The collage “Rocket to the Moon” by Romare Bearden depicts life in the slums using bold colors and positive shapes. It seems that the artist is trying to show the repression of African-Americans in America, and the struggle they face when trying to elevate their position in society. This could also be a demonstration of the absurdity of man’s ability to fly a rocket to the moon and inability to fix the problems associated with inner city life.
The collage depicts a full moon high above the congested streets of the city. Besides triggering werewolf transformations, the full moon symbolizes the height of power, the peak of clarity, and fullness and obtainment of desire; in this particular work it also represents freedom. It seems that the rocket is symbolic of African-Americans trying to escape the slums and achieve any of the previously mentioned things the moon symbolizes. The overcrowding in the painting and distinct separation between the moon and streets of full of black people may be
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representative of everything preventing African-Americans from reaching the moon: poverty, illiteracy and poor schools, racial tensions and prejudice, biased courts and police, gang culture, disproportionate prison incarceration, and more. A black cat stalks along the top of a red apartment building in the top left corner of the collage.
The black cat is a source of superstition in many cultures, and in the United States it is a symbol of bad luck. On the opposite corner of the collage, the bottom right, there is a picture of an African American who some interpret as Martin Luther King Jr, a leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement who preached the power of nonviolence. In this interpretation, the black cat is seens as representative of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, a group who practiced militant self-defense of minority groups against the United States government. Though they fought for the same cause, the two parties had different means of accomplishing their goals. If the figure in the bottom corner is in fact Martin Luther King Jr, his presence in the collage could symbolize the dream of escaping the problems of the inner city, because he always dreamt things would get
better. Pictures of black people fill the bottom of the page, a few of which appear to be smoking. Smoking can be used for more than self-destruction and social acceptance. Some people smoke to have fun, but in this context, one might view it as a coping mechanism for the inner city minorities. As mentioned before, the moon is in their view, but they do not have the resources to reach it. If the moon is representative of freedom, or an escape, and African-Americans cannot achieve it, getting high on marijuana can be the only escape from a harsh reality. If you cannot get high to the moon, why not get high on earth? Therefore, the painting “Rocket to the Moon” by Romare Bearden overall depicts the repression of African-Americans in America, and the struggle they face when trying to elevate their position in society. The full moon symbolizes freedom, and the rocket symbolizes African-Americans trying to escape the slums and reach that freedom. Everything blocking the black figures at the bottom from reaching the moon is representative of all the external factors which hinder African-Americans from achieving their goals. The black cat could represent bad luck, or the Black Panthers, and the figure in the bottom right corner may be Martin Luther King Jr, whose presence would symbolize dreams of escaping problems associated with inner city life. The black people smoking represents them coping with the harsh reality of never being ble to move up in society.
What do you think the cats in the movie actually represented? (6 pts) This should be a minimum of one paragraph.
Visually, the moon is bigger and brighter, juxtaposed to the words engulfing the earth with its bigger and bolder shade. The man sitting on the moon has his eyes glued on the television to symbolize the American people’s cynical attitude. Because the launch interested many individuals, they used it as a tool that prevented them from giving their full attention to the earth’s crisis. He ultimately challenges the conduct in which people choose to show during the time of two influenced
To depict the unfair daily lives of African Americans, Martin Luther King begins with an allegory, a boy and a girl representing faultless African Americans in the nation. The readers are able to visualize and smell the vermin-infested apartment houses and the “stench” of garbage in a place where African American kids live. The stench and vermin infested houses metaphorically portray our nation being infested with social injustice. Even the roofs of the houses are “patched-up” of bandages that were placed repeatedly in order to cover a damage. However, these roofs are not fixed completely since America has been pushing racial equality aside as seen in the Plessy v. Ferguson court case in which it ruled that African Americans were “separate but equal”. Ever since the introduction of African Americans into the nation for slavery purposes, the society
He does this by using derogatory diction along with black and white shading to set a disapproving tone towards humankind. In the drawing, Herblock includes three words, which are “war”, “poverty”, and “prejudice” in a smog-like cloud around the earth. The connection between the cloud and the words show that much like how the human’s method of living resulted in pollution of Earth, they were also responsible for creating these ideas. The fact that a man is on the moon with his back turned to the smog shows that humans did not fix their problems they caused and instead moved on. Since this was released in a time period close to the successful Apollo 11 mission, the author implies that this is the kind of path humans may take as a result of finding an alternative place to live. Another way Herblock conveys his purpose is through the use of a black and white shading to set a disappointed tone for humans. The use of the black and white scale allows there to be contrast to highlight the moon where the man is by making it bright white, while the earth is dark and seemingly desolate. Once humans realized it was possible to successfully go to the moon, they later on found a way to go to it. They abandoned the planet they used to live in, now shadowed by their own pollution, going to a
In his poems, Langston Hughes treats racism not just a historical fact but a “fact” that is both personal and real. Hughes often wrote poems that reflect the aspirations of black poets, their desire to free themselves from the shackles of street life, poverty, and hopelessness. He also deliberately pushes for artistic independence and race pride that embody the values and aspirations of the common man. Racism is real, and the fact that many African-Americans are suffering from a feeling of extreme rejection and loneliness demonstrate this claim. The tone is optimistic but irritated. The same case can be said about Wright’s short stories. Wright’s tone is overtly irritated and miserable. But this is on the literary level. In his short stories, he portrays the African-American as a suffering individual, devoid of hope and optimism. He equates racism to oppression, arguing that the African-American experience was and is characterized by oppression, prejudice, and injustice. To a certain degree, both authors are keen to presenting the African-American experience as a painful and excruciating experience – an experience that is historically, culturally, and politically rooted. The desire to be free again, the call for redemption, and the path toward true racial justice are some of the themes in their
