The eNotes Blog 6 Southern Gothic Literature Recommendations for YourClassroom

6 Southern Gothic Literature Recommendations for YourClassroom Some of the most important issues to be addressed in today’s classrooms include racism and gender equity- but they’re also some of the most intimidating topics for teachers to tackle. Luckily, Southern gothic literature deals with these ideas head on. This subgenre highlights the disparity between idealized notions of the antebellum South and the realities of slavery, racism, and patriarchy that existed throughout the era. In more contemporary terms, the genre addresses the contrast between the American Dream and the realities experienced by many people of color, women, and low-income Americans. Southern gothic literature addresses these topics through relatively simple literary devices- characterization and setting. Characters give voice to the horrific, transgressive, irrational, or otherwise taboo impulses that exist within the American zeitgeist. These characteristics are often expressed plainly through dialogue or internal monologue, or externalized through physical abnormalities. Similarly, setting also underscores American social dynamics. Southern gothic literature is most often set in the American South, featuring decaying plantations, towns that never recovered from the Civil War, and/or character’s who maintain their superiority while living in dilapidated circumstances. For many students, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is their first introduction to the genre. Characters such as Boo Radley and Tom Robinson exemplify the way Southern Gothic literature externalizes a character’s internal and social conflicts. Similarly, Bob Ewell’s racist superiority, juxtaposed with his own downtrodden lifestyle, is a classic example of how the genre uses setting to develop social themes. By studying how characterization and setting are deployed within Southern Gothic literature, teachers can guide and coach their students through a discussion as to how the traumas of US history impact the people living therein. Let’s take a look at some other examples of Southern Gothic literature that you can use in your classroom today: Twentieth Century Greats William Faulkner Winner of the 1950 Nobel Prize, Faulkner is the writer most commonly associated with Southern Gothic literature. The majority of Faulkner’s ouvre is set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, the site of a Civil War loss and the home of a community reckoning with its traumatic past. Consider reading: The Sound and the Fury,  326 pages Absalom! Absalom!,  320 pages As I Lay Dying, 288 pages â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, 36 pages   Zora Neale Hurston Hurston was born in Alabama, raised in Florida, and moved to New York to be celebrated as a writer and anthropologist within the Harlem Renaissance. Her body of work, consisting of fiction, non-fiction, and theater, is known particularly for its wit and pathos. Consider reading: Their Eyes Were Watching God, 219 pages â€Å"Spunk†, 106 pages Flannery O’Connor O’Connor is the writer most commonly associated with the grotesque aspects of Southern Gothic writing. In her essay â€Å"Some Aspects of the Grotesque in Southern Fiction,† O’Connor argues that Southern Gothic writing is freed from notions of civility and politeness that can limit literature’s ability to convey reality. Consider reading: â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find†, 190 pages â€Å"Everything that Rises Must Converge†, 25 pages Wise Blood, 256 pages Richard Wright   Born on a plantation in 1908, Wright is known for exchanging the supernatural aspects of Southern Gothic literature for the unflinching realities of life for African Americans in the Jim Crow South. Consider reading: Black Boy, 419 pages Native Son, 504 pages â€Å"Fire and Cloud†, â€Å"Long Black Song† â€Å"The Ethics of Living Jim Crow† Contemporary Writers to Watch Toni Morrison The first African American woman to ever accept a Nobel Prize, many consider Morrison to be the zenith of contemporary Southern Gothic writing. Known for being distinctive and musical, Morrison shies away from any use of language that attempts to obscure the reality of life in America. Consider reading: The Bluest Eye,  216 pages Beloved, 324 pages Song of Solomon,  337 The Source of Self Regard, 354 pages Jesmyn Ward Born in Mississippi in 1977, Ward has already earned two National Book Awards and a MacArthur Genius Grant, among many other prestigious accolades. Though her work is often categorized as Young Adult, it explores the bonds that exist within disenfranchised African American communities in the contemporary American South. Consider reading: Salvage the Bones, 261 pages Sing, Unburied, Sing, 285 pages

