Blue, By Mary Hood

Puritans and reformers of seventeenth century England have been given a bad name for their part in history. This is primarily because they were working against the grain and trying to create change in world that saw change as a threat. The time period was turbulent and there was bound to be resistance in a world that was dominated by Catholics and those that had reformed to abide by their King’s law. The puritans of the time were considered extreme and rubbed people the wrong way because they wanted a world that abided by their morals and ethical codes. For this, they took the blame for the misery that many suffered during this age, but as we see in Fire from Heaven, this is not a fair assessment. The Puritans of this time wanted to improve the lives of the people and society as a whole through morality and purity.

Over time, Moore became a product of the system by being raised in a single-parent household while “he had never met his father” (Moore 16) and his mother “was left with two alcoholic, abusive men who shared the DNA of her two children but no husband or dad for her boys” (Moore 17). Moore was raised in the best way possible that his mother knew how to raise him, however it didn’t cut it. Mary, Moore’s mother, was an extremely hard worker and was working long hours to support her family but that meant she was not around to parent Wes as much as she should’ve. With Moore’s lack of a father figure, his brother Tony steps in to help guide him because “he felt his brother’s life could be saved” (Moore 27) and Tony wanted Wes to try and escape the cycle of systematic oppression within their environment. The domestic aspect of Moore’s environment strongly influenced the decisions he made on a day to day basis because his home life was non-existent and there was a severe lack of parenting. In the end, Moore became a product of how he was raised and the troubles that existed within his household because of Tony’s confusing messages of staying out of trouble and doing the right thing while he goes and sells drugs, his mother’s lack of attention to Wes, and the lack of a father figure that would guide him in a better direction. These aspects of his home environment add up to the end result of Moore’s life and the tragedy that Tony pushed for him to stay away

The fact that the narrator could not fix the torn part of the jacket can indicate that his family is struggling to afford money for themselves. These certain examples help portray the issues of poverty that the narrator's family struggles.

‘48 Shades of Brown’ by Nick Earls is a novel that follows Dan Bancroft, the main protagonist, and his troubling experiences as he goes through his final year of school. Dan is thrown into a world of unfamiliarity, where he makes many comical and embarrassing decisions. This novel expresses the theme of having or not having control subtly through the choices Dan makes, and their consequences. This theme is also successfully revealed through the four elements; characters, plot, motifs and setting. The relationships between the characters are vital to providing an insight into the theme.

The election of Barack Obama as the 56th president of the United States raised many hopes that the “Black struggles” was finally over. For conservatives, Obama victory reassured their beliefs that there was no longer such thing as racism and that every American had equal rights and opportunity to pursue the American dream. While many people have come to believe that all races have equal rights in America, Tim Wise argues in his documentary “White Like Me” that not only does racism and unconscious racial bias still exist, but that also White Americans are unable to simply relate to the variety of forms racism and inequality Blacks experience. This is mainly because of the privileges they get as the “default.” While Wise explores the variety forms of racism and inequality today such as unconscious racism, Black poverty, unemployment, inadequate education system, and prison system, the articles by the New York Times Editorial Board, the Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Adam Liptak further explore some the disparities in the criminal justice system. Ana Swanson points out in her article, “The Stubborn Persistence of Black-White Inequality, 50 Years after Selma” that while the “U.S. has made big strides towards equal rights,” significant gaps still remains between the two races. With the Supreme Court striking down a “portion of the Voting Rights Act that stopped discriminatory voting laws from going into effect in areas of the country with histories of disenfranchisement,” civil

Wanda Coleman’s Angel Baby Blues highlights the black experience in Southern California. She talks about the struggles of African Americans and how and where they endure discrimination. In the short story, Coleman explores discrimination in and outside of the classroom. Her story can be linked to Kendrick Lamar’s The Blacker the Berry. In this song, Lamar also talks about the black experience but goes deeper into discrimination. He goes into detail about the struggles that the black community goes through as well as himself being an African American man. His lyrics are very strong, creating images of discrimination while cursing and highlighting the same themes presented in Coleman’s story. Angel Baby Blues and The Blacker the Berry are very

Music is such a beautiful creation, the way the melody, rhythm, tempo, all mix together to become a masterpiece. One specific genre of music, the blues, was heavily popular in the early 20th century. The blues is a tradition-oriented music style from the rural Southern African-American origin (“Jazz in America”, n.d. ). It usually had secular content, which is disparate from how it was when it first began. Blues music originated in plantations, where slaves sung, using it as a mental escape method from their oppression. Even though it started off in a simple way, it eventually turned into a serious entertainment. Bessie Smith and Billie Holliday, two well-known blues female singers, became hit sensations.

