Family in African-American Literature Essay

In literary pieces such as Alice Walker’s story â€Å"Everyday Use†, Langston Hughes’ â€Å"My People†, and Robert Hayden’s poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, the theme of family relationships is significantly evident. In â€Å"Everyday Use†, Walker presents one stage and aspect of a family life when one adult child chooses to live on her own while the other one stays with the family. Hughes’ poem portrays his love for his people which he considers to be a family as a whole. Meanwhile, Hayden’s â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, talks about the narration and description of a boy about his father whom he is not well acquainted with. As the first piece speaks of a story about a family in relation to their heritage, the latter speaks of a boy’s reminiscence of a father who was never able to show his love directly to his children. These two aspects of family relationships reveal several angles to look upon.   Such family situations are influenced by authors’ own race and heritage. Alice Walker portrays the story of a fully grown-up daughter, Dee, who goes back to home to her home to visit her mother, Mrs. Johnson and her younger sister, Maggie. She arrives accompanied by an African American Muslim man who is currently dating her. She comes home to collect some family possessions which she intends to turn into artistic pieces to be exhibited in a museum. Meanwhile, her sister Maggie grimaces as her sister takes some of their personal belongings including a quilt that her mother has promised to give her as a wedding present. Dee tells her mother that Maggie would only ruin the quilt by using it everyday which puzzles Mrs. Johnson as she could not think of any way to use the quilt than to spread them. When Mrs. Johnson sees the sadness in her younger daughter’s eyes upon Dee taking the quilt, she snatches it away and gives it to Maggie. Dee walks away after claiming that their problem is they do not understand their own heritage (Walker). In this story, Walker portrays a family whose eldest daughter has become estranged from them. In the first part of the story, Mrs. Johnson recounts how Dee had hated living in their house and even almost set it on fire when she was young. The concept of a dysfunctional family is quite present here; however, it focuses more on the mother-child relationship rather than every member of the family. It is important to note that Walker made use of the damaged relationship of Dee to her mother and sister to show and illustrate the different types of African American people. On the other hand, Langston Hughes shows his love and appreciation for his people in his poem â€Å"My People†. He does not speak of family but his tone and use of words make it seem as if he is speaking of his beloved family. â€Å"The night is beautiful, / So the faces of my people† (lines 1-2). The possessive pronoun â€Å"my† indicates a certain intimacy between him and â€Å"his† people which is usually used for referring to a small group of people who shares something intimate and common such as â€Å"my family†. In this regard, Hughes speaks highly of his race as if he is talking about a family he loves most. â€Å"The stars are beautiful, /  So the eyes of my people† (3-4). The comparison of his people to the heavens indicates the depth of his love and care for them as he would to his family. â€Å"Beautiful, also, is the sun. / Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people† (5-6). In the poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†, it can be assumed that Robert Hayden personally speaks through the voice of the speaker in his poem â€Å"Those Winter Sundays†. His distant relationship with his father is evident. In this melancholic poem, he narrates about the concealed appreciation of a son for his father’s acts of love by means of writing it in a prose. The narrator tells about the labors of his father even on a cold winter Sunday. However, in the poem, the speaker emphasizes that his father’s great efforts are usually ignored. The title of the poem itself already suggests a background for the readers. The speaker is obviously focused only on the â€Å"winter Sundays† and why it means too much work for the father. In the first stanza of the poem, the detailed description of the speaker’s father is very noticeable. He illustrated him by means of mentioning his physical condition as he works on cold Sundays. He could have described it in a clearer way by going straight to the point.   Nevertheless, he expressed his father’s poor countenance in a way that the reader can visualize the father’s hands cracked hands and the busy Sundays. The first two lines of the poem somewhat develops a thesis that would cover the whole idea in the poem. â€Å"Sundays too my father got up early / And put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,† (1-2). Sundays should be a day of rest but the speaker stresses that his father still wakes up even before the sun rose to go to work. He further highlights the weary countenance of his father as he describes his father’s â€Å"cracked hands that ached / from labor in the weekday weather made / Banked fires blaze† (3-5). The poem further shows how heartbreaking the father’s situation must be by writing the last line of the first stanza with, â€Å"No one ever thanked him† (5). With the last line, it is reasonable to consider that the speaker is one of those people who failed to thank him. In this regard, it can be assumed that the speaker is already in his old or middle age when he remembers how his father has shown him love in his own way. Clearly, these renowned African-American writers have frequently used the theme of family relationships to further address the problems of their society. The issues of racism, nationalism, and love are the implicit ideas which are present in the three literary pieces discussed. These authors portrays different types of African-American families which serves as the representation of the current society that they are in. since the family is the basic unit of society, it is the primary target of societal effects such as racism and other social issues. Every problem of the society can become the problem of the family which is why the most meaningful literary works of art somewhat involves the theme of family relationships. Works Cited Hayden, Robert. â€Å"Those Winter Sundays.† The Oxford Anthology of African-American Poetry. Ed. Arnold Rampersad, Hilary Herbold. United States of America: Oxford University Press US, 2006. 261. Hughes, Langston. â€Å"My People.† Poem Hunter. 19 April 2009. Walker, Alice. Everyday Use. Ed. Barbara Christian. United States of America: Rutgers University Press, 1994.

