Emersonian Person Essays - Lecturers, Transcendentalism, Mystics

Emersonian Person The most Emersonian person that I have ever known would be with out a doubt be Frederick Jones. I spent two summers working with this man on the Linville River for the Kawana fishing club. In Self Reliance Emerson writes Your genuine action will explain itself and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformity explains nothing. This is clearly a call for individuality in men. Though Frederick has probably never read or even heard of Ralph Waldo Emerson, his way of life is very much in line with what Emerson claims will be the only true way to inner peace. Frederick is very much a mystery to the people of Linville, and except for those who know him best, he is not very well liked. He quit school after the eight grade, yet he is one of the most intelligent people I have ever known. Like Emerson, Frederick believes that all he needs to know and understand is with in himself. He claims to have no regret for quitting school. His argument is that once he learned to read and write, what he did with those skills should be at his discretion. Frederick is a wealthy man, but very few people know to what extent. His beat up Ford truck and old work cloths suggest nothing more that a simple working man. In fact this is exactly what he is. Frederick has a reputation for having little to say except for when the issue concerns him, but he is also know for speaking his mind and standing up for himself regardless of the consequence. Like most people he loathes taxes, but it is not so much the money that bothers him as it is what he sees to be criminal waste of his money. His feelings on giving money to the poor are much the same as Emersons: ... do not tell as a good man did today of my obligation to put all good men into good situations. Are they my poor?(553) If it were up to Frederick, there would not be a dime of him money spent on welfare. I used to wonder why a man in his financial situation would subject himself to such a life of labor. I finally asked him on one of the hottest days of the summer while were chain sawing a trail through a Rhododendrem jungle. All he said was it keeps me alive. It was only then that I began to see what that river means to him. Having lost his family to a car accident, that seven mile stretch of river is his only source peace. Later in that summer while we were walking down the river bank he said Out here things are real. These trout, these mountains, this river-there is no bull *censored*, and that is one thing I hate-bull *censored*. Frederick is a man who depends on no one, and expects nothing. He says what he feels, and he makes no apology when he offends. Emerson states my life is not an apology, but a life (553) This is precisely how Frederick lives, and it is for this reason that he is not loved by the masses. In his defense, Frederick is genuine. He is a man that can be taken at face value, and people always know where they stand with him. It is not that Frederick trys to hurt or belittle people, but he has a reputation for calling situations as he sees them. He once told me the truth is often a lot more painful than a lie, but life is to short for lies. Most would agree that tact is not his strong point, but having spent time with him all I can honestly say it is not his strong point because it is not important to him. For Frederick integrity is the most important thing a man can have. In the time that I spent with him I never heard him do or say anything to suggest that he is not perfectly content with himself. Emerson writes every great man is unique(565) With consistency that I have seen from no other man, Frederick believes in himself, and that truly is unique. He is not a man that judges others opinions as wrong, simply different. Emersons position that No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature(552) is exactly the way Frederick lives his life. He is known for holding on to his principles regardless of outside opinion. Because of the

