Literacy in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Essay

Literacy in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - Essay Example The paper discusses the value of narrative. Douglass’s narrative is important since it debunks many of the theories that had currency during the period of slavery and it also, makes clear the importance of literacy in the movement against slavery. The ability to read is continually held up as the magic wand that would enable African-Americans to lead lives of dignity and respect. The instruction that Douglass received from the mistress of the household where he was a slave in the knowledge of language is a turning point in his life. He is able to expand his horizon of knowledge through reading. As is the case with education that was introduced in colonies by colonial powers, this education that Douglass receives makes him want to learn more. Moreover, the knowledge that he receives also awakens in him a thirst for freedom. It is literacy that impels him to question the ways of the world and the organizing structures of southern society that believed in the inherent inferiority of African Americans. The people of these parts were characterized by an urge to retain the structures of slavery even after it had been abolished in the north. This was for economic reasons, since the labor on the cotton plantations that sustained the economy of the old south was almost entirely black. The immense profitability of the plantations depended a great deal, on the almost free labor that was extracted from the black slaves who were also subjected o inhuman torture on the plantations. The need for documentation is what the production of the book stands for. A documentation of the sufferings of the black slaves of America was necessary for a solution to the problem to be found out. This was however, not in the best interests of the people who drew their livelihoods and their luxurious lifestyles by exploiting the poor slaves. This is the reason why Mr. Auld is always critical of the efforts that Mrs. Auld puts in into helping the education of Frederick Douglass. He fears that Douglass too would attempt to escape to the north in search of his freedom. This betrays an understanding of the cruel and exploitative nature of the institution of slavery on the part of white landowners who employed black slaves under conditions that were extremely inhumane. When Mr. Auld denies Douglass the permission to learn how to read, Douglass reflects, Whilst I was saddened by the thought of losing the aid of my kind mistress, I was gladdened by the invaluable instruction which, by the merest accident, I had gained from my master (Douglass, 45). The â€Å"invaluable instruction† of knowing the value of literacy and the associations of freedom that literacy carried changes the way in which Douglass looks at the manner in which he led his life. The knowledge sows in him the seeds of rebellion and makes him want to escape to the north. Behind this urge is the love for freedom which Douglass feels is a natural impulse on the part of any human being whose senses have not been deadened by the yoke of slavery for ages. This impulse leads him

Strategy in Strategic Planning with Biblical Principles Assignment

Strategy in Strategic Planning with Biblical Principles - Assignment Example e one that imposes order inside a firm, and in case the strategy proves to be a useless one, then the managers should take their time to know why it failed. Additionally, a company should lay emphasis on its major strengths, look out for new prospects and manage its change process in an aggressive manner (Burgelman, 2002). From a biblical perspective, various questions have been raised as to whether a Christian is capable of adding value to an organization, and whether the strategic plans that a Christian proposes are different from those of non-Christians. It is not yet clear whether Christians adopt their own strategies or whether they make their decisions out of the influence of the secular business models. However, from the perspective of faith-based models, it is evident that a Christian strategic leader is different from a non-Christian counterpart since he is believed to be called upon by God to play his role. A Christian manager is unique since the motives and assumptions that he makes are driven by the different overview that he has regarding the world (Haskins & Smith, 2004). Therefore, based on the different worldviews that the two parties portray, then these people are expected to make decisions that differ from each other in an

Ethics and Stakeholder Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethics and Stakeholder Management - Essay Example The concept of ethics is very important during the contemporary period in the operations of any given organisation. Socially responsible businesses ought to create a balance between the protection of the interests of the consumers as well as their objectives of making profits. However, the issue of ethics is somehow controversial in that there may be conflicts whereby people may disagree over a certain issue with regards to the right course of action that can be taken. There are mixed feelings over one issue whereby others see nothing wrong about it while others view it as wrong which presents an ethical dilemma to the organisation. As such, an ethical dilemma arises when there is an unresolved interpretation of an ethical issue (Arens, 1996). This is a situation when people have different perceptions over a particular issue. In this particular case, a computer manufacturer decides not to market a new chip that would enable computers to be upgraded. This entails that there is no need for a new computer and this reduces electronic waste. However, this will lead to a reduction in the sales of the computers which means a definite reduction in revenues in the short term. On the other hand, the long-term pay-off is uncertain and this has presented an ethical dilemma to the organisation. In this case, the organisation is finding it difficult to market the new chip though it will benefit the majority of the people at the expense of their need to protect the business interests of the company such as its profitability. In view of this given scenario, it can be noted that to a certain extent, there is no universal agreement of what constitutes good things from bad. Certain incidences sometime arise where people often view the same thing from different perspectives (Hiti, 1999). However, in as far as business is concerned, it can be noted that the main objective is to attain profit goals whereby ethics are at times compromised for financial gains. Theoretically, there are different ethical theories that can be applied to this case but the most ideal is utilitarian ethical theory. According to this theory, â€Å"the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the majority of people is ethically,† (Rainbow, 2002). As such, this ethical theory posits to the effect that organisations should encourage the people to work towards the outcomes that will benefit the majority of the people that are affected by the operations of a given organisation. It has to be borne in mind that businesses are concerned with serving their own interests as well as the interests of the stakeholders which should not be compromised for financial gains alone. The right course of action will be to follow the guidelines that will yield benefits to the majority of people not only the concerns of the company alone. The utilitarian theory suggests that the organisation ought to be guided by values as well as principles that will incline it to act in a certain way which makes it different from the other organisations.  

