More handpicked essays just for you.
American literature has many ethnic groups
Essay about loneliness an american malady
Loneliness theme in literature
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: American literature has many ethnic groups
In the short story “American History” by Judith Ortiz Cofer, Elena has always felt alone in her small New Jersey town. The only person who was actually there for Elena was Eugene, one of her new neighbors. As Elena finds out that Eugene and her share similar interests, the two friends become closer and closer. Elena soon begins to fall in love with Eugene, but she doesn’t realize that some things aren’t meant to be. While reading outside, Elena would peer into an old couple’s window and watch them live their lives to avoid hers. Once the old man had passed away, his widowed wife had moved out of the house, leaving it empty. A few months later, Eugene and his family had moved into the old, abandoned house. When Elena first saw Eugene, she wanted
While reading through the pages of “Separate Pasts: Growing up in the Segregated South” the author gives many details of his life growing up in the village of Wade. There are several things noticed during the course of this book, one can almost hear McLaurin tell the stories of his past and reading the words I could tell he was at times curious. But there were also times of guilt for the way he was brought up to treat the “blacks” of wade. McLaurin also had respect and sometimes it seemed he was envious of some of the black people he came in contact with. There were also times of depression within his own family. We will revisit some of his stories and reflect on some of the details of his life growing up.
White supremacy was widely present in the readings “Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza” by Gloria Anzaldua and “A People’s History of the Untied States” by Zinn Howard. Both readings had vast examples of how white supremacy had run economic, social, political conditions of non-white peoples, land, and everything in between. White superiority was the belief that motivated them to conquer lands that originally did not belong to them; by doing so they converted natives to aliens or unwelcomed and inhabitants to slaves or casualties. In Gloria Anzaldua article “Borderlands/La Frontera; The New Mestiza” she describes how the Southwest of U.S (Aztlan) was conquered by the whites and how they used the border as white mans way of segregation
Cokie Roberts’ Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation examines women's role in the establishment and development of the United States of America. Throughout the book, Roberts attempts to prove that women have natural characteristics in which they use to their advantage to build a foundation for the future of all women. She examines the lives of some of the most important women in U.S. history, such as Abigail Smith Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Sarah Livingston Jay, Martha Washington and Mary White Morris. Roberts researched all of the women who “had the ears of the Founding Fathers,”. She believes that since these women lived in such a strange and wonderful time period that they must have strange and wonderful stories to tell. The book
After reading The Book of the Unknown Americans, I realized how difficult immigrating to the United States can be. I am an immigrant also, so just reading the story makes me relate to many problems immigrants experience relocating to a different country. Immigrants often face many issues and difficulties, but for some it is all worth it, but for others there comes a point in time where they have to go back to their hometown. Alma and Arturo Rivera came to the United States to better their life, but also so that Maribel could attend a special education school. While Arturo had a job things had gone well for the family, but once Arturo lost the job and passed away the two of them had to go back because they felt that that was the best option for them. Reading this book made me realize how strong an individual has to be to leave their own country and relocate somewhere else not knowing if this will better your life or cause one to suffer.
Howard Zinn’s main point in chapter one of A People’s History of the United States is that history is more accurate through the eyes of the oppressed. Zinn states that choosing to ignore the oppressed in history is “...more than technical, it is ideological” (Zinn 5). This is because in not paying attention to the subdued, one also chooses to ignore the majority of history. If the champion is the only one who gets to tell the story it is more often than not missing key details and glorified in favor of the oppressor. An example of this is Columbus’ descriptions of the Arawak people. He describes them as ignorant, naive, and even compares them to animals. In reality the Arawaks were a developed people with advanced laws and traditions. Also
Frances Fitzgerald, in her essay “Rewriting American History” (1979) asserts that history textbooks are changing too quickly. She supports her assertion by including informative anecdotal evidence, reflective diction, and witty irony. Fitzgerald’s purpose is to encourage people in control of history textbooks to be more objective in order to provide students with a more consistent knowledge of history. She adopts a sarcastic tone (“Poor Columbus”) for her audience of textbook publishers, textbook writers, teachers, and school-board members.
Crucet says, “I don’t even remember the moment they drove away,” but unlike the author’s family, mine left after I moved in, they did not stay the whole first week into my classes. After the first day of being alone, I wish they
In 1828 Andrew Jackson was elected as President, as a favorite among the United States many view him as the Hero of New Orleans. He is to many the epitome of a gentleman and that he embodies the ideals of many Americans. He views himself as the President of all the people and likes the idea of having those who worked for the government to depend on him. Jackson however, was ignorant to many of the fields that would have been beneficial to him and the United States had he not been so unwilling to accept advice from experts. His lack of knowledge of the banking system was evident; however, he had Nicholas Biddle to thank for keeping the system afloat. Biddle brilliantly maintained the Bank of the United States which in turn ensured that many financial institutions were able to maintain their efficiency. Despite Jackson's efforts to destroy the bank because of the monopoly it allowed, this short-lived veto was reversed. Biddle's efficient means of running the bank ensured a stable economy for the United States.
