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Essays on soul food
How is soul food important to the african american culture
Soul food research paper
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What is Soul Food?
All ethnic groups have their own language, food, and way of living. Some can even call their food, “soul food.” Soul food can be described as “food made with feeling and care,” but in America, soul food simply refers to African-American cuisine (A History of Soul Food). In Imamu Amiri Baraka’s essay, “Soul Food” he describes how shocked he was to read an article that stated how “African-Americans have no language and no characteristic food.” So he argued against that supposed fact. I too was shocked and am agreeing with Baraka’s argument. African-Americans have had soul food for hundreds of years, if anything that is all they have ever had. Since slaves had no control or choice in life, cooking became a way to express feelings, share love and nurture family and sorrow (Helton). Soul food is more that just food; it is history, tradition, and family.
Soul food dates back to the early 14th century during the time of African exploration. When Africans became slaves in America, they had to make do with the ingredients that were given to them (A History of Soul Food). Their meals of fresh vegetables that they were used to were now being replaced by the thrown away scrapes of food from the plantation house. Not long after, slaves began to refer to their food as “good times” food because after working long hours in the field or in the house, the evening meal was a time for families to get together (A History of Soul Food). During the meal, elders passed down oral history to the young ones and family and friends came to visit. Soul food was hearty nourishment that met the intense labor needs of working long days (Helton). Decades later, during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, terms like “so...
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...It is the greatest feeling.
When I hear the words “soul food” I immediately think of the history, the traditions, and my family. On the other hand, those people who are not familiar with these terms; they consider it to be just food. Sure you might also think of hushpuppies, fried chicken, collard greens, grits and ribs, but do you know how and why they came about. Not many actually do. As Baraka concluded his essay he stated, “I guess a square is somebody who’s in Harlem and eats at Nedicks.” I can also agree with that statement. I can see those same squares everywhere else in America; they eat at McDonald’s.
Works Cited
1. A History of Soul Food. 13 March 2003.
http://www.foxhome.com/soulfood/htmls/soulfood.html
2. Marilyn Helton. Soul Food History. 13 March 2003. http://diabetes.about.com/library/blfoodforthought/ucTSsoulfooda.htm
In her essay, “Food’s Class Warfare,” author Tracie McMillan promotes the inclusion of both “individual changes and structural ones” (217), particularly “class consciousness” (217), in the fight for quality diets in America. She reveals the most common sides of the healthy food debate as the inherent “just-buy-better stuff logic” (215) and the opposing “structural challenges of eating well” (215). The main strategies for defeating the American “obesity epidemic” (216) have been reaching out to the individual, as well as changing the structure of the American food system itself. The favorite concept for structuralists is “food deserts - neighborhoods with insufficient grocery stores and thus insufficient supplies of healthy food” (216). She deems the concept insufficient in practice, as it ignores smaller markets and equates large stores with a healthy food source. While the individual viewpoint and structuralists argue with each other, they share common ideals. According to
The Quebec referendum that was held in 1995 was a second round of vote that was meant to give the residents of the Quebec province in Canada the chance to determine whether they wanted to secede from Canada and thus establish Quebec as a sovereign state. Quebec has had a long history of wanting to secede from Canada, considering that it is the Canadian providence that is predominantly inhabited by the French-speaking people, whose political relationship with the rest of the Canadian provinces, mostly inhabited by the English-speaking people has been characterized by conflicting ideologies . Thus, the 1995 referendum was not the first political attempt to have Quebec gain its own independence. The discussion holds that the Quebec 1995 referendum would have had both positive and negative implications. Therefore, this discussion seeks to analyze the political consequences that would have f...
2012. "A shocking night. (Cover story)." Maclean's 125, no. 36: 16-21. Accessed February 25, 2014. EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier.
In The Hungry Soul we find an interesting blend of subjects, methods, and traditions. This book is a fascinating exploration of the cultural and natural act of eating. Kass intensely reveals how the various aspects of this phenomenon, restrictions, customs, and rituals surrounding it, relate to collective and philosophical truths about the human being and its deepest pleasures. Kass argues throughout the book that eating (dining) is something that can either cultivate us or moralize us. My question is, does Kass succeed in arguing for the fact that eating is something that can moralize us as human beings? Although I agree with some of the things that Kass discussed in the book, in this paper I will argue mainly against some of his claims.