La Estrategia de Chochueca Summary Essays

La Estrategia de Chochueca Summary Essays La Estrategia de Chochueca Summary Essay La Estrategia de Chochueca Summary Essay and has in the eyes, those rare situations of those people who were tortured in the twelve years and now work together torturers. (Page 69) There is no ideological defect in the narrative. I realized that everything is the same, in the end, everything is a lie, we all want a Japanese cart and a pool (p. 70). It is a disappointment and a visceral boredom, lived from the inside and sharpened by an inhospitable environment that denies that segment of youth, of which the narrator is the part, some possibility of redemption. That is why small or large crimes that try to give color to a gray and tedious existence, the tumble of horns, drugs, forgery of checks, fraudulent use of credit cards. Those parents who have left their children, this illogical gelatin. After so much we want the world and we want it. So much historical laughter, both Marx and companion for this, this prank of small beasts without the idea, this Mac universe in the That you or tomb to contemplate the bubbles in the screensaver or you are tomb; In the Chochueca Strategy, the many talents of this writer appear, which, although very young, already occupies a space between the authors to be in sight in the next years.; Conclusion Rita Indiana Hern;ndez is a young author from Dominican whose first novel La Estrategiadewhich was published when she was 25. Also, she was known as the most important commitment to the Dominican story in 20 years. Amazing. There is an intriguing interview in English with her in his work in which she speaks regarding her poetry work as well as her 2005 novel Papi none of which I can discover about the issue.; The novel speaks of the social evils that sorround Dominica, the author believes that the youths have the power to make changes in their society, but they are falling to do so. The city has fallen to the alien hands and its being characterized by a lot of evils. The atmosphere in the city is unpleasant and boring, people are not living below their expectation and there is a need to revolutionize and bring change.; Work Cited Hern;ndez, R. I. (2003). La Estrategia de Chochueca: novela. Isla Negra Editores.

