study on toni morrison Essay - 2402 Words

A Study On Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye Ying-Hua,Liao Introduction Toni Morrison was the winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize for Literature. She is a prominent contemporary American writer devoted to the black literary and cultural movement. Her achievements and dedication to the promotion of black culture have established her distinguished status in American literature. Many critics applaud Toni Morrison’s artistic talent and contribution to American literature. Darwin T. Turner, for example, has thus commented: â€Å"Morrison has already achieved status as a major novelist--an artful creator of grotesques destined to live in worlds where seeds of love seldom blossom.† Linda W. Wagner approves Morrison’s artistic genius in her mastery of†¦show more content†¦. . . The contemplation of this black presence is central to any understanding of our national literature and should not be permitted to hover at the margins of the literary imagination.6 Toni Morrison perceives a vacuum in American white male dominated literary discourse which excludes black presence. â€Å"Black people have a story, and that story has to be heard.†7 Therefore, she endeavors to break the silence by telling the black people’s story, and bridge the gap between white male-centered literature and black subjugated culture. Morrison intends to reconstruct the black image in a way she knows. Her writing effort to illustrate the richness of black culture includes black language, music, myths and rituals. Above all, she includes â€Å"the traditional Black female activities of rootworking, herbal medicine, conjure, and midwifery into the fabric of [her] stories†8 to reveal the black woman’s cultural experiences. The unique experiences of blacks, specifically those of black women, are treated with a distinctive voice in Morrison’s works. They are brought from the margin to the reconstructed center. Through her novels, the sil ence of black people is broken; the void in white-male centered literature is filled. Morrison has incorporated black culture into the national cultural narrative. Her writings also refract the author’s dialogue with her times and culturalShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Black Culture On American Literature1205 Words   |  5 PagesNicole Paul WRIT303 Toni Morrison: Playing in the Dark In Toni Morrison’s article Playing in the Dark, she is discussing how racism effects American literature. To Morrison, black culture is a tiny speck in American literature and she wants to expand it. Before Morrison could even think about doing this, she had to change her perspective and imagine what it is like to be in someone else’s shoes. Morrison states that, â€Å"My work requires me to think about how â€Å"free† I can be as an African-AmericanRead MoreRecitatif: Toni Morrison Essay935 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1983, Toni Morrison published the only short story she would ever create. The controversial story conveys an important idea of what race is and if it really matter in the scheme of life. This story takes place during the time period of the Civil Rights Movement. The idea of civil rights was encouraged by the government but not enforced by the states, leaving many black Americans suffering every day. In Morrison’s short story Recitatif, Morri son manipulates the story’s diction to describe the twoRead MoreEssay about Toni Morrisons Literary Achievements693 Words   |  3 PagesToni Morrisons Literary Achievements In 1993 Toni Morrison joined the illustrious ranks of the Nobel Prize for Literature laureates as the ninetieth recipient, twentieth English-language author, eighth American, eighth woman, third black, and first African-American 1. Her mid-century predecessor William Faulkner (1897-1962) had just received the award in 1950 when Morrison (b. 1931) began writing her Master of Arts thesis on his work.2 Aside from both being Nobel laureates, this unlikelyRead MoreRacism By Toni Morrison Analysis982 Words   |  4 PagesThe noble laureate winning author Toni Morrison comments that â€Å"racism hurts in a very personal way† (Bouson 103). This might be a hint towards the long term generational consequences that racism causes. Having the entire future generation jeopardized by the concept of racism is indeed a pain that will hurt anyone who has love for his/her community. Morrison believes that the lives and relationships of people are affected by racism as she remarks â€Å"Because of it, people do all sorts of things in theirRead MoreBiography of Toni Morrison1620 Words   |  7 PagesToni Morrison Born on February 18, 1931, in Lorain, Ohio, Toni Morrison is a Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, editor and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue and richly detailed black characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved. Morrison has won nearly every book prize possible. She has also been awarded honorary degrees. Early Career Born Chloe Anthony Wofford on February 18, 1931, in LorainRead More Essay on Toni Morrisons Beloved - Sethes Act of Filicide1653 Words   |  7 PagesSethes Act of Filicide in Beloved      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shortly after the publication of Beloved, Toni Morrison commented in an interview that Sethes murder of Beloved was the right thing to do, but she had no right to do it.... It was the only thing to do, but it was the wrong thing to do.1[1]   Does this remark prove the moral ambiguity of the infanticide, as Terry Otten argues?2[2]   Yes, it was right but wrong, and wrong but right.   However, the most important thing is that It was the only thing toRead MoreBlack Music in Toni Morrisons Jazz Essay1728 Words   |  7 Pageswriting of Jazz, Morrison takes on new tasks and new risks. Jazz, for example, doesn’t fit the classic novel format in terms of design, sentence structure, or narration. Just like the music this novel is named after, the work is improvisational.† -www.enotes.com/jazz/ â€Å"As rich in themes and poetic images as her Pulitzer Prize- winning Beloved†¦. Morrison conjures up hand of slavery on Harlem’s jazz generation. The more you listen, the more you crave to hear.†-Glamour Toni Morrison’s Jazz isRead More Morrisons Bluest Eye Essay: The American Way1698 Words   |  7 PagesThe Bluest Eye: The American Way  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Ownership, class structures, and consumerism go hand in hand. Morrison illustrates this throughout the novel and in the characters identities. Many of the characters identify themselves based on material possessions: the simple ownership of a car, the use of consumer products, and property ownership. Although African Americans may take these things for granted now, in the early 1900s this would be considered a major accomplishment. There isRead MoreRacism In Ralph Ellison1659 Words   |  7 Pages Racism in Toni Morrison’s and Ralph Ellison’s Works As generations have passed, society has become less and less racist. From a young age, many children are taught to celebrate diversity. This instills a sense of being able to love everyone, regardless of skin color or race. But a little over half a century ago, it was a completely different story. There was segregation present in buses, water fountains, and even bathrooms; this was all due to assumptions people made, just based on someone else’sRead MoreThe Significance of the Character Shadrack in the Novel Sula by Toni Morrison1556 Words   |  7 PagesThe Significance of The Character Shadrack in The Novel Sula By Toni Morrison The book Sula by Toni Morrison is regarded as one of Morrison’s best work because of the content and structure of the book. Shadrack is an important character in the novel although his appearance in the plot is fairly brief. His significance in the novel stems from the fact that he represents one of the recurring themes of the novel, which is the need for order. Since the need to order and focus experience is an important

The Greek Concept of the Epic Hero Essay - 1135 Words

In classical Greek literature, the epic hero is usually defined in terms of the contrasting characters of Achilles and Odysseus, the most important figures in Homers great epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks in the Trojan war, is actually a demi-god rather than a human hero, having been dipped in charmed waters by his mother and given the gift of invulnerability. Odysseus, on the other hand, is a fully human character, and his heroism consists more in his cleverness, boldness and cunning than his martial ability. The contrast between these two models of the epic hero could not be stronger, for although Achilles is godlike and almost immortal in his fighting prowess, he is childish and†¦show more content†¦Then he leaves to sulk in his tent. These is no question that Achilles is indeed the best of the Achaians in combat, but since he is the son of a goddess and blessed with invulnerability in battle, it is hardly his heroism that makes him a great warrior. His counterpart among the Trojans, Hektor, is in truth a much nobler character-- loving to his parents, wife and children, fearless in battle, and willing to sacrifice everything for his people. In comparison with Hektor, Achilles seems to be a mamas boy; in fact, we see him crying to his mother Thetis that the gods have not done enough for him by punishing the Greeks. Sounding like a little boy, he tells her, I wish you had gone on living then with the other goddesses/ of the sea, and that Peleus had married some mortal woman./As it is, there must be in your heart a