Letter and Memo paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Letter and Memo paper - Assignment Example I, as well as I am sure many other readers like me, would agree with the fact that the socio – economic spectrum has been blown out of proportion just because of the steep competition to help get into one of the top educational institutions. It is rather shocking to find that the affluent are still faced with a persistent and pervasive anxiety, while the middle – class are underrepresented and the poor have absolutely no access to the best educational opportunities. According to me, the most interesting part of the article was about the â€Å"amicus briefs submitted to the Supreme Court in the landmark affirmative case concerning the University of Michigan — to give an edge in admissions to disadvantaged students, regardless of race.† But equally interesting and I must say rather shocking was to read the article further and find that former president of Princeton, William Bowen and his associates found through studies carried out in 19 different colleges, that this was totally untrue because applicants from different disadvantaged backgrounds got â€Å"essentially no break in the admissions process.† On behalf of all the other readers of the New York Times, I take this as an opportunity to express my views about this social scar on society and offer a few useful suggestions. Though I do like the idea of a lottery system when names of those who have achieved a high standard on the academic front are randomly selected for admission, yet I feel that an entrance exam where all are treated equally based solely on merit would be a good idea. Those who do their best must be given a seat irrespective of the background or status they belong to. Another suggestion I like to make in this regard is that it would be good if the top colleges set aside at least 5% of their seats and grant admission to students who specifically come from not very affluent backgrounds but who are really deserving. Once again, on

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Essay

Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself - Essay Example It is because in male dominated society, female slaves were the worst sufferers of male lust. Also since women’s financial contribution was equal to their male counterparts’, they were often neglected the allowances which were normally granted to the male slaves. In the narrative, Jacob upholds the fact that the nineteenth century society was, in the first place, very much discriminatory to women. On top of it, slavery would permit the male dominated society to exert their brutal desires over the female slaves to the fullest extent. Such brutal treatment would never hold them accountable. In the narrative, Jacob shows that the evil of slavery puts the despotic males at the control of humanly institutions like motherhood, womanhood, etc. Therefore, the slave-owners not only denied humanity by continuing slavery, but also reached the extent to oppose the most sacred institution of womanhood as well as motherhood. When Jacob says that â€Å"Slavery is terrible for men; bu t it is far more terrible for women†¦Superadded to the burden common to all, they have wrongs, and sufferings, and mortifications peculiarly their own† (Jacobs 23), she refers to a masculine but horrible face of slavery in the context of femininity. In addition to what the slaves, whether they are male and female, suffer from, a female slave has to suffer vehemently from a torrent of emotional anguish first as an object of lust and then as a mother. Different from other slave narratives, Jacob has used the scope to view slavery from a quite different angle. Jacob notes that most of the lave narratives of her era have a common pattern of depicting the graphic details of whipping, physical torturing, etc. Subsequently these narratives uphold a dangerous escape of their slave protagonists to the North. But Jacob depicts a quite different situation for a female slave. She shows that for a female slave, any attempt to escape from the slavery was more of a heart-piercing dilemm a because of their progenies. She could neither endure the torture nor leave their children behind and run away. So, their only way was to submit to their fate. But when other women would let themselves collapse under the crushing torture of slavery, Linda retains her mental strength to oppose Mr. Flint’s desire. Linda’s mental strength is evident in a speech: â€Å"When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in every thing; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong† (Jacobs 46). Indeed, this simple comment of Linda tends to summarize the gist of the whole narrative as well as of the evil of slavery in American society during the early nineteenth century. It can be viewed from different perspectives and angles. As a mother, Linda violently fights against slavery. She wants to save her children from the evil of slavery. She plays hoax on Mr. Flints in ord er to attain freedom for her children, Benny and Elena. She had to spend innumerous sleepless night in the tight attic in which she can hardly stand. But her only pleasure is that she can see her run around her Aunt Martha’s house freely. Indeed, for any male reader, such sacrifice may seem to be something mere, but the pains, sufferings and angst she undergoes during those days of slavery are

