The Racial Wealth GapHistory and Current Trends

The racial wealth gap refers to the substantial difference in the wealth held by white and Asian households in the U.S. compared with the vastly lower levels of wealth held by Black and Latino households. Key Takeaways: The Racial Wealth Gap Researchers have found that, as of 2013, the average amount of wealth held by white households was almost seven times that of Latino households and about eight times that of Black households.The Great Recession disproportionately affected Black and Latino households and exacerbated the racial wealth gap.The sociological perspective traces the current racial wealth gap to historical patterns of systemic racism. What is the Racial Wealth Gap? This gap is visible when looking at both  average and median  household wealth. In 2013, white households held on average $656,000 in wealth—nearly seven times that of Latino households ($98,000) and about eight times as much as Black households ($85,000). The racial wealth gap has significant negative impacts on the quality of life and life chances of Black and Latino people. It is wealth—assets held independent of ones monthly income—that allows people to survive unexpected losses of income. Without wealth, a sudden loss of job or inability to work could lead to loss of housing and hunger. Not only that, wealth is necessary for investment in the future prospects of members of the household. It provides the ability to save for higher education and retirement and opens up access to educational resources that are wealth-dependent. For these reasons, many see the racial wealth gap as not just a financial issue, but also as an issue of social justice. Understanding the Growing Racial Wealth Gap In 2016, the Center for Equality and Diversity, together with the Institute for Policy Studies, released a landmark report that shows that the racial wealth gap grew considerably larger in the three decades between 1983 and 2013. The report, titled The Ever-Growing Gap, reveals that the average wealth of white households nearly doubled over that span of time, while the growth rate for Black and Latino households was far lower. Black households saw their average wealth increase from $67,000 in 1983 to $85,000 in 2013, which, at less than $20,000, is an increase of just 27 percent. The average wealth of Latino households increased at a greater rate: from $58,000 to $98,000—a 69 percent increase. But during the same period, white households experienced a growth rate in average wealth of about 85 percent, climbing from $355,000 in 1983 to $656,000 in 2013. That means that white wealth grew at 1.2 times the rate of growth for that of Latino households, and  three times  as much as it did for Black households. According to the report, if these patterns continue, the wealth gap between white families and Black and Latino families—about $500,000 in 2013—will double by 2043 to reach a staggering $1 million. In these conditions, white households would enjoy, on average, an increase in wealth of $18,000 per year, while that figure would be just $2,250 and $750 for Latino and Black households, respectively. At this rate, it would take Black families 228 years to reach the level of average wealth held by white families in 2013. How the Great Recession Impacted the Racial Wealth Gap Research shows that the racial wealth gap was exacerbated by the Great Recession. The report by CFED and IPS points out that, between 2007 and 2010, Black and Latino households lost three and four times more wealth than did white households. Data shows that this is largely due to the racially disproportionate impacts of the home mortgage foreclosure crisis, which saw Black and Latino households lose their homes at far greater rates than did whites. At the time of the CFED and IPS report, 71 percent of white households owned their homes, but just 41 and 45 percent of Black and Latino households did, respectively. The Pew Research Center reported in 2014 that the disproportionate home loss experienced by Black and Latino families during the Great Recession led to unequal wealth recovery in the recessions aftermath. Analyzing the Federal Reserves Survey of Consumer Finances, Pew found that though the housing and financial market crises that fueled the Great Recession negatively impacted all people in the U.S., during the three years that followed the end of the recession, white households managed to recover  wealth, while Black and Latino households saw a significant  drop  in wealth during that time (measured as median net worth for each racial group). Between 2010 to 2013, during what is described as a period of economic recovery, white wealth grew by 2.4 percent, but Latino wealth fell by 14.3 percent and Black wealth fell by over a third. The Pew report also points out that there was a disparity between the recovery of financial and housing markets. Because whites are much more likely to be invested in the stock market, they benefited from the recovery of that market. Meanwhile, it was Black and Latino homeowners who were disproportionately hurt by the home mortgage foreclosure crisis. Between 2007 and 2009, according to  a 2010 report from the Center for Responsible Lending, Black and Latino