The portrayal of women in The Color Purple has been controversial Essays

The portrayal of women in The Color Purple has been controversial Essays The portrayal of women in The Color Purple has been controversial Paper The portrayal of women in The Color Purple has been controversial Paper Essay Topic: Controversial Literature The Color Purple The novel The Color Purple has conveyed much controversy over the way women are presented. Some have argued that it is of the struggle of redemption and revenge while others see the marriage of the novel as going beyond plot and character to protest against oppression. Women in the novel are victims of violence as men are the dominant ones over women in the southern American states. This leads to women bonding together by supporting, talking and protecting one another. Mel Watkins sees The Color Purple as the friction between the black men and women we can see from the start of the novel that men are the dominant in the relationship and society with women. Celie says that Pa beat me today cause he say I winked at a boy in church. Women are presented as weaker and they have to totally obey the men, the men assert their power and gain total control. However in the Southern states of America black male were also dominated by a superior race, the whites. The male would feel the need to exert some kind of power on the weaker as they have no power in society, so black male tend to dominate women or children as they are weaker. Watkins goes on to explain that one of the themes of the novels is the role of male domination in the frustration of black womens struggle for independence. Yet we see the independence of women in characters such as Shug and Sofia, but this independence pays a price. Celies independence is frustrated by Pa, in the beginning Pa takes away Celies children, Nettie and her education her frustration is shown as she says I dont have nothing. We see in one of the letters how Nettie educating Celie Us both be hitting Netties schoolbooks pretty hard they believe that in order to gain independence and freedom they need to be educated. But again we see Pa taking this away from Celie, first by forcing her to marry Mr therefore separating her from Nettie. Secondarily when Pa took Celie out of school when she got big Pa takes away Celies chance of a future. When Celie finds out that pa is not their pa Celie feels resurrection and rebirth because she finally confronts her past that Pa had also taken away from her. Another character who we see frustrated by the struggle for independence by male domination is Sofia, Harpos wife. The critic Mel Watkins describes Sofia as a character whose rebellious spirit leads her not only to desert her overbearing husband but also to challenge the social order of the racist community in which she lives. This is true as we see the presentation of women as victims of violence and we see Sofia as a victim of the abuse of men and the whites. We see Celie telling Harpo to beat Sofia like Mr does to Celie. The lack of bonding with Celie in the beginning causes friction between the two women. This establishes how women communicating and bonding help them protect each other. Sofias independence is frustrated when she is beaten for answering Hell no to Miss Millie, the white Mayors wife and refusing to work for her. She is so injured that she cant talk she is put to work in a prison laundry she hates it there and dream of murder sleep or wake this frightens her friends to take action. The women in the novel laugh together and survive through humour, when Sofia has to work for Miss Millie after the ordeal she and Celie joke This the first giggle I heard in three years. The women triumph over violence as in Sofia and squeaks lowest point they grow and develop as 6 months after Mary Agnes went to get Sofia out of prison, she begin to sing. We see how Sofias attempt to be equal to men and whites fails because, in the society independence is not accepted for women. Therefore Sofia learns from Celie and adopts her passive approach to surviving this male and white dominated society. Miss Celie, I act like Im you Sofia has learnt that you dont have to be passive all the time in order to survive this show how women share their experiences and learn from each other. Dinitia Smith sees the womens lives as so extraordinary in their tragedy, their culture, their humour and their courage that we are immediately gripped by them this is true in Sofias character as she also survives with the support of her friends and through humour and courage. She meets some tragedy because of her culture and the power of whites but is revived by her friends and humour, Sofia can make a dog laugh her humour in her character helps her resist this ordeal. This verifies that support from women helps the women endure and Sofia believes that life must be lived by her own terms to achieve fulfilment but it comes at a price. What Sofia believes in, that independence in society comes at a price is illustrated in Shug. Shug has unlike other women characters fulfilled her dream and gained independence with her singing. Although she has a better lifestyle than the other women she pays a price as she is scorned by society a woman in church say she dying her lifestyle is difficult to sustain, as travel does not look after her. This shows the segregation of whites and blacks, sometimes blacks were not allowed to eat or use the same toilet facilities as whites. Shug is seen by her parents as a tramp and her mammy say She told her so she is and outcast in the community and within her own family, as she has a reputation for scandals. Her singing is also directed to the whites so it is like she has sold herself to them, earning no respect from her family and community. Shug has gained independence in the society through her singing for the whites and in the photo when Celie first saw Shug you can see how Shugs world contrasts to Celies. Celies world is isolated and she doesnt have much experience of the outside world so when she sees this picture of Shug she is fascinated by it. Celies life reflects most of the lives of women in the Southern American states. They dont travel and stay at home to serve the men, whereas Shugs life is different as she has gained the independence that Watkins say that the women in the novel are trying to gain. We can see the independence of Shug as Celie describes her with furs showing her wealth and glamorous lifestyle. Her stance in the photo also revels her independence she is standing with her foot up on somebody motocar it shows shes bold and open as it is a sexy pose that women like Celie would not think of doing. Shug is seen by Watkins as a woman who has pride, independence and an appetite for living this acts as a catalyst for Celie, as Celie holds great regards for Shug and regards her as a role model I think what colour Shug Avery would wear. We see the importance of Shug when Celie