means that if you are to do something wrong while having a reputable status, you will have a harsher aftermath compared to the same sin done by one who has a lower status.

In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester has committed adultery with Dimmesdale, dooming her to wear a scarlet “A”—an indelible mark for her unforgivable sin in the intolerant Puritan society. She is forced upon the scaffold to bear the shame of her mistake and is ostracized from the Puritan people; however, she has confessed her sin. On the other hand, Dimmesdale has kept his identity as the adulterer of Hester a secret. As a priest, Dimmesdale has a very high social status among the Puritan people, and he is thought of as one who wouldn’t make mistakes. As a result, he has a lot of pressure to make the choice of whether or not to confess his sin. Later on, Dimmesdale suffers from an illness most likely caused by the severe inner turmoil he is going through. He knows that if he confesses, the Puritan people would leave no mercy for him. Dimmesdale’s reputable status gives him a disadvantage compared to Hester’s case.

This concept also applies in current events as well. When Bill Clinton was found guilty of having an affair with Monica Lewinsky, he was given all the spotlight of infamy, while Monica Lewinsky wasn’t as heavily accused. Clinton was removed from office and had an imaginary letter “A” to wear on his chest.

Status does play a huge role in our lives, but this doesn’t mean we should place huge significance on it. After all, it is a weakness.

Transcendentalism: Crazy but Insightful

“More servants wait on man than he’ll take notice of” –George Herbert

I think most of us can agree that we don’t really acknowledge the people and environment around us that have allowed us to achieve what we have in our life. Ralph Waldo Emerson discusses his thoughts of how mankind is ungrateful to his surroundings in “Nature.” Although a key tenet of transcendentalism is that the nature of human beings is good, transcendentalist writers mean that society corrupts us and our inherently good nature. After reading such transcendentalist writings such as “Nature” and “This is Water,” I’ve come to think that I haven’t really considered what others feel as much as I should have when I interact with them, but I guess it’s just a human thing. David Foster Wallace urges us in “This is Water” to stray from our default settings and become more aware of our surroundings; but that is really hard. Wallace expands and says that we think of ourselves as “the absolute center of the universe; the realest, most vivid and important person in existence. We rarely think about this sort of natural, basic self-centeredness because it’s so socially repulsive.” Also, in “Nature,” Emerson suggests that we must be grateful for all of the factors in our environment that help us. In my case, I believe that is my supportive family and friends, presence of basic life needs, and rights. Yeah, rights. That gets me thinking of “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau. This piece is considered a legendary writing piece and served as the basis for civil rights movements by Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., but during my first time reading it, I honestly thought he was crazy and radical for going on about anarchy, revolution, and his one-day stay in jail for avoiding poll taxes; however, he just wants to say that we should listen to our conscience instead of listening to an inhibiting force. These main concepts of transcendentalism should be accepted for the most part. Not just because a group of smart people approve of it but for the liberation of your soul.

The Rights Worth Fighting For

“We will never have true civilization until we have learned to recognize the rights of others” ~Will Rogers

            Equality is the quality or state of having the same rights, social status, etc. Americans have fought for equality and independence in each century since 1776. The white men sought freedom from Great Britain in the 18^th century with the Declaration of Independence; African Americans sought freedom from the shackles of slavery in the 19^th century with the Emancipation Proclamation and equal rights in the mid-20^th century with the Civil Rights Movement; lastly, American women sought freedom from the oppression they felt from men with the Declaration of Sentiments. Each of these groups fought for the same rights, but just at different times. Unless all citizens are given equal rights and opportunities, America “will never have true civilization.”

            In class, we discussed the similarities and differences between the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments. Both of these documents fought for the same equal rights, but the Declaration of Independence fought solely for the rights of men. The Declaration of Sentiments wanted men and women to have equal rights and opportunities; it gave grievances against men and reasons why women should be viewed as individual human beings instead of being defined by their husbands. It is important to understand that each individual of society should be given the opportunity to contribute to society.

The fight for equality and freedom exists in almost every city of the world. Freedom cannot be seen as a privilege; it is everyone’s right to have freedom, regardless of their identity, but it is worthy to note that freedom has its bounds.  

Is Reputation All You Have?

People’s goal in life is to build a good reputation so that their legacy upholds even after they die. What you do to build your character—everything that you do from when you wake up to when you go to bed— is for the purpose of one day achieving something great and earning yourself respect from others and reputation in society. In The Crucible, each character places a huge significance upon his or her name and status; reputation was the most important thing in a society like 17^th century theocratic Salem, Massachusetts.  

When John Proctor is asked why he won’t sign a paper verifying his confession, he responds that “because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life...I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”(Act IV, Line 725) This shows that Proctor values his name over his life and doesn’t want to taint his reputation, which would result in a tarnished legacy and a shame to be held by his descendants. Even if he must sacrifice his life, Proctor won’t ruin his name because it is his most valuable possession.

The motif and significance of name in The Crucible is not as strongly represented in today’s society.  Now, one’s reputation changes so easily that a single taint doesn’t affect your overall name. The individualization of reputation reduces the significance of name; what your grandfather’s grandfather did to ruin his reputation doesn’t affect your status in society. Reputation doesn’t fully determine who you are and it isn’t the only thing people have nowadays.

Use Your Rationality!

“Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.”—Albert Camus

            Humans are rational, yet illogical. They know what the right thing is, but usually choose to follow the wrong choices. This human flaw can be attributed to the fear that exists in them of becoming the next victim of society. Choosing the right thing to do sometimes may force you to go against society and its values. When others do wrong things, people feel the urge to follow the majority to avoid being excluded from the mainstream.