borrowers experienced a foreclosure rate nearly twice that of white borrowers. Because property constitutes the majority of Black and Latino wealth, losing a home to foreclosure for those households resulted in a near-complete loss of wealth for many. Black and Latino homeownership continued to  decline, as did their household wealth, during the 2010-2013  period of  recovery. Per the Pew report,  Federal Reserve  data shows that Black and Latino households also experienced a greater loss of income during the recovery period. The median income of racial minority households dropped by 9 percent during the recovery period, while that of white households fell by just one percent. So, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, white households have been able to replenish savings and assets, but those in minority households have not been able to do so. Systemic Racism Caused and Fuels the Growth of the Racial Wealth Gap Sociologically speaking, its important to recognize the socio-historical forces that placed Black and Latino homeowners in situations in which they were more likely than white borrowers to receive the kinds of predatory loans that caused the foreclosure crisis. Todays racial wealth gap can be traced all the way back to the enslavement of Africans and their descendants; the genocide of Native Americans and theft of their land and resources; and the enslavement of Indigenous Central and South Americans, and theft of their land and resources throughout the colonial and post-colonial periods. It was and is fueled by workplace discrimination and racial pay gaps and unequal access to education, among many other factors. So, throughout history, white people in the U.S. have been unjustly enriched by systemic racism while people of color have been unjustly impoverished by it. This unequal and unjust pattern continues today, and per the data, seems only destined to worsen unless race-consciou sness policies intervene to make change. Bibliography: Asante-Muhammad, Dedrick, et al. â€Å"The Ever-Growing Gap.† Center for Equality and Diversity and Institute for Policy Studies, Aug. 2016. https://ips-dc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/The-Ever-Growing-Gap-CFED_IPS-Final-1.pdfBocian, Debbie Gruenstein, Wei Li, and Keith S. Ernst. â€Å"Foreclosures by Race and Ethnicity: The Demographics of a Crisis.† Center for Responsible Lending, 18 June 2010. https://www.responsiblelending.org/mortgage-lending/research-analysis/foreclosures-by-race-and-ethnicity.pdfKochhar, Rakesh and Richard Fry. â€Å"Wealth Inequality has Widened Along Racial, Ethnic Lines Since End of Great Recession.† Pew Research Center: Fact Tank, 12 Dec. 2014. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/12/12/racial-wealth-gaps-great-recession/

Theme Of Glory In The Iliad - 774 Words

Andy Dai Term Paper 1 The idea of kleos otherwise known as glory in Greek, and honor is one of the most essential motifs of the Iliad. For many warriors depicted in the Iliad, honor was vital and personal. For many, Glory earned in battle was more important than one’s life. Glory or the lack of, was remembered long after one’s life. Possibly the greatest fundamental part of honor to the fighters of the Iliad was courage in battle as shown throughout multiple books. Throughout the course of this book we can see how different characters display these traits and how they influence the course of the war. Even though the Achaeans and Trojans are enemies they display a similar view, the acquisition of glory is more significant than life†¦show more content†¦By taking the wife of Menelaus, he had dishonored him. While his brother is described as a great warrior, Paris is a described by Homer as a pretty boy that has success with women due to his charm. However, none of those traits seem to matter because he shies away from battle and he is mainly the object of disdain. In chapter 3, Paris didn’t have the courage to fight Menelaos for his own wrong doing. In chapter 6, as Hector arrives back to the city to make a sacrifice he sees Paris whom is not involved in the fighting. Another character that is depicted as dishonorable is seen in Book 2. Agamemnon decides to test the desire and courage of his soldiers by suggesting a retreat. The results were definitely counter to what Agamemnon intended, his troops quickly prepared their ships to depart. Odysseus quickly rallies the troops and reminds them of Calchas prophecy. However, one soldier Thersites whom is described as deformed and ugly (perhaps a metaphor because of his dishonor) argues that the war isn’t worth fighting. Odysseus quickly scolds Thersites and infers that Thersites has no honor because he does not wish to continue to fight. Odysseus then goes on to hit Thersites with a scepter and the Ach aeans agree to fight again. The importance of honor is shown when characters in the Illiad have chosen the glory of fighting, over their own lives. Two main examples are shown in Hektor and Achilles. Hektor is displayedShow MoreRelatedExamples Of Glory And Glory In The Iliad1054 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish 271 December 4, 2017 Glory and Honor in Homer’s Iliad Thesis: Great honor comes with great responsibility. Glory