Analysis of When We Were Kings When We Were Kings, a documentary about the Muhammad Ali/George Forman
heavyweight "Rumble in the Jungle" boxing match, is a wonderfully
nostalgic, and occasionally insightful, window into the recent past.
By nature, however, it is not a motion picture of any particular
depth, nor is it intended to be. Although the film touches on issues
of racism and nationalism as necessary background elements, it does
not delve far beneath the surface. Those who would criticize the film
view this as a fault; I see it as a creative choice. When We Were
Kings does not take a political or philosophical stance, and, as a
result, successfully does what it sets out to do.
While When We Were Kings is not a biography of Ali, it offers a great
deal of insight into why the boxer was equally beloved and despised
during his heyday. It's easy to forget how controversial a figure Ali
was in the '60s and '70s, when he constantly proclaimed himself "the
greatest", refused to register for the draft, and said things like
"Damn America. I live in America, but Africa's my home." Age and
Parkinson's Disease have softened the man's image, and, as Spike Lee
comments, it's shocking to realize how few young people understand who
Muhammed Ali was.
Today, George Forman is one of America's best liked public figures,
but that's the result of a lengthy personality makeover. In 1974, when
the "Rumble in the Jungle" took place, Forman was a taciturn,
frightening individual. To gain his heavyweight championship position,
he had "destroyed" both Joe Frazier and Ken Norton in the rin...
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...ept the project shelved until 1989, when Gast,
along with director Taylor Hackford (An Officer and a Gentleman,
Dolores Claiborne), began working to pare down hundreds of hours of
film to a reasonable length. The result is a dynamic look at one of
the great moments in sports history, and an examination of how and why
the participants were so important. Through Gast's camera, we see the
charisma of Ali and the menace of Forman, feel the energy of the
crowd, and understand what an amazing fight the "Rumble in the Jungle"
actually was.
To use the old cliche, you don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy this
motion picture. All you need is an appreciation of recent history and
a desire to learn more about an event that had far more importance in
the world's eyes than any other heavyweight bout in the history of
boxing.
William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest serving prime minister, is known for both the great contributions he brought to Canada and for the scandals he was involved in. The one event that makes him most famous to Canadians is the King-Byng Affair of 1926. During this event, Mackenzie King asked Lord Byng to dissolve parliament in order to force a new election as he had lost with a minority. Because King’s intentions were to regain a majority government, Byng refused out of distrust for King’s plans and King was replaced in power by the Conservatives. While William Lyon Mackenzie King’s actions were in accordance with all the laws regarding his power as Prime Minister, he acted for selfish reasons thus putting him in the wrong. Mackenzie King’s and Lord Byng’s histories will be quickly analyzed to understand their actions in the affair. Right after, King’s options and reasons for dissolving parliament will be analyzed. Thirdly, Byng’s options and reasons for refusing King’s request will be researched. Once enough evidence has been collected, the end results of this affair will be discussed and the conclusion as to whether or not King was right to go against responsible government will be made.
This book is actually about all of these things but much, much more. Rather than write a biography, David Remnick has given us a moment in time. King of the World covers three years in the life of Clay/Ali, but more importantly it covers the political climate in the United States, including the belief system held by the majority of the public regarding African Americans during the mid 1960s.
Cassius Clay better known as Muhammad Ali is by far the greatest boxer of all time. "King of the World" by David Reminick is a very detailed biography of Muhammad and good documentation how boxing used to be. The book takes you on a journey behind the scenes of Alli’s rise to the top and boxing run in with La Costra Nostra.
Malcolm X has truly captured the hearts of many. From his empowering personality to his amazing life story, he is a figure history can never forget. His autobiography is a full and honest account of his life, his struggle against racism, mistakes, regrets, choices good and bad, as well as discove...
Haddawy, Husain. The Arabian Nights. Rpt in Engl 123 B16 Custom Courseware. Comp. Lisa Ann Robertson. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta, 2014. 51-64. Print.
Norris, H.T. "The Arabian Nights: A Companion." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 58 (1995):148-149.
