In 1977, Bequest of Alice K. Bache authorized The Mask. Alice K. Bache was a 1903-1977 collector throughout New York, NY, Washington, CT, and New Orleans, LA who preserved ancient art that of Cycladic, Pre-Columbian, Mexican, Asian and Peruvian works. She also began endowing her art collection to the Metropolitan Museum of art in 1967. As a part of her recent donation, she granted The Mask in which is now perched there.…
In The Rock and the River, by Kekla Magoon, “all it takes for evil to exist is for good people to do nothing” is a prominent theme. An example of this is when Bucky had just been brutally beat and arrested by the police. The police did this in broad daylight in front of everyone including Maxie and Sam. “People on the street began going about their business again. The radio blasted, covering the silence of disbelief, of resignation.” (pg. 68). This quote demonstrates the theme because it shows that if the people watching the violence happen (aka the “good people”) do nothing, then the cop’s racism (aka the evil) would continue existing.…
After having a thorough read of the novel ‘Jasper Jones’ by Craig Silvey, I have come to understand the powerful effects of using written codes and conventions in novels. Silvey’s impressive piece of literature was carefully constructed through techniques such as characterization, socio-cultural context, themes and intertexuality. By doing this, Silvey was accredited for convincing the readers, appealing to their emotions and manipulating their beliefs and values to accept or agree with his opinions on the issue covered in the novel.…
In Judith Ortiz Cofer’s short story “Volar,” a girl who is a huge fan of comic books dreams of being a Superhero but realizes her reality. Whether a child or an adult, most of us have our dreams; however, not all wishes become true. The narrator, the girl, begins her story describing how much she loves comic books such as Legion of SuperHeroes and Supergirl so much that a pile of her books is high as she is. She smoothly continues with her repeated dream in which Cofer vividly conveys the image that provides the reader with her strong sense of purpose.…
What can we learn when we journey through life? Journeys and experiences can help us evolve to overcome fears, losses, and help gain wisdom. Experiences that were gained through life and journeys were written in the story "Volar" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, and the poem “12 (From ‘Gitanjali)”. In “Valor” the narrator dreams of herself being a superhero in the world she wishes to break free from her real-life limitations. The narrator learned and went on a journey at home and in her mind, she enjoyed it, while in the real world her parents could control most of her life, in that dream and imagination she had freedom to be able to see everything.…
Essay Question: Evaluate the effectiveness of Jane Yolen’s use of fairytale conventions and themes to explore issues associated with the Holocaust in Briar Rose?…
The novel 'Dougy' by James Moloney is intended to capture the attention of young readers. It talks about Racial Conflict, Racial Discrimination, Family support, and Determination which is experienced by all the people in the world especially in multi-cultural countries. The story also deals with a range of issues facing Aboriginal society. It tells the readers the fear and misunderstanding between Aboriginals and white Australians that has existed for decades.…
For a very long time, slavery has been an accepted element in the human society and such an important factor in the economic development that the interest in the subject seems only natural. There is plenty of proof that condemns what happened in the past. For most Americans, this epoch of the past is an almost tangible object, something with deep roots in the popular culture and constantly nourished by movies and books. In the book entitled Faces at the bottom of the well, Derrick Bell says that: “Black people are the magical faces at the bottom of society’s well.…
1. The unifying title: “Chained Down” There is a possibility that every person has their problems that chained them down. If they want to be freed from the chains that keep them down, all they need is the dedication to free themselves from their shackles. All three essays show the protagonist having issues with situations that pressure them. 2.…
There is no doubt that this book won’t be read 100 years from now. The book, “Uglies” By: Scott Westerfled is truly a great novel. This book determines that beauty is not all that proves you as a person. Beauty belongs to everyone, everywhere. In a world of extreme beauty, anyone normal is ugly.…
We live in a country where television and advertisement is designed to entice people into always wanting more than what they already have. This enticement is achieved by feeding into the human desire for happiness. Advertisers create persuasive campaigns that inundate the public with images of societies narrow interpretation of success and beauty. These images are then presented as a precondition to the happiness that human beings are searching for. When a person’s reality does not match this narrow image, the message sent through television and advertisements is that in order to be content people need to find a way to acquire it. As a result we live in a society where people are continuously longing for a happiness that can only be achieved through things that are fleeting and external, which creates feelings of discontentment…
Grendel, written by John Gardner is a very well, thought out story. Gardner does a great job placing the reader into Grendel’s mind and being able to see his views on the world. Born in Batavia, New York in 1933, author John Gardner, also know for writing various books for children, inserts great detail into Grendel’s thoughts and feelings which is what is really intriguing about the book. Grendel is a great read because of the great detail Gardner places into the story. In Grendel, John Gardner places each reader into Grendel’s mind to allow the reader to understand Grendel’s thoughts and feelings throughout the story.…
Mary Olivier, Pat Mora, and Lucille Clifton wrote the poem Sleeping in the Forest, Gold, The Earth is a Living Thing because they wanted to show us how they felt about the nature. The poem sleeping in the forest sends a message by telling us that she "thought the earth remembered me" witch gives us a message by saying she spends so much time in the forest she would think the earth remembered her. It tells us that because she spends so much time with the animals but they still runaway. The message the narrator is trying to send in the line "feel her rolling her hand in its kinky hair." is that the earth is the favorite child to the unaverse. . It was a clear and fruitful sight because there was nothing in her mind so it had to be a clear…
The instinctive need for humanity to belong is through acceptance of one through relationships and their social status in society. When an individual seeks acceptance in the wider world in order to belong, it is up to them as to whether or not they are accepting of others. This idea is challenged as society is the boundary preventing an individual from trying to belong. This notion is expressed throughout the play Rainbows End by Jane Harrison and the film The Sapphires directed by Wayne Blair. Whereby both composers use various techniques to explore the belief that one seeks to belong through relationships and culture. An individual may feel that to truly belong they must discard all differing thoughts. In a way finding a way to be accepted is the focal point of belonging. This idea is demonstrated in the play Rainbows End, in the “Waters rising” scene whereby the audience is under the impression that an individual seeks to belong through acceptance within a relationship. Further In the scene, we see Errol asking Dolly to move into the city with him, through the exchange of dialogue between Errol and Dolly. Errol says “I want you to come away with me” with dolly responding “Away?” and Errol “Yes to the city”. Through the use of a demanding tone in Errol’s voice “I want you” indicates Errol is able to offer a better life for dolly. Symbolising the idea that acceptance in a relationship can make one feel as though they belong, to the point where they can live together as one. As a result, the viewers can understand that both Errol and Dolly are accepting of each other and the different worlds they come from. In a similar way, Wayne Blair explores the idea that a sense of belonging can emerge where there is a perception of acceptance without limitations. This is illustrated in the film The Sapphires whereby Dave is accepted into Gail’s family and asks her parents for her hand in marriage, the humorous…
Walter Mosley was born in Los Angeles in 1952. He currently lives in New York City. He has been at various times in his life a potter, a computer programmer, a poet, and a short story writer; he studied writing in the graduate program of City College of…