should come with wisdom. Homer presents this idea in various ways. This theme is woven through The Iliad showing the foundation of dignified heroes and self-glorification. Introduction: I. Honor and glory A. Heroic actions B. God-like glory II. Social Status A. Greek Society B. Recognition and influences III. Mortality and immortality A. Glory after death B. Ongoing honorRead MoreExistentialism And Akhilleus : State Of Affairs1182 Words   |  5 PagesAkhilleus’ State of Affairs in Homer’s Iliad Existentialism is a philosophy that deals with human existence. This philosophy is a complex subject that asks questions about life that include meaning, purpose, choice, morality, ideology, and individuality. When reading other texts one could easily make connections to existential themes within the book’s literary tropes. Occasionally, some books have an overloaded abundance of existential themes. Homer’s Iliad is one of the books that comprise of anRead MoreThe Iliad Vs. Troy1692 Words   |  7 PagesSlater Poem vs Film The Iliad vs â€Å"Troy† Achilles and Hector fighting with Athena and Apollo on both sides of the Warriors Introduction Written by the ancient Greek poet, Homer, The Iliad was an epic documented on the nearly 10-year long war between the Trojans and the Greeks. Although the epic had occurred in 1194–1184 BC, the epic was passed down through generations, orally, until Homer wrote the Iliad 500 years after the Trojan war in 750 BC. An adaptation of the Homers’ Iliad is David Benioff’sRead MoreComparison between The Iliad and The Women of Troy Essay903 Words   |  4 PagesThe Iliad by Homer and the Women of Troy by Euripides are both Greek works of literature that look at the Trojan War from different perspectives. Book 6 of the Iliad illustrates that the ultimate glory is to fight for the city with no regard to the impact on the family. The Women of Troy focuses on the negatives that war causes, especially towards the soldier’s wives and children. Whereas the Iliad focuses on the battle itself and centers on the warriors, the Women of Troy focuses on the wrathRead MoreThe me Of The Iliad1318 Words   |  6 PagesThemes found in the Iliad The Iliad is one of the greatest and earliest works of Greek literature beautifully written by Homer. The poem was set at the last year of the Trojan War prior the fall of Troy, that was indeed ten years long. Moreover, the focus of this poem is a conflict that rose among Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and commander-in-chief of the allied Greeks, and Achilles, the greatest warrior, rather than the events and battles that occurred in the Trojan War between the Greeks and TrojansRead MoreAn Essay on the Illiad868 Words   |  4 Pagesa ‘student of his culture’ and thus both The Iliad and The Odyssey are directed sources of their own period. Select any one episode or scene from either of the poems as one that you feel is most memorable. What does it tell about Homeric culture? A writer is a reflection of his age. A work of art is considered a mirror of the customs, culture, and concepts of the age to which it belongs. Homer’s writings are a true representation of this. His Iliad and Odyssey both reflect the old Greek cultureRead MoreThe Age Of Homer s Iliad861 Words   |  4 PagesThe age of Homer’s Iliad is one of the key factors to understanding the many ways in which the theme of authority is relevant to it. From a historical standpoint, the age of the Iliad is relevant as it allows us an insight into the lives of Greeks during a period about which little is known (Robson, 2014, p.238). It is commonly accepted that the Iliad and the later Odyssey were originally composed as part of an oral tradition (Ibid) and only written down at some point in the mid sixth century (IbidRead MoreIliad - Self image1193 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Iliad Essay Prompt 1. Complete one take home essay. Provide textual evidence, specific lines and incidents from The Iliad that proves your thesis. You may also draw from The Odyssey. Use in text parenthetical documentation according to MLA standards. The style guide that many colleges use is DianaHacker.com. We will use this style guide for both MLA format and grammar and mechanics. If you have any questions about MLA format, refer to DianaHacker.com. This paper needs to read asRead More The Character Achilles in Homers The Iliad993 Words   |  4 PagesThe Character Achilles in Homers The Iliad The first book of The Iliad, appropriately titled the Rage of Achilles, sets the scene for the remainder of the epic (selu.edu/Academics/Depts/WritingCenter/The_Growth_of_Achilles.htm). This rage is invoked by pride, a theme of pivotal importance for the Greeks. Pride is the source of the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon in Book 1. The incident that provoked Achilles rage took place in the tenth and final year of the Achaean attack on TroyRead MoreThe Iliad Herioc Code1444 Words   |  6 PagesKenneth Ballard CLA 202: Classical Epic: Gods and Heroes Paper #1 The heroic code in the Iliad is expressed by many characters throughout the book, whether it be through their actions, intentions, or teachings. The heroic code stems from the belief that honor is, above all, the most important virtue in life and all men must honor themselves, their families, and their fellow comrades through specific character traits and actions. This concept is the primary goal in a Homeric hero’s life