numberless sorrow for your sons death, since you can never again receive him/ won home again to his country (Lattimore, 1967:377). There is great irony in Achilles obsessive desire to kill Hektor and revenge the death of his friend Patroklos, since as Thetis reminds him, it is decreed your death must come soon after Hektors. As a demigod, Achilles does not possess immortality, and the fatal flaw in his makeup (his mother held him by the ankle when she dipped him in the water) means that he must someday die. Yet after killing Hektor in the great fight scene that concludes his struggles, Achilles does not hesitate to defyShow MoreRelatedEpic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad1030 Words   |  5 Pages DWC 101: Paper 1 November 1, 2017 Epic Heroism and Values of the Greek and Roman Culture The image of Achilles killing Hector and the image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they both show courageRead MoreAre The Best Men Liars? Essay1474 Words   |  6 PagesAre the Best Men Liars? When the Roman Civilization usurped that of the Greeks, a cultural shift took place. The Romans, unlike many other conquerors in history, maintained that the good parts of a defeated culture should be maintained, while those parts not suitable to their worldview would be erased and disregarded. When the Romans took over the Greeks, they continued the Epic tradition, used similar gods, and kept familiar customs. However, within the continuity between the cultures on theseRead MoreThe Modern Epic of Batman Essay731 Words   |  3 Pages An epic is a long narrative poem that tells the exploits of an epic hero. Epics are comprised of an epic hero and an epic battle between good and evil. The earliest known epic today is The Epic of Gilgamesh. This tale is about Gilgamesh’s search for eternal life. Although epics have been around for thousands of years, the epic tradition still has an enormous impact on modern writing and film. In fact, Batman, a story about Bruce Wayne trying to conquer all criminals in Gotham, can be seen as modernRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And Odysseus1497 Words   |  6 PagesTHESIS STATEMENT In Greek literature, the character Gilgamesh from The Epic of Gilgamesh and Odysseus from The Odyssey by Homer can be compared by their similar journeys and differing heroic qualities. PURPOSE STATEMENT Through careful research and reasoning, Odysseus and Gilgamesh can be seen as both similar and differing characters because of their choices and changes throughout their journeys. INTRODUCTION Gilgamesh, the famous hero of The Epic of Gilgamesh and Odysseus from The Odyssey are foundRead MoreArchetypes Of The Odyssey968 Words   |  4 Pagesinto the category of a hero, one of the many archetypes modern readers use to identify main characters and all other concepts in literature.   Ã‚  All heroes experience the fright and thrill of adventure in most of their tellings. Before we start, we have to explain what era this took place in. Odysseus was the Greek, living on the island of Ithaca. Greece is not the same as the ancient Greece Odysseus grew up in. They believed all natural occurrences was the will of the great Greek gods. The All-FatherRead MoreKleos in The Odyssey by Homer938 Words   |  4 Pages CONCEPT OF KLEOS IN THE ODYSSEY Heroic glory occupies a very crucial place in the Indo-European epic tradition, because the Greek society is a shame culture, in which being honoured is one of the primary purposes of people s lives. Hence, the concept of kleos formed an essential part of the bardic tradition which helped the people to maintain the heroic stature of the mythical heroes from generation to generation. This is why, it has got an important place in the Greek epics also. In TheRead MoreExamples Of Glory And Glory In The Iliad1054 Words   |  5 PagesHonor 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 honor Conclusion Haley Vinson English 271 December 5, 2017 Glory and Honor in Homer’s Iliad In ancient Greek culture social status was based on prominence and rank. This prepotency over the culture is shown in the epic poem, The Iliad of Homer. Great vitality is exhibited by the characters inRead MoreCompare And Contrast Achilles And Aeneas1263 Words   |  6 Pagesbrings up the question concerning what makes someone an epic hero. Although each poet lived in a dramatically different time period, with different literary integrity, Homer and Virgil each portray an epic hero using different development of the characters, but similar themes and influences. Achilles and Aeneas demonstrate that an epic hero will do whatever it takes to fulfill their duties while simultaneously displaying the difference between Greek and Roman Society. The question will be answered byRead MoreOdyssey Fully Embodies the Greek Idea of Heroism1087 Words   |  4 PagesGreek