It was a common fear among the African-Americans. The Younger Family knew that the discrimination would hold them back from their dreams and goals, but because they believe in prosperity and pride, that was the last thing on their mind. The “want” in their spirits, is what sets them at place of tranquility and hope. “In fact, here’s another fifty cents… buy yourself some fruit today - or take a taxicab to school or something! (1.1.1840) Walter is letting his son know that there is no problem when it comes to their economic status. One of the difficulties that the adults faced was their self-righteousness. The discrimination was really enabled when it came to anything in their life. Whether it be buying certain houses, jobs, or even sitting in a restaurant, it was something so common; they learned that it is far more important for their child to know how to live with no fear and worrisome in life. When it came to Walter, he knew that keeping the innocence in Travis’ life was the right thing to do, where for Ruth she was far more upright. The self-doubt they displayed was becoming a burden in their lives, but that transformation and growth is what helped them come to a better understanding of themselves. The Younger Family’s moral development would be their sense of pride, and Mama’s destiny was to continue that pride. Mama’s development within herself had grown to great measures, but when it came to her

Emerging from a state of corrupt politicians within an oppressive environment, many will struggle through one`s feelings of fear that can dismantle their self-identities of seeking strength. The violent systematic oppression and patriarchal society that one may face, is challenged through gaining empathy, strength, and purpose. In the critically acclaimed novel, ''Brown Girl In The Ring'', Nalo Hopkinson conveys the economic collapse of Toronto's inner city that is stricken with poverty and ruled by, Rudy Sheldon, who`s commissioned to find a heart and preys on the helpless within the dystopia community. Forced in the oppressive city, a young woman, Ti-Jeanne, navigates through the ancestral pasts magical powers taught by her grandmother

1. One of the main characters in the book Black and Blue is a woman named Frannie Benedetto. Some of the roles that Frannie had were being a wife, a mother, a Catholic, and a nurse. Her role as a wife was very challenging, due to the fact that she was in an abusive relationship and was married to a New York City Police Officer. Frannie had been married to her husband Bobby Benedetto for almost twenty years. Her entire relationship with her husband has been traumatizing. Numerous times Frannie had been physically assault, raped, and belittled. Bobby physically assaulted Frannie when she was nineteen years old for the first time in their relationship. Frannie recalls many times that Bobby came home drunk and would rape her. Bobby belittled his wife by accusing her of sleeping with the doctors she worked with and by making her feel like she had deserved to get beaten up by him. One of the major reasons that Frannie stayed in the relationship with Bobby was because of their son.

In 2009, Dr. Sylvia Earle wrote The World is Blue to educate and alert the reader about human impacts on marine ecosystems. Through this book she conveys her passion and methodical arguments concerning the importance of the conservation of the ocean, which encompasses approximately 80 percent of the earth’s surface. Dr. Earle states “the ocean touches you with every breath you take, every drop of water you drink, every bite you consume” (17). This statement emphasizes the significance of the ocean, not only for marine life, but all life forms on earth. The book implies that currently in today’s world, the conservation of the ocean requires a global effort to reduce human damage from the past generations. Using facts gleaned from credible scientific resources, she defines the problems of overfishing, bycatch, and pollution. By analyzing human impacts on marine ecosystems, Dr. Earle determines successful and unsuccessful solutions to these problems and suggests various ways individuals can change their lifestyles to reduce impact on the environment as a whole.

Red Jackets’ “Reply to the Missionary Jacob Cram” and the poems written by Phillis Wheatley both have something in common. Belief in a God/god(s). Red Jacket provides that in his culture there is the belief in the Great Spirit which Jacob Cram wants to change to the almighty God and Phillis Wheatley shows how what she went through as a slave brought her to an un-denying devotion to God. Religion is something that has developed continually over the years, but one thing has remained the same… every individual has their own God or god(s) that they profess their faith in. What does the belief in a Great Spirit or the belief in God reveal about Red Jacket and Phillis Wheatley? It reveals who they are as an individual, how they live their life, their character, and also shows their past and how they have gotten where they are today.

Even after slavery, African American women are still imprisoned by their inferior role to men. The women could be from different statuses based on job, wealth, or marital status, but they are would find themselves suffering under the rules of their men. The blues “Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues” by Ida Cox and “Mamie’s Blues” by Jelly Roll Morton talk about the challenges of women living during the Harlem Renaissance. The blues surrounded the African American women during this time, and these songs talk about women facing hardships in life because they are second class citizens compared to men.

Admiration is often found in those who have been through a lot and still keep their head up high, striving to achieve the best they can possibly do. Its those of us who never take no as an answer, and are determined to see the positive side of life, in the darkest of times. The biography Little Girl Blue: The Life Of Karen Carpenter portrays in full detail the courageous and daring life of Karen Carpenter, a well-known singer, and drummer. Born on March 2nd, 1950, Karen was raised in New Haven, Connecticut. When moving to Downey California, Karen only saw it as an opportunity for her brother Richard Carpenter to become famous. After her recognition for her amazing drumming skills and angelic voice, Karen decided to put it to good use and

In “Hottentot Venus”, Parker conveys that an ethnic background plays a role in how American society sees an individual and how the treatment towards them may vary because they are people of color and with varying physique. The poem consists of a stylistic texture of sincerity that demonstrates the speaker’s feelings, how she is considered, and her positive outlook despite the unfortunate events that she encountered. The speaker sets an emotional tone to display that she is yearning for respect even if she has a “different shape” and aspires to be loved and cared for. As when she describes the way she is being treated, men seem to abuse her in a way that they perceive their actions to be justified and accepted. Similarly, the poem involves a positive outlook towards the last stanza to portray an awareness that a movement or an influence from black women experience will lead to positive outcomes and enlightenment. Although, the speaker creates an ambiguity to who is the real subject of the poem. The title itself, “Hottentot Venus” signifies an important role to the poem. According to Sadiah Qureshi in her book, Displaying Sara Baartman, the ‘Hottentot Venus’, Sara Baartman, who was also known as Hottentot Venus, was the center of amusement during the nineties, and as the author states, Sara was “displayed in England and France in the early nineteenth century as a curiosity, her breasts, buttocks, and hypertrophied labia aroused considerable interest, prurient and scientific.