Build a Bear Free Essays

Build-a-Bear atelier, Inc. is the foremost and the solitary international company catering â€Å"makes your own stuffed animal†, It is a bilateral market of entertainment. It was founded in the year 1996 by Mr. We will write a custom essay sample on Build a Bear or any similar topic only for you Order Now Maxine Clark. Build a bear administered 351 company owned retail stores in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland and 91 Franchised Retail Stores in International Locations – Germany, Japan, Australia, Denmark, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Singapore, Gulf States, Norway, Brazil and Sweden. Their main idea is based on the guest making, personalizing and customizing their stuffed animals ,they obtain profit by accepting the pioneer demands for experience based shopping as well as the far reaching imploration of stuffed animals. They offer a considerable and integrate collection of merchandise ,along with over 30 different styles of animals to be stuffed and an ample conglomeration of clothing, shoes and accessories for the stuffed animals. They advertise their products and frame a brand through interacting with media country wide which have a bull’s eye probability on parents and children. Build a bear has sold nearly 40 million toys till date. They are earning an annual revenue of upto $380 million and they also avail e-commerce facilities, which makes it much more easier for the customers ,which helps in promoting the company globally and it is also a technology advancement for the company. Company got itself listed on the New York Stock Exchange in the year 2004, which lead to 56% increase of the company’s stock price. The functioning of the store is in such a way that, the entire store is designed like a theme park, which emphasizes upon the need of entertainment, self-esteem, belongingness to the children, who come with their parents to buy their stuff bear. The shop fulfills the children’s want of experience by making, customized, personalized bear through a multi stage process of CHOOSE ME: HEAR ME: STUFF ME: STITCH ME: FLUFF ME: NAME ME: DRESS ME: by the child. The company also provides facility for the children to decorate the bear with the accessories of their own choice. Company provides children different clothing, sports items, and other accessories according to the demand of the customers. In this way, Build-A-Bear provides and experience a lot more entertainment to their customers and to their parents a healthy activity for their child. Build-A-Bear Workshop, views itself as a distinctive combination of entertainment and retail. Because it is mall-based, its competition is with other mall-based retailers that compete for prime mall locations, including various apparel, footwear and specialty retailers. They compete with toy retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Toys â€Å"R† Us, Target, Kmart and Sears and other discount chains, as well as with a number of companies that sell teddy bears in United States. Even though there is competition from the conventional retailers, build-a-bear has an clear advantage over them as; It sells the brand experience, highly interactive theme park techniques. It also Appeals to a broad demographic, in comparison to the other retailers. For the Build-a-bear, Marketing builds the trend and drives sales. Keeping in mind porter’s five force theory when analysing Build-A-Bear it is evident that, the threat of entry of new competition is neither high nor low. However, due to the market power that Build-A-Bear has and the demand for stuffed animals, not many competitors would be able to survive. In the Teddy Bear industry, suppliers do not have too much bargaining power. A company like Build-A-Bear, who specializes in creating Teddy Bears, has a high demand for quality suppliers. Suppliers of the materials do not have too many choices for competition and the products are not that difficult to produce. Build-A-Bear Workshop customers do not have much power because of the control that Build-A-Bear has in the market. There is no direct competitor to Build-A-Bear and this gives them more power to control and less power to the consumer. It is the dominant company in the industry and has control of the market. And also, Threats of substitutes or services is very low since Build-A-Bear is very different from its competitors. Build-A-Bear’s biggest strength is that By being the first to venture into the untapped market for hands-on customization of teddy bears, Build-A-Bear has established itself as a market leader. And also the unique store locations and the unique experience it provides to its customers. The weakness can be pointed out as the high price of the Build-A-Bear toys when compared to other toy making industries and also if the store is busy, the customer may not have as much time to create their own stuffed animal as they would have if it wasn’t busy. There is huge opportunity for the company to succeed if they explore new markets in