Women, Voice Pitch Authority, and Gender Bias

Women, Voice Pitch Authority, and Gender Bias Do we respond differently to the sound of a voice based on its gender? Do mens voices have more authority and are womens voices more friendly? These questions skim the surface of an overlooked aspect of gender discrimination bias that arises from how we judge a female voice, especially pitch. Typically, gender bias against women is rooted in optics. We look at hair color, body shape, size, weight, height, physical attractiveness and make assumptions. Clothing, skirt length, and style of attire provide visual cues that fuel stereotypes and feed into gender expectations. Take away sight and we still jump to conclusions, but now the pitch of a womans voice becomes the yardstick by which we measure her worth. Picture the stereotypical dumb blonde. How does she sound? Either we imagine her voice as high and squeaky, or soft and breathy like Marilyn Monroe. Its sexy, but it doesnt convey authority or increase trust. Going Low To gain authority, women have long believed that its better to pitch their voices lower. And experts have discovered that most women are following that dictum. Over the past 50 years, womens voices have dropped significantly. Although womens voices normally register a full octave higher than mens voices, today theyre just 2/3rds of an octave higher. The most prominent example of this vocal divide can be seen in the media where an enormous distinction exists between the types of products sold by female voices and those pitched by male voices. At first glance, it might appear that women and men enjoy parity based on the number of voiceovers on TV commercials. Womens voices are commonplace in commercials that sell everyday household items such as dishwashing detergent, toilet bowl cleaners, diapers, paper towels. But commercials selling big-ticket items such as cars and trucks are largely the domain of male voices. Thats because of the sexual politics surrounding how we perceive male and female voices. Writing for the UK website the New Humanist, Sally Feldman observes: [Theres] a basic difference between the way men and women tend to speak. Whereas men often breathe from their abdomen, women are more likely to constrict their voices to an upper range which allows less variety and less control. In a recent collection of essays, Well-Tuned Women, Kristin Linklater writes: â€Å"When a high voice connects with a strong impulse based, for instance, in anger or fear, it becomes shrill, strident, screechy, piercing, nasal, penetrating, sharp, squeaky or brassy and generally unpleasant to the point of causing major distress in the hearers.† Men, on the other hand, with their deeper voices and richer tones, find it easier to convey authority and control. It’s partly physiological. Men’s voices are lower than women’s because they have a larger larynx, developed in the Adam’s apple at puberty, and longer, thicker vocal folds.... Anne Karpf [author of The Human Voice] argues that men have come to assert power through their deep voices and resonant tones to such an extent that â€Å"pitch has become a weapon in the gender wars. Men in Control Look beyond TV commercials and youll see how effectively men have wielded the power of pitch in the gender wars. Ever notice there are no female announcers on game shows? asks veteran voice actor Lora Cain. None serve as announcers on TV talk shows, and very few do network promos or movie trailers two of the most prestigious and highly-coveted jobs in the voiceover industry. According to Cain, statistics bear this out. Men do 80% of the voice work while women accounting for only 20%. Why does gender discrimination exist in a field where its not how you look but how you sound? Cain feels its because those positions of clout that determine whether a voice will be male or female namely, writers and directors are held primarily by men. The key is more women writers and women directors, she observed in a recent phone interview. If there were more women writers, thered be more of a tendency to say, Lets consider a woman for this. Opening Doors for Women Voiceover professional Lora Cain is one of just a handful of women competing at the upper levels of this male-dominated field, and shes acutely aware of how the deck is stacked against female announcers and women voice actors. Theres this belief that women dont sound good in certain situations or that women dont like to listen to women. Wheres the logic in that? she argues. Women talk to each other, and women make 80% of the buying decisions in this country. But when a woman wants advice on what to buy, shes not as likely to ask her male partner as she is a female friend...or even another woman standing in line at the bathroom. Thats just what women do. So, of course, we listen to other women. We seek out each others opinions. We are  our greatest resource. Im hoping that we can change that belief little by little. Cain credits changing opinions in the industry as opening doors for women. Whats popular now is the real person sound. Its created new opportunities and thats really wonderful. But women are still shut out of certain jobs where theres an expectation that you need to have a certain weight behind your voice. Some say that women dont have that, but thats not true. She cites Randy Thomas  as a woman with vocal weight. Described as the most recognized female voice in America,  Thomas is best known as the voice of the TV show  Entertainment Tonight  and the Hooked on Phonics commercials. Thomas shattered the voiceover glass ceiling in 1993 when she became the first female announcer of the Academy Awards. Since then, shes done the Oscars at least seven times as well as the Miss America Pageant and the Democratic National Convention. Shes the first announcer male or female to hit the trifecta of announcing the Big Three Awards the Oscars, the Tonys and the Primetime Emmys in a single year. Confidence Thomas has broken out of the pack of female voice talent due to that authoritative voice, as Cain describes it. You hear it and you believe her. This authority and forcefulness is ultimately the biggest hurdle facing women in the voiceover industry and in business as well. Listeners, like clients and co-workers, are more willing to place their trust in the voice that sounds confident and assured. The Count Is In A March 2010 AdweekMedia/Harris Poll  bears out these findings. Researchers asked participants to listen to male and female voiceovers in commercials and judge them based on various criteria. When asked who sounded more forceful, 48% chose the male voiceover while only 2% chose the female. When asked who sounded more soothing, respondents overwhelmingly chose the female voiceover 48% vs. only 8% for the male. Both genders were regarded as equally persuasive with 18% choosing the male voiceover vs. 19% choosing the female. Yet when it comes to major purchases, authority seems to trump soothing or persuasive. When asked which voiceover would be more likely to sell them on buying a car or a computer, respondents chose the male voice 3-4 times more often than the female; only 7% chose the female voice in either situation. In comparison, 28% of respondents felt the male voiceover was more likely to sell them a car, and 23% felt they were more likely to buy a computer based on the male voice. The problem is that we hear gender first and form assumptions about the speaker even before we have a chance to assess timbre, pitch, speed, clarity, and other vocal qualities that might establish authority or trust. Unfortunately, hearing gender isnt all that different from seeing gender when we discriminate based on sex alone and assign characteristics to physical traits often arbitrarily, stereotypically, and unfairly. Crossing Barriers Like Thomas, Cain has come up against the structural bias inherent in an industry where voices are judged by how well they sell. Shes been taking a crack at another glass ceiling announcing TV game shows as the only woman among half a dozen candidates vying to announce the popular syndicated show  Wheel of Fortune.  When the shows longtime male announcer passed away in November 2010, Caine pushed for the producer to consider a woman. Although there are no female announcers on any games shows currently in production, Cain is optimistic, noting, We go through these cycles in the 80s and 90s women could be heard as announcers on game shows although they were mostly cable channels. When she pointed out to  Wheel of Fortune  executive producer Harry Friedman that there were no other women announcers on TV game shows today, he was willing to give her a shot. Although the person behind the voice usually remains invisible, Cains putting her thoughts forward along with her voice to make audiences aware that women are capable of doing the same quality work as men, just as they do in every other career field. Im calling attention to this, Cain explains, because we need to recognize when women cross these barriers. At the same time, however, it would be nice to have viewers listen to someone like Randy Thomas and think, Oh, she sounds great instead of focusing solely on the fact that, Oh, thats a woman. Sources Camber, Rebecca.  Why women who want to get ahead get a husky voice.  DailyMail.co.uk.Dolliver, Mark. How People React to Male vs. Female Voiceovers.  Adweek.com. 8 March 2010.Feldman, Sally.  Speak up.  NewHumanist.org.uk.Hendrickson, Paula. Choice Voice. EMMY Magazine at RandyThomasVO.com.