mythology and the epic poems written during the Hellenistic period are filled with heroes and their adventures, highli ghting the qualities that Greeks perceived as valuable in men. Odysseus, a prime example as the protagonist of The Odyssey, fully embodies the Greek idea of heroism, using his physical skill, as well as his clever mind to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. From escaping the Cyclops’ lair to facing the suitors in Ithaca, Odysseus chooses to use strategy over brute forceRead More The Transcending Characteristics of a Mythical Hero Essay1520 Words   |  7 PagesThe Transcending Characteristics of a Mythical Hero nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Although separated by the wide gulf of time and culture, myths involving supernatural characters and gods exist in almost every society throughout the world. While this commonality may not be spectacular by itself, a detailed comparative study of the myths reveals a more striking similarity. Even in cultures as different and antagonistic as those of the Ancient Greeks and the Sumerians, predecessors of the Persians

Assess the Argument That Modern Childhood Is a ‘March of Progress‘ Free Essays

The march of progress, traditionally depicting a compressed presentation of 25 million years of human evolution, can be applied to sociologists view on childhood- is it ‘evolving’ for the better? The ‘March of progress’ view argues that, over the past few centuries, childhood in western societies has been improving steadily, and is even better than ever today. We can then go onto say that the ‘march of progress’ evidently paints a bad picture of the past; as Lloyd De Mause puts it- â€Å"The history of childhood is a nightmare from which we have only begun to awaken. The further back in history one goes, the lower the level of childcare, and the more likely children are to be killed, abandoned, beaten, terrorised and sexually abused. We will write a custom essay sample on Assess the Argument That Modern Childhood Is a ‘March of Progress‘ or any similar topic only for you Order Now † Writers like Aries and Shorter look on from this dark past, and hold to the belief that children are more valued, better cared for, protected educated, enjoy better health and have a lot more rights than previous generations. On the other hand, certain sociologists would disagree with this; for example, Sue Palmers. Her view uplifts the concept of â€Å"The Five Finger Exercise†; the belief that ‘language, love, education, play discipline’ are what children crucially need for healthy development. In her opinion, children in the UK today are going through, what she calls, ‘toxic childhood’- in the past 25 years, children’s physical, emotional and academic development have been effected and damaged by rapid technological and cultural changes. These ‘changes’ include emphasis on testing in education, computer games, junk food, intensive marketing on children, even the long hours parents work. All of these factors (which weren’t as dominant in society, in the past) have negative effects i. e. an increase in child obesity. Neil Postman has a similar negative opinion on childhood- he stated that childhood is ‘disappearing at a dazzling speed’. In contrast to Palmers opinion that children are being affected by rapid technological and cultural changes, Postman believes the disappearance of childhood is down to young people being given the same rights as adults. Similarities in the way children and adults dress, the decrease of traditional unsupervised games, ven rare cases of children committing ‘adults crimes’, such as murder. Also, as education intensifies, young people will be able to enter the adult world at an earlier age, rapidly increasing the disappearance of childhood. Though Iona Opie argues that this is not true that childhood is not disappearing; she believes there is still evidence that childhood culture exists, based on a lifetime of research into children’s games, rhymes and songs (led by herself and her husband, Peter Opie). Contradictory to Postman’s findings, Opie came to the conclusion that children can, and do, create their own independent culture which is separate from that of adults. Child liberations argue against both Palmers and Postman- they argue that western ideas of childhood are being globalised (far from disappearing). International humanitarian and welfare agencies have imposed western norms on the world, of what childhood should be- a separate life stage, based in the nuclear family and school, where children are innocent, dependant vulnerable and have no economic role. Therefore, childhood is far from disappearing, but western notions are simply being globalised. For example, anti child labour campaigns, or concerns about ‘street children’ in less economically developed countries, reflect western ideas of what childhood is ‘ought’ to be like. Though this kind of activity could be the norm for children in that specific culture; possibly important preparation for adult life in their society. So in this view, childhood isn’t ‘disappearing’, but it is spreading across the world. How to cite Assess the Argument That Modern Childhood Is a ‘March of Progress‘, Essays