Asia and Europe. The company can also try tapping teen interests, rather than only focusing on the kids. They can also avail online buying facility, which will make the business more convenient. Threats to Build-A-Bear Workshop include the possibility of competitors entering the market and innovating the product. Also, the economy is a threat, as a stuffed animal is not a need, but rather a want. When money is tight, a stuffed animal is not something that people need to survive. The Build-a-bear process has several risks involved, few of which are; the financial condition and profitability could be affected, if the company fails to sustain the demand and interest. The future growth and profitability could be adversely affected if the marketing initiatives are not effective. Risk of decrease in the customer traffic generated by the shopping malls in which the stores are located. Decline in general economic conditions could lead to reduced consumer demand. Even though there are several risks involved, in overall the company is credible and efficient in what it’s doing How to cite Build a Bear, Essay examples

ROMANCE of Ralph Lauren free essay sample

Advertising has long been a part of the world’s culture. It is the business of drawing the attention of the public to different goods and services, and it uses different kinds of media to bring its message to the audience. Moreover, it includes different components and concepts such as public relations, sales promotion, publicity and personal selling. Custom publishing is the kind of advertising that targets a specific kind of audience and therefore the kind of advertisement they produce largely depends on their targeted audience. But although a specific type of audience is targeted, this type of advertisement may also be use to catch the attention of other audience. There are two approaches in analyzing an advertisement. The first one is the semiotic analysis, and the second one is the content analysis. These two are rarely use together because they are from different ideological standpoint. One of the companies known for their advertising strategy is the Ralph Lauren. We will write a custom essay sample on ROMANCE of Ralph Lauren or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Analyzing one of their advertisements is really a challenge since Ralph Lauren is a famous brand and its fame goes with its advertising strategies. By answering different questions regarding the advertisement of the product and whether or not their advertisement achieves the result they want to achieve, we can analyze the Romance advertisement. The Ad on Love, Affection, and Intimacy Advertisements are available because they want to say something. They want to express something to their audience for the audience to do something about their product – whether to buy it, or tell it to other people who are interested in their product. In the case of Ralph Lauren’s advertisement, Romance, it stimulates the reader’s mind by creating an image of intimacy. The ad shows a man and a woman embracing each other, with both their faces full of intimacy. The man in the ad is also almost being undressed by the woman. The other side of the ad shows the perfume which is the product of the advertisement. Romance, as we all know, is a word often related to love, affection, and intimacy. The product, which as mentioned shows a picture of two intimate lovers, suggests that this product is use for ‘doing romance’. Their seductive faces as well as the pose of the models also suggest that the ‘romance’ being featured in this ad has something to do with the erotic romance. The product also seems like it cannot be for daily use, and can only be use in ‘special’ circumstances such as ‘making romance’. The Ad encourages the consumers to buy the product More often than not, an ad is trying to sell something, but this is only the initial answer to the question. There are other questions that we need to consider. First, does it persuade its audience to buy their product for the first time, or to switch from other brand to their brand? Most ads commonly want to increase their sales by catching the reader’s attention and stimulating their interests in the hope that the purchase of the product will follow. In the case of Romance, the product, as mentioned earlier, is something which cannot be used on a daily basis and is therefore encouraging the consumer to buy the product to make an intimate moment extra special. The Ad is intended for both men and women In the earlier times of advertisements, most ads are mass produced and have no specific targets. On the other hand, advertisements in the recent years are more focused on segmentation and target of specific audience. Fitting the product into the interest of a group is now a marketing strategy which, more often than not, carries a positive result. It came into the principle that most advertisers sell the same thing to everyone everyday, which often end up to very low sales of their products. Romance’s has a specific type of audience. It targets men and women capable of having an intimate time together. It means those who are married (may it be on the earlier years of marriage or on the part where couples tend to ‘fall out