Ann and John, two characters from he short story "The Painted Door", do not have a very healthy relationship. John is a simple farmer who thinks the only way he can please his wife, Ann, is by working all day to earn money for her. However Ann would prefer him to spend more time with her. Their relationship is stressed even further when Ann is left at home alone with nothing to think about but their relationship because John has to go to his father’s house. The terrible snowstorm accentuates Ann’s feelings of loneliness and despair. John does not pay enough attention to Ann, and therefore creates a weak relationship.
Sophie lost her husband and child in a car accident and soon after turned to drugs, sex, and booze to forget the ones she loved. When Isabel is confronted with Sophie at the bar she is disgusted of her friend and wants nothing to do with her. When Sophie left Isabel said, “We’d known one another always. But a normal person recovers from a thing like that. If she went to pieces it’s because there was a rotten streak in her. She was naturally unbalanced; even her love for [her husband] was exaggerated. If she’d had character she’d have been able to make something of life (196).” Isabel is expressing since Sophie is acting different than her normal self she is not normal and never really was. Instead of being a friend to Sophie she would rather have nothing to do with her because she feels there is not anything one can do. Isabel does not care about the well beings of her friends’ even if she has known them all her life. She is only worried about herself and her own
She also approaches the story with a psychoanalytic approach, suggesting that this story represents an Oedipus complex, while also recognizing that it could be a reverse Oedipus complex in which her actions drove her to become further connected with her mother. “The attachment to Bernal, as I have argued, is an ephemeral stage in this rite of passage, which does not undermine or prejudice the primary mother-daughter relationship. Therefore, I would suggest that the story is inherently a celebration of this dyadic mother-daughter relationship over and above the Freudian/Lacanian version of the female child's entry into the Symbolic Order"(Lindsay 143). Here, Lindsay is supporting the argument that Bernal’s relationship with Elena is not as important as that of her and her mother. However, Lindsay believes that this plays a part in a much bigger picture where Elena seeks out how to become a woman and learn her place as a patriarch by learning from her mother’s relationship with Bernal. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that the central theme of this story focalizes on the mother-daughter
Love is powerful and could change a person’s personality. In “The Book of Unknown Americans”, the author Christina Hernriquez tells us the definition of love. It is a book combined with different stories but each story is connected to others. It talks about the immigrants that moved to America with lots of hope, but didn’t end up with a happy ending. The story is about love, hope and guilt and different kinds of emotional feeling. In the book, Mayor has an internal change because of Maribel, and the power of love. He wants to be a strong man who can protect Maribel. He used to be someone who couldn’t defend himself and he changed because of Maribel.
A long time ago, when the seeds of America were still being planted in the west, there was a man named Eugene Skinner. Eugene was so tall and strong that he could fell a forest with one swing of his axe and could clear a path for a river with his own hands. Eugene was widely sought after due to his rugged good looks and capable hands by a variety of women in his hometown of Essex which was 20 miles or so away from the grand city of New York. Eugene was very much averse for finding a wife right away, as he wanted to travel the country, and was set on traveling west soon. However, one day Eugene happened upon a beautiful girl named Mary tending upon a garden she had grown by herself. Eugene was entranced by Mary’s nurturing care and loving nature,
In the story, “An Hour With Abuelo” by Judith Ortiz Cofer, Arturo goes to visit his Abuelo and throughout the story realizes that he shouldn’t be so quick to judge the people that care about him because you might find them to be worth your time. This story teaches its readers that you should cherish the time you have with the people that love you. Arturo thinks to himself, “I want my mother to have to wait a little. I don’t want her to think that I’m in a hurry or anything.” (Cofer, 140) This quote proves that he realizes he has a lot in common with his Abuelo and ended up enjoying the time he had with him. Throughout the story Arturo and Abuelo realize all the things they have in common with each other. This idea brings the readers back to the thought that it is never too late to make a connection and enjoy the time you have with the people who love you.
Edgar Allan Poe’s 1849 poem, “Annabel Lee”, explores the common themes of romance and death found in many of Poe’s works. The poem tells the story of a beautiful young maiden named Annabel Lee who resides by the sea. The maiden and the narrator of the poem are deeply in love, however the maiden falls ill and dies, leaving the narrator without his beloved Annabel Lee. Contrary to what many might expect from a poem by Poe and yet still depressing, the poem ends with the narrator accepting Annabel’s death and remains confident that they will forever be together despite her parting.