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The effects of cultural assimilation
The effects of cultural assimilation
The effects of cultural assimilation
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Through the uses of fear and cycles of poverty, the Dreamers are able to oppress African Americans. By causing African Americans to be in a constant fear of losing one’s body, the Dreamers hold all the power; the Dreamers cause African Americans to transmute their fear into rage, and essentially destroy themselves. For African American residing in impoverished areas, the high rate of crime and inadequate education makes their little mobility for them to succeed and leave. Ultimately the Dreamers subjugate African Americans to create a hierarchy. This hierarchy place white people at the top, and African Americans at the bottom: carrying the weight of white progression. The only way for the “Dream” to survive, is by the destruction of the bodies
In Embattled Dreams, author Kevin Starr explains the decade that begins with World War II and ends with the growth of states that were part of the war, concentrating on the United States specifically California. The book speaks about the changes that the war brought into California and how it was a catalyst for major changes in the state’s economy and society. It focuses on the development of California. Many books show the major events that changed a country, but there were smaller stories within the country that demonstrated to the development as well. The author wants to show readers that California contributed much to the war cause, building machinery and such, but this book emphasizes the effects these jobs had on society. Kevin Starr
The American Dream began as a vision for the men who framed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. These two documents provided the foundation upon which the American Dream was built. The reality of the American Dream translated into a nightmare for the African-Americans who had to overcome slavery in order to achieve the ideal that all men are created equally. Their dream did not become a reality with the signing of the Declaration of Independence; in fact, even after slavery was abolished, there was no concrete date established that mandated that whites and African-Americans were equal. The law said the slaves were free; however, society did not consider them equals. The African-American writers utilize the American Dream in their works, but they seem to use it in an interesting manner: connecting to the past in order to realize their future. The slave narratives outline dreams of freedom and often provide insight into the horrors of slavery, while more contemporary writers use the dream to connect to their characters’ past and the horrors in their lives in order to realize their future.
In the book ‘Between the World and Me’ by Ta-Nehisi Coates, he writes to his son discussing the concept of what it means to be a dreamer in America, urging his son not be one that surrounds himself with the dreamers. In relation to Axel Honneth’s ‘The Struggle for Recognition,’ by surrounding yourself with those who still believe in the “Dream” you cannot be indifferent when the “dreamers” consciousness does not reflect reality, which is shown by instances of disrespect. Through Honneth’s modes of recognition we can unpack what Coates is referring to when he talks about the “Dream” and “Dreamers.” To Coates the dreamers are the ones who continue to believe in “the lie” at the expense of black people, for Coates wants his son to struggle in life but not at the expense of the Dream or the Dreamers.
Civil rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr, in his powerful speech, “I have a dream” indicated that even though we own the Emancipation Proclamation, we also had been suffering the discrimination. King’s purpose is to invert the current unfair situation and make the Negros have the same rights as white people. He adopts a poignant tone in order to claim that Negros should have their own rightful place and appeal the Negro people who have the same inequity experiences.
**Franklin, Robert Michael. Liberating Visions: Human Fulfillment and Social Justice in African-American Thought. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1990.
“I look and I see white everywhere: white walls, white floors, and a lot of white people…” Quoted by one individual like many others, that feels their ethnicity is inferior to others around them. Racism and stereotyping are common among members in our society and cause distress for those who are not of the ethnic population or do not fit the white racial ideologies. People living in poverty are negatively affected by these stereotypes and racial issues. These negative ideas and beliefs about those of a different race or in a different social classes have a strong impact on the individual’s chances of coming out of poverty. African American’s are one race among many that is stereotyped for living mainly in poverty or being in the lower social
“The Dreamer” by Junot Diaz is a very personal essay. Diaz pinpoints specific influences in his personal life that identify him. He introduces his audience to his background sharing with them what his inspirations have been. Before the text of the article, the publisher released background information about Diaz and his amazing accomplishments. “He is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, PEN/Malamud Award, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize (Diaz, The Dreamer)”, however these are only a portion of his accomplishments. By reading this segment of the text, the audience can conclude that Diaz is a successful writer that takes his craft seriously. The essay “The Dreamer” is rhetoric within itself. While ethos and pathos played significant
Everyone grows up with the thought of an American dream in mind . Unfortunately that American dream is only limited to the people who are not of color. Sadly the people of color and the american dream don 't match up to well. I feel that this is because it can’t be easily obtained due to improper education and never being given the opportunity to show what they’re made of. Maybe if we weren 't categorized by our living arrangements, or the amount of our wealth, or better yet being presumed as these incompetent animals who aren’t good for nothing. Then we too would be able to achieve our own american dreams ,but as people of color the chances of that are not likely living in a world that feeds us with this improper mindset.