of love’), lovers, and other couples. Although it targets a specific audience, it also aims to attract the attention of other audience. Using Emotions as a Strategy to Catch the Attention of the Audience The strategies used in selling a product are definitely a very important consideration when it comes to advertising. There are different considerations like the reason behind buying the product, the orientation of the product (emotional, physical orientation), whether the ad feature the product itself, or whether it focus on use of the product, direct suggestions to the readers, whether the endorsement is provided by a celebrity, or whether it plays a positive or a negative appeal. Most ads contain both illustrations and texts. Advertisers also often concentrates in the layout, shapes, sizes, and the colors used in the ad. The smallest detail is very important in every advertisement. Ralph Lauren’s Romance uses both illustrations and texts. It is to better understand the meaning of the ad. Note also that the models used in the advertisement are not famous celebrities which indicate that the use of the products is for everyone. Also, note the colors used in the ad. The picture is in black and white, and the dresses of both the models are also in black and white. This is because black and white express intimacy and romance. Those two colors create an image of ‘calm passion’. Instead of using red, which is usually the color of romance; the ad uses black and white to indicate a kind of calm romance not the wild one which is often associated with red passion. The ad also targets the emotion of the consumers. Instead of saying that one should use the perfume because of its scent, the advertisers just showed two models embracing each other to show passion and romance. No tagline was used and the audience just has to rely on the message of the ad by merely looking at the picture – a clear indication that the ad is for adults and young adults. Effectiveness of the Romance Ralph Lauren’s advertisement, Romance, has succeeded in bringing their intended message to their audience. The use of color, the models (and their pose), the mood, and the feel of the ad clearly express the meaning it wants to express. The subtlety of the erotic message in the ad also adds to the effectiveness of the message. With the color scheme, theme, and message of the Ad, Romance definitely captures the romantic side of the consumers.

Poem Comparison Essay Example

Poem Comparison Essay The Difference in Similarity Lady Lazarus, by Sylvia Plath and The Waking by Theodore Roethke are two poems that relate directly to the speaker. Although both poems share this similarity, the way in which both works or literature are constructed are vastly different. Plath uses visual imagery and poetical tercets to show the pain and suffering of the speaker in her poem, while Roethke uses the musical Villanelle and synesthesia to create his picture of the speakers inner thoughts and a sense of awakening. When reading the poem Lady Lazarus for the first time, the subject matter can be a little ifficult to comprehend. The title of this poem and the speaker share the same name, ultimately making connections to the poet herself. Lady Lazarus begins by telling the reader that she has done it again. Whatever it is; the reader does not know. She is a thirty-year-old who compares to herself to a Holocaust victim while also telling the reader that she has nine lives, much like a cat. The reader figures out that it is dying but, like a cat, the speaker keeps returning to life. We will write a custom essay sample on Poem Comparison specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Poem Comparison specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Poem Comparison specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Lady Lazarus tells the reader about the first two times that she almost died and how dying is an art. She describes eath as theatrical as shes possibly preforming her third death in front of a crowd at a circus. She again compares herself to a Holocaust victim as she imagines herself burning to death at concentration camp crematorium. At the end of the poem, she is resurrected for the third time and will eat men like air (line 84). In The Waking, much of the poem takes place inside the speakers mind. The speaker begins to contemplate his own opening awareness to who he is and what he can know. The poem briefly shifts from the speakers mind to the real world to notice some of the natural organisms that surround this going where I have to go. The speaker returns to his inner reckoning of greater power and fate. Imagery is an excellent way for a reader to read a poem through the five senses. It gives a more realistic feel to the work that is presented and can give better insight about the tonality of the work. Lady Lazarus uses imagery to describe her pain that is comparable to the pain that the Jews experienced during the Holocaust. Visual imagery is used in lines 4-5 when she says A sort of a walking miracle, my skin/Bright as a Nazi lampshade this use of simile refers to how some Nazis used the skin of the deceased Jews as ampshades. Another use of visual imagery is seen on lines 8-9, as Lady Lazarus