Diversity, Inclusion, Equality & Participation Essay

†¢Diversity is the differences between individual and groups in society such as culture, belief, faith, background, skills, gender, ethnic origins, sexuality, family structure, appearance, social, values, knowledge, attitudes and life experience of a person from any group or community. When it is conjoined with equality it is about understanding an individual and group differences and instilling peace, harmony, value and respect of diversity both in the community and work setting. Every person from any group must be respected for their individuality and for who they are. †¢Inclusion is used within an educational setting and is a term used for stamping out discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, disability, class, ethnicity, faith or background. It is about recognising and understanding that all children have the right to a wide range of facilities, learning and opportunities. In other words every child and young person or adult must be given equality of opportunity and allowed access to any form of education and care by meeting the individual’s specific needs. †¢Equality is to make sure that everyone has the same rights as anyone else to make a contribution to society and to be treated fairly no matter what race, gender, language, sexual orientation, age disability, religious beliefs, social origin, marital status and any other personal identity. †¢Participation is when practitioners participate to protect and promote the rights of the child allowing them to express themselves, have a choice and have a say if they wish to do so, in no way should they be forced, influenced or manipulated to prevent them from thinking freely and expressing their opinions. Practitioners should provide clear information about access to resources and provision to all children and their families and even he community. IMPORTANCE OF ANTI-DISCRIMINATORY OR ANTI-BIAS PRACTICE Anti-discriminatory or anti-bias practice is to actively prevent discrimination via words and actions. It also prevents prejudice towards any group or individual. It is a fabulous way of promoting equal opportunities. Practitioners do this by making sure that everybody involved with the  setting is treated equally in a non-biased way. All policies and procedures must demonstrate positive inclusive attitudes towards all members of the setting regardless of their age, gender, background, culture or their needs. Every single activity carried out in the setting concerning children, young people and their families must be underpinned with anti-discriminatory practice by the early year’s staff as they play a major role in promoting equal opportunities and being inclusive towards all children. Anti-discriminatory practice is to implement the settings equal opportunities policy in every area and aspect of the setting from setting out activities to having group discussions. Practitio ners must make sure every child is included and they achieve the best. APPLYING ANTI-DISCRIMINATORY / ANTI BIAS PRACTICE 1.Providing dolls which have needs such as hearing aids or intravenous lines. 2.Providing clothing of different cultures for role play. 3.Look at wall displays is there any stereo typical images such as a female nurse and a male doctor etc. 4.Celebrating diversity by joining in as a class such as learning about and celebrating ‘Chinese New Year’ or ‘Diwali’. 5.Books showing diversity and equality such as a book about the ‘Olympic Game Champions’. 6.‘Mirror Activity’ by getting children to view themselves and paint/draw a picture and see how we are different. 7.Decorative displays showing no stereo types. 8.Dolls dressing up clothes representing different cultures. 9.Dressing up clothes representing different professions. 10.Variety of toys during free flow, encourage boys and girls to play with a variety different toys which are normally branded as ‘girls’ or ‘boys’. Looking at number 5 I would plan this activity keeping in mind how I can implement inclusion and equal opportunities. I would show them a short clip if possible or a book of the Olympic Games which shows the champions who are from different races, gender, age and needs some of the champions even use special equipment to aid their needs such as a wheel chair. I will praise them as they are so motivated, successful and have achieved amazing results. I will give every child the opportunity to participate, I will provide open  questions allowing them to express themselves and clear the air of any misconceptions they may have in a positive way. Hopefully this activity will promote a feeling of self-worth, motivation and sense of achieving positive goals in life. Looking at 4 I would plan ahead by doing research on the background of the celebration so that I can answer any questions in a child friendly way that the children may ask. I will promote inclusion and equal opportunities giving every child a chance to participate in the discussion if they wish to do so. I will accommodate for every child’s needs such as effective communication, provide support, promote independence and additional equipment if required. We will all look at books looking at the beauty, colorful art and customs linked with the celebration and attempt to make and participate in it too such as making a painting of a dragon for Chinese New Year or making a lamp out of clay for Diwali. Looking at number 9, I would play a game with the group asking the children what do they want to be when their big, I could show them images of people in roles that a not stereo typical. I can even wear items of clothing that may fit me such as a builder’s hat. If a child has not decided what they want to wear I can encourage them to wear uniform that is not stereo typical I can ask them if they were a girl if they would like to be fire officer or if they were a boy I may ask them if they would like to be a nurse etc. SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THE EARLY YEARS SECTOR Scope- the extent of the area or subject matter that something deals with or to which it is relevant. â€Å"we widened the scope of our investigation† Purpose- the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. â€Å"the purpose of the meeting is to appoint a trust  (Oxford Dictionary)