Drake Circus Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Drake Circus - Article Example It is managed by Donaldsons LLP which runs over 250 shopping centres throughout Europe (www.drakecircus.com/background). The original Drake Circus shopping centre was a two level centre with open malls constructed in the early 1970s. Initial proposals to redevelop it in the early 1990s failed, but the developers, P&O Estates, tried again in the early part of the 21st century. Plans were drawn up for a much larger centre and having signed up Allders as the first anchor tenant in 2001 and Marks & Spencer in early 2004, work started on demolishing the old centre and the adjoining Charles Cross car park in February 2004. The new building, designed by Chapman Taylor Partnership, has provoked a mixed reception (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_Circus). The scheme suffered a setback in January 2005 when Allders went into administration, but other tenants, including Zara, Boots the Chemist, Virgin Megastore and H&M continued to commit to the scheme. New anchor tenants to replace Allders were found in summer 2005 in the guise of Next and Primark. The new development was topped out in June 2005 and the scheme opened, 90% let, on 5 October 2006 (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_Circus). The new car park has five levels, with the first two levels larger than the upper three. It will have dedicated entry and exit ramps which will keep queue times to a minimum. There will be wider spaces, more headroom and much better levels of lighting. Interior finishes will be painted white with good direction signage for both cars and pedestrians. The car park will be well lit, with high levels of visibility for drivers and those on foot and clear signage that will comply with the 'secure by design' standard promoted by the police authority (www.drakecircus.com/background). The whole of Drake Circus shopping centre has been designed, wherever possible in line with the latest disability access regulations, will be wheel-chair friendly with ample provision of lifts, ramps and specially designated parking spaces for blue badge holders. Enhanced facilities for the ambulant disabled will also be provided (www.drakecircus.com/background). The scheme incorporates facilities for the loan of wheelchairs and powered scooters. Car Parking: Drake Circus is a "Pay on Foot" car park - so no more worrying about your time running out and having to dash back to your car! Simply take your ticket when you arrive and keep it with you while you shop. When you're ready to leave simply pay by cash or card at one of the pay stations, located on each car park levels before you return to your car. Technological impact in shopping centre sales: Advances in Information Technology are constantly