This hysteria is prevalent in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. The play is based on the Salem Witch Trials held in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692; these trials were false accusations of witchcraft placed on a few “witches.” The mass hysteria caused by these accusations helped bring the trials forward, resulting in 19 deaths. In the play, Abigail accuses many townspeople, most of them women, and other townsfolk join her; if they don’t join her, it is an indication that they are witches. Although the people of Salem know what is right, their rationality is clouded by the hysteria that Abigail starts.

The effects of hysteria still exist in modern society. For example, the fear of terrorism has molded people’s view of Muslims in a negative way; many of them are discriminated against around the world for things that they aren’t responsible for. It is the loss of rationality which is caused by hysteria that Muslims are all possible terrorists. Many races and cultures have been discriminated against in the past due to mass hysteria and fear in society.  

It is very difficult to leave the beliefs of society to do what is right because of the fear of being an outlier in society or becoming the next to be accused/persecuted. People have an innate ability to be rational, but the effects of mass hysteria clouds it, resulting in serious consequences.

Religion is a Priority

Since the origin of civilization, people have been following a religion to give them guidance, to develop spirituality, and give them a sort of identity. Many writers since have been writing about God’s significance, power, and wrath. Other than books like the Bible, many writings have served the purpose of influencing people to become more religious and reform themselves so they can achieve Heaven and avoid God’s wrath.

In Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” he wants people to realize how completely sinful they are, and God’s anger with them for being sinful.  He wants them to be aware that it is only by God's salvation that any of them can be rescued from Hell.  He makes it seem that there isn’t anything his audience can do to reach Heaven and that the Congregation deserves damnation. He uses the emotional appeal of fear to convince them of their sins and give them a “Great Awakening.” Although a majority of this piece is negative, he does give good news at the end; if people embrace God and reform themselves to be pleasing to Him, they will be saved from the punishment of eternal damnation. In short, people are inherently sinners and that God is merciful, but only chooses to save few from punishment.

Early religious writers have left a legacy for the people and a precedent for future writers. Some still follow the Puritan themes Edwards discusses in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and continue to be religious, and some have dissented from their religion or totally abandoned it. The variety of religions that are followed today, although conflicting on some controversial beliefs, have achieved one prevailing goal—they have made people aware of both God’s undefined wrath and mercy.  

We Just Want to be Accepted

The widespread diversity and potpourri of cultures in countries across the world, especially countries like the United States of America, has resulted in the loss of cultural identity in people, and what remains of their identity—stereotypes—are the characteristics others choose to place upon you. The rejection of a race or culture in society results in generalizations that can be rather harsh and offensive.  In The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Sherman Alexie amalgamates humor and sorrow to show that you must break the stereotypes placed on you by society to find out the deeper truth about yourself and your real identity that has been masked by stereotypes your whole life.

                Racism and stereotypes exist because people fear a loss of their own culture. The majority wants to dictate over the minorities in fear that the assimilation of these minorities into their own culture will adulterate their traditions in their own society. When Alexie goes for a drive to blow off steam in a nice residential neighborhood, he gets pulled over by a cop who tells him that he “doesn’t fit the profile of the neighborhood.”(Page 183) The police officer judged Alexie based on that he was a Native American and was probably up to something suspicious. The cop, who doesn’t know Alexie at all, simply worries that the presence of a Native American poses a danger for the neighborhood.

 In The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Alexie shows his struggle of fitting into American society and his challenge of breaking people’s personal perceptions of him as a Native American. For example, when Alexie goes to 7-11, the clerk was “…searching for some response that would reassure him that I wasn’t an armed robber. He knew this dark skin and long, black hair of mine was dangerous. I had potential.”(Page 183) After he asks the clerk if he knows the words to “The Brady Bunch” theme song, he breaks the clerk’s stereotypes on him.

                When you don’t fit into the profile of the majority, you are a possible victim to stereotypes. That is why you must stand your ground, like Sherman Alexie, to break the stereotypes that are placed upon you by society.

This is an example of our perception of Native Americans, based on the stereotypes placed upon them by society:

Made to Follow the Majority

How does fear fuel hysteria and mob mentality?

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

            “All persons ought to endeavor to follow what is right, and not what is established.”
                                                                  ― Aristotle

Both hysteria and mob mentality are the unique group behavior displaying uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic. People conform to the majority in fear that they will not fit into modern society and they will be looked upon as oddities, thus their social status declines. Many also fall into hysteria and mob mentality because they are afraid to leave their traditional teachings for a new idea. Fear is the main source of mob mentality in society. Unfortunately, very few individuals are free from mob mentality.

Back in the 19^th century, slavery was considered common -- an everyday element of agriculture and commerce in the South, until it was abolished in USA in 1865. Racism and segregation persisted in America till the mid 20^th century. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, a majority of the characters view African Americans no more than tools – plainly because those were the values that they were taught and they fear to leave them. Twain satirizes mob mentality in the feud between the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons; both sides have forgotten the initial reason of the feud, but still keep fighting because they were taught to hate each other. The fear of going astray from traditional teachings and being oddities fuels the mob mentality in society, sometimes keeping people away from doing the morally correct thing to do

Another good example of mob mentality can be found if we go back to the Massachusetts prosecutions and hearings in the late 15^th century, better known as the Salem Witch Trials. Fear of witchcraft spread through the town and Salem fell into mass hysteria with numerous accusations on various people from West Indian servants to prominent townspeople, but mainly women. The Salem Witch Trials ended in 1692 when people finally realized that the stories and accusations on “witches” were made up, but by then, 19 “witches” had already been put to death. The Witch Trials show the foolishness of the Salem townspeople to get caught up in the hysteria of witchcraft just because others were strong believers in it.

After analyzing why people fall into hysteria and mob mentality, it can be concluded that it is indeed fear of leaving traditional values and ethics that seem “moral” that fuels the urge to conform to society and fit in, sometimes leading to harsh consequences such as death.