Back and Leg Pain Associated w essays

Back and Leg Pain Associated w essays Several forms of injury affect the vertebral discs. Disc bulges, for instance, are more broad-based injuries, while disc herniations tend to be more focal. Complete tears of the annulus result in disc extensions, while free fragments of the annulus cause disc sequestrations. All of these forms of disc injury can cause pain in both the back and extremities, and the symptoms worsen as the injuries progress from bulges to sequestrations. Most commonly, pain is due to nerve root compression by the protruding disc. However, 5-10% of cases of pain associated with disc protrusions are not due to nervous impingement. Several studies have been conducted to explain the cause of back and leg pain in the absence of nerve root compression. Most notably are the studies that demonstrate the stimulation of sympathetics innervating the structures of the vertebral column. Bogduk, Jenkins, and others have shown the annulus to be well innervated by both sensory and sympathetic fibers. Injury to the disc can thus cause localized pain in the back as well as referred pain to the legs. The sinuvertebral nerve is most commonly affected and may be irritated by the bulging disc. Jenkins also determined that referred pain zones in the back and extremities were not dermatomal (relating to nerve root impingement) but rather the result of irritation of the sympathetic nerves of the sinuvertebral nerve. In addition, studies have shown that mechanoreceptors, nociceptors, and chemoreceptors all detect changes in the disc due to distension of the disc. These conditions may all further heighten the sense of pain. Phospholipase A, bradykinin, histamine, and other chemicals and enzymes present during disc injuries influence the chemoreceptors that may cause the pain of disc protrusions. Other studies have also correlated inflammation and edema to the pain associated with disc bulges and herniations. ...

