preview

What Is Tocqueville's Idea Of Equality In A Society

Decent Essays
Open Document

Equality is not only being equal racially but the state of being equal socially, economically, and the right to free speech. Equality has been up for debate in society since the beginning of the formation of the United States. There are different views on what equality is in a society. Equality could classify as not being judged for the color of your skin or being treated fairly at work. Through a growing concern for the achievement of fulfilling equality in society many authors have portrayed the effects of achieving equality with the elements of perfection, gender roles, and race. People immigrate to America for a set of ideals that involve prosperity, equality, and a place for families to work hard and succeed. Through hard work one can …show more content…

God made everyone on this earth differently with their own traits that nobody else possesses. During lecture on February 20th, the class came to a conclusion that Tocqueville’s idea of equality in society is unattainable. For instance, “if we achieve perfection we get more frustrated and the more trivial things will be”. A good example of this is when somebody has the most luxurious makeup brands which makes the other person want to one up that person with the latest makeup. It is all about competition, especially with girls. Competition is a goal in our society which makes practical equality beyond our reach. Alexis Tocqueville believed that the strive for equality also generated anxiety for perfection. Nobody is ever satisfied. Alexis Tocqueville says, “ he plants a garden, and lets it [rents] just as the trees are coming into bearing; he …show more content…

The racial dynamic in the novel is seen in the way the ships hierarchy is arranged. The non caucasian men were subordinate to the white men on board the Pequod. In “Moby Dick” Herman Melville related the book to how the United States was in the 1850s. Race was a theme throughout the book especially shown through Ishamel’s and Queequegs growing relationship. When Ishmael first met Queequeg his first impression was, “And what is it, thought I, after all! It’s only his outside; a man can be honest in any sort of skin. But then, what to make of his unearthly complexion, that part of it, I mean, lying round about, and completely independent of the squares of tattooing. To be sure, it might be nothing but a good coat of tropical tanning; but I never heard of a hot sun’s tanning a white man into a purplish yellow one” (Herman Melville Ch 3). Ishmael’s callowness toward other cultures and the color of Queequeg’s skin shows that he is perplexed on how Queequegs skin color does not look like his. Ishmael judges Queequeg on his outside features but as the novel goes on they establish a beautiful relationship. Ishmael’s immaturity to racial differences expands on the way society judged others in the 1850s. The African Americans were intimated by the caucasian men because they were their property. The United States was in full force to becoming a nation of inequality as a result of slavery. Ishmael

Get Access