says My face a featureless, fine/Jew linen. This metaphor relates Lady Lazarus to how the Nazis would raid the homes of the Jews and take all of their possessions, sometimes including linen. The comparisons of the speaker to things that Nazis had possession of during the Holocaust makes us think that the speaker may feel that she is possessed by the Nazis. The Waking uses a form of imagery called synesthesia. This is a mixing of sensory experiences to paint a picture of the hybrid world of sleeping and waking. One example of synesthesia is in line 2, where the speaker says: l feel my fate in what I cannot fear. What does fate actually feel like? Since it is not something that is classified as the common sense of feeling or touch, it may be used to describe a presence through an absence. I believe this to explain how someone can teel something without actually knowing what it may be, such as that feeling when you know someone is staring at you. Another use of synesthesia arrives when the speaker says: l hear my being dance from ear to ear (line 5). This line describes the sharp sensitivity of his hearing. His hearing is so acute that he can hear himself dance around his own body. It seems as though his senses are highly sensitive and are firing in several directions in his own mind. People hear themselves think, like myself, I think this is another excellent use of synesthesia because you arent hearing your thoughts literally but you still can hear them. Lady Lazarus is a poem that is made up of twenty-eight tercets. A tercet is a three-line stanza. These stanzas are mostly made up of short, choppy lines with a mix of enjambment and end stop lines that can been seen as an example in lines 22-24 when the speaker ays: [This] is Number Three. (end stop)/ What a Trash (enjambment)/To annihilate each decade. (end stop). When read aloud, the words move quickly and forcefully. It almost sounds like the speaker is spitting her words out to the reader in disgust. This could relate to her overall feelings of disgust throughout the poem. This poem also has use of perfect rhyme and slant rhyme. One instance of perfect rhyme happens in lines 83-84, where the words hair and air rhyme. An example of slant rhyme occurs in lines 71-72, where the words burn and concern sound rhythmical. Also, there is use n anaphora in l do it so it feels like hell (line 46) and I do it so it feels real (line 47). While these various kinds of repetitions of sounds occur all over the place in Lady Lazarus, they do not occur in a particular pattern. The rhymes have an off- kilter feel to them, and this allows the poem to be fast and free wheeling. The reader never knows when a rhyme or some other kind of repetition is going to happen next. I think it works to the feeling of the speaker very effectively because the speaker is in an erratic state of mind. The Waking is characterized as a Villanelle, which means n Italian word referring to a rustic song or dance. Villanelles have five tercets (three- line stanzas) and one quatrain (a four-line stanza), for a total of nineteen lines in all. The rhyme scheme of the tercets is ABA, where the letter refers to the end rhyme of each line, while the quatrain is ABAA. The A rhyme does change throughout the poem. Line 7, for example, ends with a shift in rhyme: you, which does have an O in the word, though it has a long U sound to it. The reader receives more of this type of rhyme in lines and 10 and 12 with how and slow. While the rhyme is generally redictable, it does shift as the poem develops. That seems fitting in a poem where the speaker is describing an awakening. The change in rhyme scheme refers to the shift in the speaker from sleeping to awakening. By line 7, the speaker has shifted from what is going on in his mind to God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there, (line 8). The speaker is talking about the nature that surrounds him rather than what is going on in his mind. A form like th is has a musical tone to it rather than the choppy freewheeling Lady Lazarus poem. What is interesting about this is that it akes the poem somewhat repetitive, much like the average every day song and how we see the line going where I have to go repetitively. This Villanelle is, in a way, going where it needs to go in relation to how this type of poem is constructed. The Waking, in terms of meter, has each line written in strongly pronounced iambic pentameter. An iamb is a two-syllable pair in which the second syllable is emphasized. This makes the poem a little easier to read and it gives the impression that the speaker is singing the words to the reader as opposed to the spitting image hat Lady Lazarus brings. Sylvia Plath and Theodore Roethke use their own poetic styles to set the tone of the speakers in their poems. Plath uses visual imagery and short, choppy tercets to describe a woman who is so unhappy that she relates her despair to a Jewish person during the Holocaust. On the other hand, Roethke uses synesthesia and the musical form of a Villanelle to characterize the speakers awakening through his mind and the real world. Bibliography Baym, Nina, and Robert S. Levine. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W. W. Norton 2012. print.