Communicable disease Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communicable disease - Assignment Example A chain of infections is usually made up of 6 causing factors, these are; the infectious agent which are usually the disease causing organisms, the reservoir which is the natural environment the pathogens need for their survival, the portal of exit which is the means by which the pathogens leave the reservoir which is the infected person, the means of transmission which is usually either direct or indirect i.e. physical contact, unprotected sex, the air, or parasites, the portal of entry which is either inhalation, penetration or ingestion, and finally the new host of whom the disease causing pathogens attack. Immunity is the state of having total biological defense to fight disease as well as infections. There are two main types of immunity these are adaptive immunity and innate immunity. Innate immunity is the ability of one’s body to defend itself against infections naturally and it’s a form of body defense one is born with. However, adaptive immunity that is usually subdivided into various categories is a form of immunity that one acquires after weakened disease causing pathogen is introduced into the body making the body develop adapt and develop immunity. In September 2014 onwards, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as well as other partners have spent countless efforts in investigating reports among children in the USA that have developed sudden weakness in either one of their limbs. MRI scans reveal that children with such symptoms have an inflammation of the grey matter nerve cells that are usually in the spinal cord located in the vertebrate. This infectious disease is Acute Flaccid Myelitis. From the month of August to April this year, CDC has verified reports of more than 118 children in over 34 states including Florida and the county of Miami Dade that have developed the disease. Majority of the children are about 7 years of age and due to the disease have been hospitalized and put

Fast Food Nation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fast Food Nation - Essay Example These guidelines were innocuous, and included such advice as making sure that the parking lots were well-lit and that there was improved visibility within their stores. The restaurant industry opposed these guidelines, and basically bought off congressmen with lobbying money (Schlosser, 2001, p. 86). Some people have the value and belief that America is exceptional, and, as such, should spread its culture around the world. According to Schlossen, this has been accomplished by the fast food industry. Schlosser uses the case study of Plauen, a city in what Schlosser refers to as â€Å"new Germany,† to illustrate the point. Schlosser portrays the McDonald’s in this city as a kind of bright spot in a city that is otherwise depressed, with high unemployment and men desperate for work. Schlosser ends the story of Plauen by describing a bar that opened in that city that has a country-western feel to it, and this, implies Schlosser, defines Plauen today. The dream that Plauen h as now comes not from the circumstances of Plauen itself, because the town is depressed, but, rather, by the shining example of McDonald’s, which fills the hearts of the Plauen people with hope of a better future, a future that is similar to the American Dream. And this is all because, implies Schlosser, Plauen has been supplied this American Dream through the presence of the first American fast food restaurant, McDonald’s (Schlosser, 2001, p. 252). Schlosser also uses the example of Dachau, which has a McDonald’s close to the notorious concentration camp. Just like in Plauen, the McDonald’s in Dachau was filled with people with Americanized clothes, eating Americanized burgers (Schlosser, 2001, p. 232). While this might seem to some to be insensitive to the history of Dachau, in that McDonald’s appears to be crassly commercialized and capitalizing on a tragedy by luring visitors to the ghastly Dachau site to its restaurant, it can be seen in anoth er way. And that is that McDonald’s is merely performing a service for the visitors of Dachau, in that the people who visit the site need to eat, so McDonald’s is simply making doing so convenient. Nevertheless, because the people in the Dachau McDonald’s are Americanized with their clothing and so forth, Schlosser sees this as another example of Americanization in Germany, made all the more insidious because the McDonald’s is capitalizing on a particularly horrible part of German history. There are also health concerns, and there are cultural values and beliefs that we should be free of pathogens, and that the government should do a good job of inspecting our food to make sure that we are not exposed. However, there is a resistance to any changes that should be made in this area, just as there is a resistance to change regarding OSHA regulations, as described above. It started with the expose by Upton Sinclair, called The Jungle, which is now required re ading for most schoolchildren. Schlosser says that the meatpacking industry was resistant to change in Upton Sinclair’s day and continues to be so – â€Å"The industry has repeatedly denied that problems exist, impugned the motives of its critics, fought vehemently against federal oversight, sought to avoid any responsibility for outbreaks of food poisoning, and worked hard to shift the costs of food safety efforts onto the