writes, For the first time in my life, I feel just right with Shug, she feels complete for the first time since her miserable childhood. Women in the novel bond with each other to protect one another. For example the time Kate defends Celie and orders Harpo to git that bucket and bring it back full this indicate how women defend Celie as oppose to men who abuse her. Watkins illustrates how Celie frees herself from her husbands repressive control bolstered by her contacts with other women and by her affection for her younger sister. We see the theme of sisterhood reoccurring between the women throughout the novel. Literal sisterhood between Nettie and Celie and we see how their love is reciprocal, they talk, share and educate each other in order to gain some independence this contrasts to the relationships with men. Men dont say nothing this is shown in characters like Mr and Pa they dont maintain a close relationship, whereas the women communicate with each other. There is also a sisterhood between women such as Shug and Celie. The symbol of the quilt which the Sofia and Celie make together has symbolic importance as this shared activity between the women reflects female unity. The bonding between women in the novel is significant as Dinitia Smith says that when Celie moves to Memphis with Shug is where she learns to live and love. This is the period where Celie learns to love and is freed from her dependence of Shug Just cos I love her dont take away none of her rights. Whereas the period when Celie is with Mr, she is isolated and restricted to do new things. Shugs importance in Celies life is shown as she initiates Celie to do new things, she brings Celie a lot of first time experiences. Celie says first time somebody made something and name it after me. This indicates to us that Shug gives Celie confidence so she learns to be more active than passive and brings a great development to Celies character. Their relationships also show that bonding between women help them learn which contrasts to the men. Celies sister Nettie shows how women can escape from the society but in other parts of the world there is still a segregation and mistreatment of women. The women show the importance of communication and as Nettie leaves she tells Celie to write this repetition clarifies the importance of communication. Yet we see Mr hiding the letters preventing the sisters from doing so frustrates communication, this indicates how Men separate people and women unite each other. Smith sees The Color Purple as a novel about the struggle between redemption and revenge and the chief agency of redemption Walker is saying is the strength of the relationships between women. The women in the novel struggle with redemption and overcome this by their support and friendships for each other, but I dont see novel is about revenge as in the end the men and women reconcile. Shug redeems Mr and Celie our eyes meet. This is the closest us ever felt Shug unites them and brings a development in their relationship. The idea of reconciliation is also illustrated when Nettie finds out Pa is not their real father and therefore redeems Celies soul. Shug says to Celie Us each others people now after they visit Pa, this marks a development in Celies life as she no longer retreats to the world she feels nothing. The men are also reconciled, Mr changes he starts to work real hard and we see a change in his character than before, he talk which shows a significant difference in him. We see Mr overcome his past and defeat oppression. There does not seem to be as much hate and anger from the women that indicate they want revenge from the treatment of the men. They dont question the dominance of men, as are the men by whites in this society because this is part of the society in which they live in. The women do not seek for revenge but try to overcome this by clinging to and protecting each other. I think the women in The Color Purple represents the strength Alice Walker admires which are endurance, spirit, survival and inner strength. The novel also seem to be a protest against oppression, the story is like a fable in which Walker is trying to put a point across to people about the way blacks and black women are treated in the Southern states of America. We see the characters triumph over adversity and achieve independence Celie shows this towards the end as she overcomes injustice, by leaving the men and seeking her path to independence. Mr also overcomes oppression as he reconciles and changes his attitude. Smith suggests it is about the revenge of women but we see the Mr and Celie reconcile and therefore they beat domination together. On one level the novel focuses on the experiences of black women in the early twentieth century. On another level the characters and their encounter are shown as individuals who triumph over oppression The women in the novel are presented as victims of violence; they unite with each other and bond by communication. These characteristics are represented in most of the characters such as Sofia overcoming the mayors wife by the support of her friends and Celie frees herself from Mr. This bonding helps women support and protect each other against oppression and likewise help the men when they learn to bond.

What is the Keynesian explanation for why the economy is currently Essay

What is the Keynesian explanation for why the economy is currently growing slower than normal - Essay Example The interest rates being charged by the lending institutions increase superficially, consequently crowding out private investment, and reducing the economic growth in the future (Ireland, 38). This makes an economic recession to become inevitable within the system, and during this period the economic growth remains slow. While monetary policies to reduce the interest rate might be implemented, this only creates an income effect and does not guarantee increased consumption. As a result, the recession might last longer than anticipated. The economy has undergone through a period of recession, and there is need to implement a fiscal policy aimed at changing the condition. This, however, required immediate action and the government was slow in responding to the need for a fiscal policy to end the recession (Kaboub, 84). The fiscal policies required to ensure an effective stimulus for economic growth should be focused on infrastructure development and job creation within the economy. The government policies have however been focused too much towards tax cuts which have resulted in a stimulus package that can be described as too small to end the recession, hence the slow recovery. Kaboub, Fadhel. â€Å"Understanding and Preventing Financial Instability: Post-Keynesian Institutionalism and Government as Employer of Last Resort.† Financial Instability and Economic Security after the Great Recession. Ed. Charles J. Whalen. New York: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011. 77–92.