The symbol feet represent political action simply for how they were demonstrated amongst this graphic memoir. The cinematic techniques shown provide the whole meaning of the book series and its title. Feet are used throughout the book, showing that the people who marched to influence desegregation. The sign saying counter closed is an object that expresses a discriminative feeling. Simply for putting these signs when African Americans sat down to be served, immediately the servers told them they were not to be served. Bar stools or lunch counter are also symbols with a substantial meaning of segregation. At diners usually customers are treated first come first serve. But when it came to African Americans, they were asked to leave even if they sat down on the bar stools. Lewis and his companions express the feeling of humiliation. Buses also objects with symbolic meaning of seclusion. In every public transportation provided, races were always divided. Either if it was the bus to bring people from town to town, or children who went to school. The court house is also a meaningful object with a feeling of isolation. In the south, court houses gave no justice to ones who were anything other than white. If any black person was convicted of a crime, they were considered guilty no matter
In document K, the image states “Jim Crow blights the lives of black and white Americans alike. For prejudice corrupts” (Doc K).The quote implies that the Jim Crow laws are not beneficial to either white Americans or African Americans because they provide trouble to both of the races and disrupts the peace in the society. In addition, the kid’s facial expressions signify that he is plagued by fear and is desperate; thus, showing the harsh realities of the life of an African American under the Jim Crow laws and that the laws are not a benefit but, rather a burden. Another quote within the image states that “Jim Crow must go!”(Doc K).This quote manages to attract the attention of the people because it boldly asserts that Jim Crow laws must be repealed. In particular, the poster compels the African Americans to support the movement because this crisis affects every single one of them to some extent and they have been protesting against the laws long before Henry Wallace.
Blacks have become the most often targeted in hate crime. The slightly covered moon might be an indirect indication that there will be some kind of transformation going on at night. For example, the little African boy grew horns at night which makes him look like a devil after catching a duck by the river or lake. There is a white man lifting a black woman on the end of this artwork. It looks like he is about to throw her off to ground. The broom she is carrying in her hand may be a signal that she is a witch for the reason that she is high up above the ground. To whites, these slaves from Africa are portrayed as devils in disguise and witches who practice witchcraft. In the 21st century, our society still has stereotypes remain rooted for African Americans. Those stereotypes are often created during our first impression. However, most of our negative stereotypes are created by advertising, media, and our society. The problem is we are developing an image of African Americans based on generalizations and not our encounter or first impression of them.
There was one symbol in the story that stood out especially in my mind and that was the stripper. She was a tall blonde-haired woman with a tattoo of the American flag on her stomach. I think the stripper symbolized the perfect American white woman, something a black man can strive for all his life to obtain, but would never receive. This was a symbol of the many things that a white man could have whereas a black man could not.
There are two red circles and one green arrow. The green arrow is pointing to the brick building, which symbolizes how African Americans are trapped. Therefore, this is a sign showing their unfortunate and unchangeable position in society. Society will always be there to tell African Americans what they are and where they belong, and remind them of their inferiority. Having the only choice of the red brick building symbolizes how there is limited choice and freedom. Even though an African American may feel worthy and of importance, they are quickly reminded of their disadvantage by almost everything in society. The dirty looks from other people, and the rules that are not written in stone, but seem as if they are clearly everywhere. The message of such rules is that blacks and whites are different, and blacks will never be
...ores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folks. The cross and the lynching tree symbolize the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning.
...ss, representing the truth of the times. The majority of the problems influence only the one dreamer, however, the ending suggests that, when despair is everywhere, it may "explode" and cause social and political uprising. “Harlem” brings to light the anxiety between the need for Negro expression and the opposition to that need because of society’s subjugation of its black populace. His lines confront the racist and unjust attitude common in American society before the civil rights movement of the 1960s. it expresses the belief that black wishes and dreams were irrelevant should be ignored. His closing rhetorical question—“Or does [a dream deferred] explode?”—is aggressive, a testimony that the inhibition of black dreams might result in a revolution. It places the blame for this possible revolution on the domineering society that forces the deferment of the dream.
The image of African-American’s changed from rural, uneducated “peasants” to urban, sophisticated, cosmopolites. Literature and poetry are abounded. Jazz music and the clubs where it was performed at became social “hotspots”. Harlem is the epitome of the “New Negro”. However, things weren’t as sunny as they appeared.
Next, symbolism is always an integral part of any Poe story. The most obvious of symbolic references in this story is the cat’s name, Pluto. This is the Roman god of the underworld. Pluto contributes to a strong sense of hell and may even symbolize the devil himself. Another immensely symbolic part of “The Black Cat” is the title itself, since onyx cats have long connoted bad luck and misfortune. The most amazing thing about the symbolism in this story or in any other of Poe’s is that there are probably many symbols that only Poe himself ever knew were in his writings.
Edgar Allan Poe's classic tale, "The Black Cat," is a disturbing story that delves into the contrasts between reality and fantasy, insanity and logic, and life and death. To decipher one distinct meaning presented in this story undermines the brilliance of Poe's writing. Multiple meanings can be derived from "The Black Cat," which lends itself perfectly to many approaches of critical interpretation.