Cause and Effects of World War 2 essays

Cause and Effects of World War 2 essays September 1, 1939, a day that would change the world forever. It was the start of World War 2. Germany had invaded Poland and introduced its self to the world as a powerful war machine. The war lasted 6 years, it killed more people, destroyed more property than any other war in history. World War 2 not only involved Germany but most of central and Western Europe, the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, Japan, China, and eventually the United States. The war brought about the downfall of Western Europe as center of world power and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. Battle grounds of World War 2 spread to nearly every part of the world. There are many things that cause World War 2 such as economic problems, nationalism, and the rise of dictatorships in certain countries. Some believe that many of the causes were due to problems left unsolved by World War 1. World War 1 damaged the economies of European countries. All the countries that came out of the war were deeply in debt. They had trouble repaying loans. After the war many soldiers had trouble finding jobs. Germany suffered from inflation; it destroyed the value of money and wiped out savings of millions of people. Unfortunately many of Europes countries in the late 1920s were taking loans from the United States, and in 1929 the united states had a worldwide business slump knows as the great depression, this stopped progress on Europes economic recovery. Through this weak state, two movements gained strength, communism and fascism. These two forces gained most support from countries from countries with economic problems; communism and fascism were opposing forces. Nationalism also caused a lot of tension between many countries. Nationalism was an extreme form of patriotism that swept across Europe during the 1800s. Nationalists viewed foreigners and minorities as inferior. Nationalism grew stronger after World War 1, for e ...

Religion in the Medieval Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Religion in the Medieval Europe - Essay Example These were practiced in various ways including, divination that comprised of astrology, palm reading, interpretation of dream and reading of omens. Medical magic was also part of magical practice. It involved the use of charms, medical astrology, prayers and use of medical herbs. Other forms of practicing magic included the use of protective amulets alchemy and sorcery, which was the use of magic with an intention to harm. However, it faced opposition from the Christian religion, which viewed the use of magic as idolatry. Magic can be viewed as a religion from Etic and Emic perspectives. The initial refers to its perception from outside tradition while the latter refers to perception from within the religion. Christians, on the other hand, defined magic from what it is not. The definition was magic is neither a religion nor a science. Various groups blamed each other of practicing magic due to their varied beliefs. The church distinguished magic as not being a religion by believing t hat the church was a true religion while magic was demonic. Religion was associated with god while magic was associated with demons besides; magic was viewed to be a manipulation while prayer was viewed to be supplication (Hamilton 39). The theory of magic has an evolutionary model, which described the process to begin from magic to religion, then Christian religion that was to be taken over by science. This, however, was criticised by scholars who claimed that it was outdated, unsubstantial, unscholarly and bias. Magic was practiced in the pre modern Europe across the demographic boundaries as pagans adapted to Christianity, which accommodated them. This was due to the influence of the Arabs and scientific inventions. However, the Christians viewed magic as a cult. Magic became increasingly identifiable as definite phenomena in the medieval Europe. Until the conversion period of 300CE to 1100CE, this had acculturation characteristics including paganism coming to terms with Christia nity, beliefs adapting to new religious views. In addition, at this point, the rulers of pagan societies got themselves aligned with the church (Louise, Edward & Raudvere 10). The Christians dominated the region and introduced its own view on culture to the local community. Tension arose between the locals who were pagans and the Christians who were the intruders. The church distinguished between magic and miracles. They viewed magic as an illusion that was created by demons while miracle was real actual and non-illusory. This was more evident on the Christian writings which included book IV of Isidore of Seville’s etymology, which is against divination and demonic behaviour and practices. Belief was one important thing at this time of conversion. The church believed that magic was conducted by demons and highly condemned it. It was believed by the pagans that there were women who were capable of cutting fingerprints of the foot and performs rituals with them. In addition, so me women were dedicated to killing people through devil powers. Bishop Buchan of worms (950-1025) discouraged this. St. Benedict’s and St. Gregory the great (540-604) gave a description of how St. Benedict saw through an illusion a fire that consumed the monks which he perceived that was caused by a heath idol buried under the building. Strigae was a roman term used by pagans to refer to vampire creatures and witches. The penal code in medieval condemned the belief in the Striga who were claimed to steal children. The belief that a certain woman had experienced a nocturnal flight with the pagan gods Diana who was recognised as a Striga was