Why Good Writing Skills Are Important in Todays Workplace

Why Good Writing Skills Are Important in Todays Workplace Why Good Writing Skills Are Important in Todays Workplace In today’s digital world, people seem to overlook writing skills as something that’s not as important as a strong resume. While that may be the case for some professions, effective paper writing and expressing your thoughts in a clear and cohesive way will get you far and beyond your peers. What is it that makes good writing such a necessity in today’s average workplace? How do I get better at writing? The short answer to attaining good paper writing skills is to read; a lot. Reading is the best way to expand your vocabulary and knowledge of different styles of writing and tones of voice. It’s a subconscious process that requires you to invest time to work on your writing skills before you even start writing.W Once you do start writing, it’s all about trial-and-error. You will make mistakes at first and that’s a part of the process. What’s important is to keep track of these mistakes and use them to write better the next time. There are numerous tutorials and guides on how to write and format specific documents in order to make your paper writing as presentable as it can be. The fact of the matter is that you are never too old, or too young to start developing your writing skills. Be sure to take time and study these formats and styles, since you won’t have so much free time once you are actually employed and use your writing on a daily basis. Good writing helps you get a job Before even talking about why writing skills are important at your workplace, let’s talk about applying for a job. Good essay writing skills will help you craft an amazing motivational letter that will help you not only express your future goals but also help you introduce yourself to your future employer. Not only does good writing help you express yourself, it also shows the employer that you have a good grasp of English and that you can use proper formatting, grammar and proofread your writing. There’s nothing worse than submitting a job application only to later find out that you didn’t proofread it and it’s full of errors. There are services online that can help you make your writing the best there is, but like any other skill, it takes time and patience to perfect. You will be happy for every minute you spend honing your writing skills however, since they are the best way to make a good first impression on your future employer. Writing skills help you progress faster Like your job application, what you do after you are hired speaks as much volume about you. The moment you start answering mail, writing papers and reports and basically doing any kind of written communication inside or outside your workplace, your writing skills will begin to show. What you show at this point is up to you, and it is highly advised that you work on your writing skills as much as possible. Exhibiting the same professional and thorough approach to paper writing will help your bosses notice you. This way you can progress up the structural ladder in your company or firm much faster, since you’re obviously a professional worker looking for ways to advance further and have more responsibility. Your paper writing skills in corporate world will speak volumes about who you are and give credibility to every word you write. People are much more likely to trust and follow a person with good writing skills than someone who can’t even properly format his e-mail. You need to be aware that in corporate world, many of your colleagues won’t see you eye-to-eye except on breaks and occasional coffee sessions. This means that they will communicate with you via mail, messages and official company correspondence. It is imperative that you use proper writing skills when you conduct this type of communication. Writing helps you develop leadership skills Any manager or executive will tell you that writing skills directly affect the way you lead people. Like we’ve mentioned, you will conduct most of your communication indirectly, and since this is the case, proper paper writing skills are essential in leading a team of people. Good writing skills will help you delegate assignments and manage your people a lot easier since you will be clear and concise in your correspondences. The biggest mistake you can make is not pay attention to the briefing you are writing for your employees. This can lead to confusion, creative and productive bottlenecks or in worst cases, loss of revenue. One misinterpreted sentence will cause you lots of trouble and back-and-forth, so make sure that your writing skills are on par with the position that you are filling. Good writing will also help you develop strong critical and objective thinking towards your people. You will give clear feedback on how to improve their workflow, motivate them to accomplish their tasks in a timely manner and best of all, writing skills will help you listen. That’s right. Often an employee will come to you with a problem. Be it personal or professional, it’s up to you to respond. You need to know what to say and when to say it. If your writing skills are good, you will know exactly how to respond and help your employee get back on track with their work.