Maria Full of Grace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Maria Full of Grace - Essay Example ?ve, and barely schooled, Maria’s foray into the world of drug smuggling – an unfortunate fixture in contemporary Colombia – ironically opens a doorway for her to a brighter future. The travails she is subjected to mirror the lives of countless brave Latin American women in search of economic and social liberation. The motion picture, in effect, suspends judgment on what mainstream society considers criminal acts (cocaine smuggling, illegal entry and passport/visa falsification), and explores the cultural context and humanity of the heroine’s actions. 1. Close family ties – In Hispanic societies, it is common for grown children to live with their parents, each seeking emotional support from the other; this was seen in the assistance Maria, her mother, and other family members gave her sister and the baby. 2. Extended family as economic unit – It is also not unusual for extended families (aunts, uncles, grandparents) to provide financial support for each other and the next generation, in the same manner as Maria’s provision of income for her parents, sister and infant nephew. 3. Importance of religious practices (De La Torre, 2009) and institutional Catholicism (Stevens-Arroyo & Diaz-Stevens, 1994). A unifying attribute among all Spanish-speaking countries is staunch Catholicism. The message in this film is one of hope in the midst of desperation, a persistent attribute in the deeply religious Hispanic culture. 4. Element of shame – More than fault or blame, it is saving face and the element of shame that is embodied in Hispanic families’ decisions. For instance, Lucy was ashamed to face her sister in New York; also, Juan’s offer to marry Maria even if they do not love each other was prompted by the fact that he got her pregnant. 5. Forgiveness – A natural consequence of Catholic spirituality and close family ties is the ease by which family members forgive each others’ transgressions. Carla’s total absence of anger or blame against

Michael Murphy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Michael Murphy - Essay Example Murphy’s message stands-out from that of the other contenders as it is geared towards enhancing democracy and equality. His campaign team has worked tirelessly to mould their party’s flag bearer into a force with whom to reckon. The candidate has been marketed with a high-end consumer brand through a coherent and comprehensive program of fonts, web designs and logos. The entire graphic designed for his campaign have been made using the same design (Marshment, Stro?mba?ck and Rudd, 2010). This has made it simple for the supporters to adopt the designs when campaigning for their favorite candidate. His personality has also been brought into full public limelight through the publishing of a new novel that details his life experiences and aspirations. The iconization of Murphy has made the electorates feel as if they know him beyond the political circles. His campaign blogs and messages quote his vision that offers a compelling future. His vision clarifies, inspires and foc uses on the progress of the individual members and the entire nation. How are the Three Candidates Positioned? The opinion polls show that the campaign promises being made by Murphy are appealing to most party members as compared to his competitors. The popularity gap has widened recently to 10%. The national polls also place him as the strongest candidate to compete with the opponent from the conservative party in the general elections. The increase in the number of new youth members within the party is associated with his aggressive campaigns of popularizing the party outside the traditional circles. How are the Candidates differentiated from each Other? Murphy has numerous unique characteristics that distinguish his campaign demeanor from other competitors. They include personal charisma, public speaking, listening skills and his positive attitude towards challenges (Rossiter, 2004). Murphy possesses the highest educational qualifications among the contestants with a Masters degr ee in political science and currently pursues an undergraduate degree in economics. This improves his chances as the preferred candidate among the party members in spearheading the efforts geared towards improving democracy. Other leadership qualities that make him be favored by the party delegates include his willingness to make hard decisions, decisiveness, and capability to understand the leadership problems currently facing the party, effective management skills and sharing of other people’s values. Murphy is the only contestant in the race who has some prior experience in good performance within the party leadership. He was entrusted with taking care of the youth affairs which has seen the representation of youths and women in the administrative posts in the party. What are their Strongest Voter Segments? The strongest voter segments for Michael Murphy are the youths and women who believe in change with reference to his earlier performance record. His prolonged status as the youth leader within the party has made him interact with all the party members implying that everyone is aware of his leadership skills. What Messages are they focusing on? The main theme that Murphy is focusing on is the Enhancement of the Democratic Space and Fair Representation of all Groups within the Party. This will place the party at a better position to defeat the Conservatives in the national elections. This is encompassed in his campaign motto of hope and restoration. Murphy is also focusing on reaching the