...is , 1990 This was also a pretty decent book. It was also not very substantive and is young adult/moron reading level. Although it is a simple, easy read, it did have some very interesting anecdotes which provide very good insight into King’s life which is not available anywhere else I looked
The book offers a view from the Afro-American life that I never would have seen otherwise. Before reading the book, I had the image of Malcolm X being a radical leader, encouraging violence and supporting Pan-Africanism. What I now understand is that Malcolm, along with every other single Afro-American, have been undergoing some of the worst discrimination in history. Malcolm gave support to the Afro-American in the fact that he preached the white man was to be the devil while under Black Muslimism, I cannot blame him for doing so as I would have as well if placed in his shoes. Not only that but in Malcolm’s last years he converted to Islam, where he was introduced to a world of peace where races could co-exist with no problems, only after being outlawed from Black Muslims where Malcolm gave many years of devotion to promote the religion, also another example of the hardship Malcolm was faced
Muhammad Ali was not the kind of person that gets taken away with fame and money. He is a simple, unsophisticated person with a very loving heart, and very determined (Hauser 186). He did not care much about himself, he enjoyed making people happy. While training, he let people come and see him, charging them to see the show. Doing so, he earned about $1000 a day. After the ...
When prominent boxers of the 20th century are discussed, many heavyweight champions are mentioned. Names like Floyd Patterson, Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier always find their way to the front of the conversation. But it is Muhammad Ali, a three-time heavyweight champion and political activist, who always seems to find the forefront of it all. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, Ali came into the ring after his bike was stolen at the age of twelve. He brought up his anger to Officer Joe Elsby Martin Sr. who suggested he start boxing. Ali quickly became a star after winning a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics. At 6’3”, Ali demonstrated extraordinary speed and accuracy and he quickly became a contender for the heavyweight title.
Hauser, Thomas. "The Importance of Muhammad Ali." The Glider Lehrman Institute of American History, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013.
Why world leaders and ordinary citizens alike accept Ali now as a beacon of hope in the face of adversity - America’s version of Dalai Lama - can be traced to his criminal trial in 1967 for draft evasion, which pitted the black champion against the white federal government. Ali’s greatest fight of his career was not in Madison Square Garden, the venue of the first two historic Ali-Frazier slugfests, nor was it in exotic lands such as The Philippines or Africa, the locations of Ali’s other historic bouts. Not only was Ali fighting the U.S. government, the champion was fighting a climate of racial discrimination in America.
Shakespeare's King Lear is a play which shows the consequences of one man's decisions. The audience follows the main character, Lear, as he makes decisions that disrupt order in his Kingdom. When Lear surrenders all his power and land to his daughters as a reward for their demonstration of love towards him, the breakdown on order in evident. Lear's first mistake is to divide his Kingdom into three parts. A Kingdom is run best under one ruler as only one decision is made without contradiction. Another indication that order is disrupted is the separation of Lear's family. Lear's inability to control his anger causes him to banish his youngest daughter, Cordelia, and loyal servant, Kent. This foolish act causes Lear to become vulnerable to his other two daughters as they conspire against him. Lastly, the transfer of power from Lear to his eldest and middle daughter, Goneril and Regan, reveals disorder as a result of the division of the Kingdom. A Kingdom without order is a Kingdom in chaos. When order is disrupted in King Lear, the audience witnesses chaotic events that Lear endures, eventually learning who truly loves him.
Ali had a lot of success even in high school as an amateur. He claimed a victory
Muhammad Ali started off as Cassius Clay of Louisville who goes to a local store in search of merchandise and leaves his bike sitting unchained outside of the store. When he comes back the bike is gone and Clay is furious. He hunts for the nearest police officer in hopes of getting his bike back somehow, but the police officer could not help him and Clays vow to beat up the culprit (Ezra 7). Clay ironically took up boxing several months after the ruling of the Brown v. Board of Education court case. The story of Clay meeting Joe Martin is one of the defining moments in the man that would become Ali’s boxing career (Ezra 7). Without that moment in history you can validly argue that Muhammad Ali might have never became the legend that we know today.