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Questions - Assignment Example Labeling of the media and sex education damages the character of young women. She describes a dangerous connection between chastity and pornography. Valenti explains that porn in America is essential for those in virginity movement for justifying extreme regressivism. Young women see their bodies and sexuality as commodities because the society believes that their sexuality is not their own. 2- Sexual harassment, does it exist? According to the reading (The Myth of Male Decline) by coontz The size of dividend is varies across race and class, but men count on excluding women on the most desirable jobs. An average male high school graduate earns more than a female average graduate female working the same hours. The patriarchal dividend at home gives men a right to decide where the family should live and make significant financial decisions. The privilege given to men trump women approval to sex thus marital rape is not a crime. The wages of women have risen for decades, as the wages of men remain stagnant (Valenti, Pp 56). The wages of women started from a lower base because of discrimination. Even with their improvement, women earning are still low compared to men earnings. Currently women make 40 percent of full time managers. However, their wages are 73 percent of what male managers earn. There are field that are gender segregated such as schoolteachers and social workers. In the year 1980, the percentage of primary school teachers and social workers was 75 and 64 percent respectively. Currently women make 80 and 81 percent of these fields respectively. Research indicates that occupation increase for women, the net pay for those jobs go down (Mouse, Pp3). 3- Sexual discrimination is a Glass ceiling madness- according to the reading ( no girls allowed ) Glass ceiling starts remarkably early from the time a woman get into the work force. After women graduate from college and get into the work force, they encounter much discrimination. Companies believe that wome n are not as competent as men when it comes to work. A woman receives less salary than a man does even though they have the same education and training. Many men put glass ceiling for women, as they believe that females are not steady for careers. They believe that women place is at home taking care of the house and raising children. The power of a woman in the past was restricted over her future. Women were forced to depend on men because men represented women. Women were portrayed as her husband’s wife or her children’s mother. The responsibility of women was to work at home producing cloth, cooking and nursing the family. Today women want to have careers and become independent in life. Men do not understand that some women do not have a choice (The Problem That Has No Name, 3). This is because some never get married or have families of their own hence; they have no choice but to throw themselves in their job. Other women are single parents or divorced, and they need work to support their children. 4- Gender pay gap. Who needs a dollar when you have seventy-six cents? Discuss it according to the readings There is no reason to have a salary gap between a man and a woman during their first year in their job. This is because they both have the same qualifications for the job (Valenti, Pp 87). Women do not show any incapability for accomplishing their jobs, yet they are treated unequally from their male counterparts. This discrimination has gone on for months as a

How does Robert Grave's The naked and the nude (1957) use concrete Essay

How does Robert Grave's The naked and the nude (1957) use concrete diction in order to draw a distinction between the naked and the nude - Essay Example Nevertheless, the heart of the poem is the controversy between the naked and the nude. The first and probably initial meaning of nakedness is anatomical, as in the following synecdoche: "The Hippocratic eye will see In nakedness, anatomy" (ls. 3-4), but the secret meaning of the term is freedom, absence of shame and ignorance of scorn. Nudity, thus, points to the 'social' meaning of nakedness: "deficiency of dress" (4), prohibited and scorned by most people. The nude should be understood as those blaming and judging the naked with religious or moral values: "They grin a mock-religious grin Of scorn at those of naked skin" (17-18). Another meaning of nakedness is therefore the reception of scorn and hatred, addressed to both nudity and nakedness as indecent. When the person is nude, they feel themselves an anatomical pattern, a body, similar to other human bodies of the same gender, whereas nakedness indicates that each body is a unique and exceptional piece of art, as in the followin g metaphor : "And naked shines the Goddess when She mounts her lion among men" (11-12).

Leisure and toursim policy - choosen topic is future of london toursim Essay

Leisure and toursim policy - choosen topic is future of london toursim and international toursim in general - Essay Example als and evening based economic activity driven by theatres, cinemas, restaurants, bars, public houses, nightclubs and casinos, all of which attract tourists and day visitors as well as residents. [1] On the other hand, it has to be noticed that tourism is not a clear-cut sector but an all-embracing and pervasive domain of service and industrial activities. It touches upon almost all spheres of national life within the country and that is particularly the reason why a sound state policy of tourism should be essentially formulated before any significant tourism investment projects are launched. As rightly put by MacCannell, tourism is an ideological framing of history, nature and tradition; a framing that has the power to reshape culture and nature to its own needs (MacCannell 1992). Regarding specifically the leisure activities, it has been found that the participation of the public to them is really significant. A characteristic example could be the case of U.S. where the participati on of people of all ages in the leisure activities is noticeable. More specifically, according to the 1994-1995 National Survey on Recreation and the Environment, most U.S. residents over 16 years old participate in fitness activities (68.3%), swimming, (54.2%), and walking (66.7%) (Cordell 1999). As for Britain it has been found [7] that the types of leisure activities preferred by the public are differentiated from that of U.S. with nearly nine in ten adult viewers in the United Kingdom to watch television every day of the week in 2003, with nearly a quarter of viewers watching it for two to three hours a day. UK residents made a record 42.9 million holiday trips abroad in 2004, an increase from 6.7 million in 1971; Spain was the most popular destination, followed by France [7]. In order to define tourism policy we should primarily describe tourism. In this context, according to a broad definition [6] tourism is a service industry, comprising a number of tangible and intangible