Developmental Toxicity Samples for Students †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Developmental Toxicity. Answer: Introduction Developmental toxicity is functional or structural alteration that interferes with the development, differentiation, growth and homeostasis of the fetus or the embryo. This developmental effect can be reversible or irreversible and can cause developmental alterations in the offspring. Several factors can cause these alterations such as environmental factors, toxoids, chemicals, drug and so on. This toxicity are divided in two groups namely in early pregnancy and second while development of different organs of the fetus. Developmental complications in early pregnancy lead to abortion whereas in the later stage it causes congenital defects of structure and functions of the organs (Hood, 2016). This assignment is going to talk about such developmental problems with focus on the need of time for the symptoms to show. Further, the changes that occur in different stages of embryonic development will be discussed. Finally, the stages of these changes to originate anomalies in the structure of the fetus will be discussed. Development disorder and relation to time Toxicants that affect the fetus during prenatal stage can be of different types, environmental, chemical or drug related. However, maximum of the developmental anomalies are related to the environmental factors. Developmental disorders are mostly congenital related and occurs during uterine development. The rate of such anomalies is very less and this is because of the strong immune support from the mother. However, due to long-term and continual exposure, the fetus comes into the contact of the teratogenic toxins that leads to alter the physiological morphology of the fetus. As different chemicals have different toxicogenic effect on the development, hence the time factor is important to determine the kind of anomalies the fetus is going to develop. It also depends on the time in which the mother has ingested the drug or the chemical has acquired the sensitivity window. For an example, the drug containing thalidomide is generally prescribed during the 6th or 7th week of the gestation. Hence, the abnormalities related to that toxoid will occur in that timeframe only (Williams, James Roberts, 2000). Changes occur in different gestational stages During 6th and 7th week, due to presence of thalidomide in mothers blood, the tissue of the fetus can be damaged. Teeth and eyes can also be damaged as these are formed within 5th and 8th Drug isotretinion puts adverse effects on craniofacial deformities including cardiac and central nervous system abnormalities. Reproductive development of the fetus occurs in the late phase of the gestational phase and it occurs due to presence of anticoagulants, lithium and tetracycline. Another toxoid is Alcohol that leads to fetal alcohol syndrome. It hampers the growth, both mental and physical and attention disorders. This syndrome can occur due to minimal dose as well (Geoffroy et al., 2013). Changes of these developmental anomalies in health complications Different abnormalities that arise due to different teratogenic toxoids can cause a wide range of disorders in the postnatal stage. Due to tissue related disorders, the infant can grow dysplasia or deformation that is related to tissue development. On the other hand, Due to malnutrition, or adverse effect of alcohol or smoking, the fetus can grow dysmelia, that is limb disorder, congenital aplasia and so on. Other disorders include heart related disorder, gastrointestinal and central nervous system related anomalies and urinary tract deformities (Williams, James Roberts, 2000). References Geoffroy, P. A., Etain, B., Scott, J., Henry, C., Jamain, S., Leboyer, M., Bellivier, F. (2013). Reconsideration of bipolar disorder as a developmental disorder: importance of the time of onset.Journal of Physiology-Paris,107(4), 278-285. Hood, R. D. (Ed.). (2016).Developmental and reproductive toxicology: a practical approach. CRC Press. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=AmnvBQAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PP1dq=developmental+toxicology+ots=707kY4iR9Ksig=V70P6iT0zSaeKTc3U4kqD0iYiKk#v=onepageq=developmental%20toxicologyf=false Williams, P., James, R., Roberts, S. (2000).Principles of Toxicology: Environmental and Industrial Applications(2nd ed., pp. 209-228). New York: a Willey-interscience Publication.