Baldwin makes it perfectly clear that he values the church. He describes his childhood, in which it saved him from the sordid drugs, prostitution and gambling on the street. He describes his time in the pulpit as “very exciting,” and confesses that nothing else in his life could “equal the power and the glory” that he felt while leading a congregation. The language he uses to describe the fervor, the experience, of his sermons is remarkably literary. His personal feelings are clearly being recalled here, as he allows himself to be swept up in the “fire and excitement that [would] sometimes, without warning, fill a church, causing…
Jonathan Edwards uses metaphors to connect to the people’s everyday lives. He tells them that their sin is as “heavy as led” and will pull them straight down to hell. “Your wickedness makes you as it were as heavy as lead, and…
“Some people bring out the worst in you, others bring out the best, and then there are those remarkably rare, addictive ones who just bring out the most. Of everything. They make you feel so alive that you'd follow them straight into hell, just to keep getting your fix.” (Karen Marie Moning. “ If Beale Street Could Talk”, published June 17, 1974, was written by James Baldwin a New York Native who wrote a lot about the struggles of being a colored person and this book is no different. The book takes place in the state of New York initially taking place in a prison with the two main characters, Tish and Fonny, talking about how they are going to get Fonny out of prison and what they’re going to do with the child they are expecting. The story…
“The Way to Rainy Mountain” is a short story by N. Scott Momaday. In this short work, Momaday describes the loss of someone special to him, his grandmother, and the things and places that remind him of her. He spends a lot of time describing the terrain of what his people have named “Rainy Mountain”. His people are the Kiowa, an old Native American tribe that lived on the plains of Oklahoma.…
James Baldwin was the author of many works such as Giovanni's Room, Another Country, and The Fire Next Time. As a young boy in Harlem, his talent with words was seen. Despite his talents they were hardly allowed to be used due to the fact his deeply religious parents disapproved of his interest in literature and wanted him to pursue in the church. After doing a few odd jobs and following in his fathers footsteps and becoming a preacher for several years Baldwin moved to Paris where he lived for the next four years.It was during these years that his career jump started with his first hit GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. Baldwin was known for writing on racy subjects such as homosexuality,civil rights, and prejudices. He was a successful writer all the way up until his death in 1987, after which his works are…
"The Rockpile" was written by James Baldwin, a black American writer of the 20th century. This short story takes place in a street of Harlem around the 1930's. James Baldwin shows us, through the life of a black family, the conflicts that can appear in human relationships, but also the presence of temptation and sin. This essay will analyse the themes that are mentioned above, but also how, by some particular literary style effect, the writer plunges his readers in his own world.…
In John Updikes excerpt of The First Kiss, Updike uses metaphors and other rhetorical devices to convey the audiences attitude of the opening season baseball game. The audiences clearly have great interest of the environment around them as they optimistically keep their eyes glued to the players. The way that Updike combines sentences along with the sentence structure is also support as Updike shows the audiences point of view towards the game. The use of metaphor, syntax and diction show the attitude of the audiences at the opening season of a baseball event.…
The Baptist Minister was insensitive to the fact that two people of his town brutally beat an innocent young man and left him to die. If Matthew Shepard was not gay on the other hand, the Ministers outlook on his death would do a complete one-eighty, but Matthew was gay. The minister did not show any remorse toward Matthew’s death. He stated:…
There is a man, a man who had a dream, and his name was Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King was born on January 1, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. (biography.com) He graduated in the year of 1951. Martin Luther King got arrested in 1963, he was awarded a freedom award, in 1977. Sadly, he wasn’t there to collect his award, because he was assassinated in 1968. He was inspiring to many people. Martin Luther King’s quotes are another thing that inspired his people. “ Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, an American Baptist minister, fought for justice and freedom.…
“Is language really a key to identity or social acceptance?” We are judged by what wear, who we associate with and most importantly, how we speak. Someone who is wearing dirty clothing and does not smell the best would automatically labeled as “poor” or “disgusting”. Almost everyone has judged somebody based on appearance or intellect so society makes it seem normal to us, though it is wrong. I defend James Baldwin's claim that language is the key to identity and social acceptance because I live in a world of judgement and language is necessary to communicate. In 1979, the speaker, James Baldwin presented his allegation that language is the key to identity. Today I am living in a world of judgement. Though, I am not a “thug”, a “gangster,” if I hang out with those types of people, or dress similar to them then that's would I would be labeled as. Take for example Trayvon Martin. He was no gangster, just an average respectable seventeen year old black male who was falsely profiled. From personal experiences, I am a victim of judging others based on their language. People demonstrate this same technique of “profiling” when it comes to language. People who use constant slang, speak incorrectly, and use profanity I look at as “uneducated” or “unprofessional”, defending Baldwin's claim that language is the key to identity and social acceptance. It is a shame that in the black community, speaking properly is looked down on. My sister speaks professionally but it is often referred to as “speaking white” What does this mean? Why when an African American woman is speaking with eloquence and respect she is labeled as speaking white and not speaking with proper grammar. Why can it not be professional? Again it's judgement based on language. While some may disagree that language is the key to identity and social acceptance by saying that one can learn to speak gramatically correct, people revert back to their old ways when they become frustrated or upset. Take…
Dr. Martin Luther King wrote “I Have Seen the Mountaintop.” In the year 1968 In a time where the negroe population was being severely mistreated. King was outraged at this matter and was desperate to make a change. His plan was to unite the negroe community and the American people as one by making them think not what will happen to me if I do this but what will happen to them if I do not. He was fighting for what America was initially founded upon, all men are created equal and their inalienable rights.…
In this excerpt, Stratton uses hyperbole, diction and symbolism to develop Mary’s character. In addition, to the society this novel is placed in, where their highest fear is “shame” Therefore, when everyone came to the realization that Jonah has AIDS, Mary pretended that she had no idea who he was. Since their society, dishonours, shames and mortifies any person whom has caught the disease. Which holds the entire community under the control of “fear” of “ashament” Moreover, the reason behind Mary refusing to help Jonah when he was about to die, all because of the “bad reputation” that she will receive later on. This signifies the close-minded and unaccepting society towards people whom have caught life-threatening situations. Which in addition…
The speech “I’ve Been to the Mountain Top” was written and delivered by Martin Luther King Jr and it appealed to the emotions of the audience. The speech was delivered on April 3, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee and all who were there that night felt the impact from it. Martin Luther King Jr used the goal of freedom as his main speaking point. Freedom in America during this time for African Americans was their main concern. The end of slavery was not enough because the African Americans in the United States at the time of this speech were being suppressed, discriminated against, and typically were pushed to poverty by the white man.…
Pangma-la’s father has named her after a mountain, that’s also called The Shining Mountain. She’s teased about her name in school, and her schoolmates are more interested in her father, who’s a famous mountaineer. He has big expectation to Pangma-la, and she feels like she’s failing. She decides that she will make him proud, and begins to practice in climbing mountains. Pangma-la and her father, goes to The Shining Mountain with the goal to reach the top. At the bottom at the mountain the meet some sherpa men, who wants to carry their bags, but they say no, and then the sherpas tells them, that now a wind will come and blow on them.…
The Shining Mountain is about a young girl called Pangma-La and her father who is a famous mountain-climber. Because he is famous he expects quite a lot from his daughter. In school Pangma-La is picked on because of her extraordinary name but her father tells her to be proud of being named after a…