Visual Art Analysis Paper Essay Example for Free

Visual Art Analysis Paper Essay Webster’s Dictionary defines Aesthetics as the branch of philosophy dealing with such notions as the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, the comic, etc. , as applicable to the fine arts, with a view to establishing the meaning and the validity of critical judgments concerning works of art, and the principles underlying or justifying such judgments or the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty. The Dream of La Malinche is aesthetically pleasing despite the fact that I tend to not be attracted to Surrealism. However this artwork told a story that made me curious to find out who La Malinche really was? My first reaction to this artwork is to notice that the room that she is lying in is dark and shabby with exposed brick and a crack in the wall. Was this woman poor or was she labeled as not deserving better? Is this the aesthetically ugly side of life? Dark walls, broken woman. Yet sprawled on her hip is a beautiful church towering over a village in a fertile valley below. Aesthetically beautiful. Prosperity visible in the village and valley, and poverty in the room that La Malinche lies in. What a contrast! Denis Dutton (Aesthetic Universals), a philosopher identified seven universal traits for human See more: how to write an analysis of a research paper aesthetics. He claimed that technical artistic skills are cultivated and recognized. These skills can be admired. Though people admire art they do not expect it to keep food on their table. But it is expected to follow the rules of composition and to be identified as a certain style. Artwork will always be judged, and with few exceptions art will simulate life. Follow our experiences in life yet with a dramatic flair. Based on these traits La Malinche is beautifully orchestrated and very obviously a combination of a folk story and surrealism. Compared to other works by this artist, this particular painting tells a true story, a meaningful story that has played a part in this artist’s life. Visual Arts 3 Expression At the beginning of the 19th century, artists began to express their feelings through their art rather than through the faces painted on a canvas. The real La Malinche was thought to be a hero by some and a traitor by others. Mother of the Mestizo race and harlot to Cortez the explorer. Mexican artwork of this period tended to combine a woman with fertile land to express fertility to the viewer, so I believe this is some of what the artist was also trying to portray. I also love the symbolism between the mountains painted on her hip versus an actual mountain in Mexico named La Malinche. As I studied about Antonio Ruiz, he was referred to several times as a folk art artist besides being a surrealist. I think this art expresses his love for the history of his people and tells their story more adequately than words can express. I dare to call him a surrealist because I do not see where he is avoiding the unpleasantness of the life by wearing rose colored glasses. I feel that he is expressing the truth of the situation and the beauty that can be found amidst ugliness, accusations and tales. However Woman in World Histories Primary Sources claims the Malinche’s body is the ground supporting an unnamed village and church and her image is to invoke female Aztec deities. The metaphor is the Mexican nation is built on the groundwork of Malinche’s actions. So what expressive qualities does this painting have? The mood language is mysterious. It invokes curiosity. The dynamic state is intense and provoking. The Ideal language would be compassion, courage and fearlessness. Sensation This painting provokes a strong emotion in me. I am not sure that I would label it anger, but I feel a sense of injustice rise up inside me. I understand what the artist was trying to portray in this painting but I also know how I interpret this painting. In my interpretation I want to fight for the dignity of this woman who is treated with obvious disrespect based on the condition of Visual Arts 4 the room in which she lies while a village in a valley appears prosperous. And yet I feel an animosity toward the people who do not recognize the contribution that she made to their society or the number of lives that were probably spared. I feel the history of this story and the artist’s emotions. I feel that the woman in the bed carries a huge load on her shoulders. You can almost feel her despair and have to wonder what heart ache she carries within. Does this prosperous village in the valley sit ignorant of the sacrifices of this fearless woman? This woman instills hope and compassion and a sense of empowerment. It’s like being on an emotional rollercoaster yet the lines of this painting is also like a rollercoaster. The round mountain peaks, the curving roads and the rolling sheets over the woman. The curvy scrolls of the wrought iron bed all encompass this feeling of being on a rollercoaster. Formal Design This painting has been labeled as Surrealism. Surrealism was supposedly born from the Dada Movement. This â€Å"Dada Movement† was a banding together of artists who sought refuge from World War I in Europe. As they banded together they became like our early day protestors. Their art, poetry and music reflected their anti-war cries. After the war people wanted to get away from the intensity of darkness that so many paintings depicted and they wanted something to help them escape the everyday reality. So Surrealism became a way for them to combine dreams and fantasy with some reality. The Principles for all design are Unity, Balance, Dominance, Repetition, Rhythm, Contrast and Theme. There is a unity between the woman living in poverty and the prosperous village. Can there be prosperity without poverty? Or can there be poverty without prosperity? If the prosperous mountain were removed all this art would speak about is poverty. La Malinche would appear as a poor woman on a bed. Would you be curious about her Visual Arts 5 circumstances or would you feel compelled to look away? If La Malinche was removed from the painting you would just have a prosperous village living in a valley. A beautiful fairytale painting. Because the elements of this painting need each other and have unity, this painting has balance. The mountain on La Malinche’s hip gives this painting symmetry. It becomes almost the fulcrum of the painting. Everything balances around the central part of this painting. The mountain, the prosperity takes a dominant position in this painting which could suggest her success in rising above adversity. The rhythm in this painting would be the flow of the village across the sheets, and the flow of the sheets across the woman. There is this continuous theme flowing out from the village. The poverty, the dark room and the woman contrast with the light of the village and it’s prosperity. Each of these principals come together to form the theme of poverty and prosperity. Lightness and Dark. Realism and Surrealism. Technical Properties The Dream of La Malinche is painted on canvas with oils. If skill is truly based on the artists portrayal of his picture, than Ruiz has truly surpassed all other artists in portraying the history and story of this heroic figure. He has an incredible sense of color. And this painting reflects his own personal view on this historical figure. The lightening bolt (or crack in the wall as I call it) has depth to it. This painting does not have the usual bulkiness that you so often see in oil paintings. As an artist Antonio Ruiz is known for his draftsmanship skills. He is considered a great painter of small works and respected for his aesthetic quality. Visual Arts 6 References Dutton, D. , Aesthetic Universals Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Definition of Aesthetics