The author, Gloria Ladson-Billings, discusses in her book, "The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children," how African American students perform at lower academic levels in part due to teacher approaches and attitudes. She performed a study on eight teachers of different races and backgrounds and their approaches to teaching African American students. The purpose of the study was to identify what approaches or techniques have been most successful in helping African American students to achieve academic success. She also focuses on the idea of "culturally relevant teaching" and how it can positively impact students when teachers are aware and incorporate a student's culture and backgrounds into the classroom. Throughout the book, the
In the speech “I Have a Dream,” presented in the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr talks about his American Dream. This speech is recognized as one of the best speeches ever given at the Lincoln Memorial. As King gives his speech the reader would notice how the second half of the speech is what the world would see as the American dream. The first half consists of the actual reality, nightmare, of the world the constant state that seems never to change. Throughout the speech a person can hear one of the primary themes, dream, repeated constantly eleven times to be exact. Although King acknowledges the metaphor of reality, he explores the archetypical metaphor of a dream.
Although scientists still argue about why are we dreaming and what are dreams made of, modern science found out that dreams are endless, random stories. In the early century, where the History of dreaming starts, dreams were seen as a message from the gods. The brain plays and replays experiences during the night. Studies found out that there is also a gender difference in dreaming. Dreaming occurs during REM sleep when the brain defragments memories and daily life experiences and turns them into random neverending stories.
Generations past guide our futures. The sacrifices and triumphs of our elders shape the environment in which we are born into, how we grow, and where we are today. My great-great-grandmother was able to leave Budapest, Hungary and come to America. My great-grandmother was able to obtain an education that would not have been readily available to her in her homeland. This has allowed me to be born into a free world, where education is the norm. Likewise, in the essay "The Dreamer", Junot Diaz describes the childhood dreams of his mother to obtain an education while living in the third world, rural area of the Dominican Republic. Diaz uses the struggles of his mother
“We’ve destroyed all hopes of anything like the American dream” (The New Jim Crow). The American dream has portrayed that any one person is able to gain success in America, regardless of their personal background, as long as they are willing to work hard enough to fight for that success. What the American dream does not account for, is the inequalities that occur between those of a different race, gender, religion, ethnicity, and social class. Black men throughout American history have been the victim of the inequalities that taint American society, starting as far back as the 1800s. In more recent times, since the War on Drugs began as a way to systematically remove black men from society, this specific demographic of people have faced overwhelming
People who work hard enough become successful and build a good life for themselves and their family. Millions of Americans and others who admire America have believed this for generations. However, is this still true? Brandon King debates his interpretation of the American Dream in his published work, “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” During his essay, the speaker highlights how important the American Dream is to the economy and providing a distance from inequality. The speaker emphasizes his belief that the American Dream is still alive within America and that people must work hard to achieve it. When discussing the American Dream, King will agree that the idea is alive and thriving in the minds of Americans; yet, I argue that the idea is on hold within American society due to lack of upward social independence and economic mobility.
According to James Baldwin’s “My Dungeon Shook: A Letter to My Nephew” African Americans cannot obtain their piece of the American Dream. Baldwin wrote a letter to his nephew in hope of guiding him through life. Baldwin had many words of wisdom to share, mostly words provoked by pain and anger. Baldwin wanted to teach his nephew about the cruelty of society. His main point was to teach his nephew not to believe the white man and his words. He wanted to encourage his nephew to succeed in life but not to expect the unassailable. By believing the white man one can not succeed but by knowing where one comes from will lead to success was the foundation of Baldwin’s message (243-246).