In Wendell Berry’s “The Pleasures of Eating,” this farmer tells eaters how their separation from food production has turned them into “passive consumers” who know nothing about the food they eat, or their part in the agricultural process (3). They are blindsided by a food industry that does not help them understand. Berry argues that the average consumer buys available food without any questions. He states consumers that think they are distanced from agriculture because they can easily buy food, making them ignorant of cruel conditions it went through to get on the shelf. Humans have become controlled by the food industry, and regard eating as just something required for their survival. Berry wants this to change as people realize they should get an enjoyment from eating that can only come from becoming responsible for their food choices and learning more about what they eat. While describing the average consumer’s ignorance and the food industry’s deceit, he effectively uses appeals to emotion, logic, and values to persuade people to take charge, and change how they think about eating.
The poem “America” also shows that not all households in America eat the specific food or drink that has been assigned to a particular occasion due to the poverty of the household, their belief or heritage. The poet wrote about his family eating pork on Thanksgiving Day instead of the traditional baked turkey, and on every other occasion because, that was the food his parents grew up with and prefer to cook. Likewise, during thanksgiving in my house I don’t cook the traditional meal that is a baked turkey and mashed potatoes, rather I cook food from my native country because that is what I know how to cook and enjoy
When you go to a soul food restaurant, you know exactly what to expect – fried chicken and pork chops, candied yams and corn bread, macaroni and cheese and barbecue ribs, all slow cooked and marinated, the good old fashioned way. But have you ever stopped to consider what soul food actually is? Well, we've got good news for you – Fusion East in Brooklyn, NY is hear to lay it out all for you, from its roots and beginnings to modern variations.
Soul Food explore the hardships and trials of black family life, and through the characters, setting, and theme of both the story and the film, the issue of class and the search for community is discussed. Big Mama wanted her family to come closer. The more she tried, the farther apart they became. During her struggle, she encountered many obstacles including her own son 's beliefs, but she did not let them curve her appetite to gain higher status in society.
Women become pregnant every day therefore the knowledge of possible teratogen exposure to the fetus is vital. From the moment of conception and pregnancy occurs, the unborn child is in danger of being exposed to teratogens. Having knowledge of the possible teratogen agent that can harm the fetus can be lifesaving. “A teratogen is any disease drug, or other environmental agent that can harm a developing fetus (for example, by causing deformities, blindness, brain damage, or even death)” (Rider and Sigelman 101). Teratogens can range from many different agents such as smoking, alcohol, or even coffee. The effects of being exposed can cause harm in many ways ranging from birth defects to possible death. Critical periods of fetal development
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. Print.
Food is traditionally considered as a simple means of subsistence but has developed to become filled with cultural, psychological, religious, and emotional significance. Consequently, food is currently used as a means of defining shared identities and symbolizes religious and group customs. In the early 17th and 18th centuries, this mere means of subsistence was considered as a class maker but developed to become a symbol of national identity in the 19th centuries. In the United States, food has been influenced by various cultures such as Native American, Latin America, and Asian cultures. Consequently, Americans have constantly Americanized the foods of different cultures to become American foods. The process on how Americans have Americanized different cultures’ foods and reasons for the Americanization is an important topic of discussion.
This practise of effective teaching and learning has relatively new in classrooms but has already made a great difference in the students’ abilities and interests both in and out of their studies. Constructivist teaching recognises and validates the student’s point of view rather then the necessity of a correct answer. The child is then able to reassess their knowledge and understandings, which in turn boosts self-esteem and confidence. It also encourages children to be involved in classroom activities by self-questioning, seeking answers, comparing situations and establishing links between different ideas. This is possible as constructive learning is transferable between different ideas. (Tutorial Notes, 28th July, 2004)
Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, allows a machine to function as if the machine has the capability to think like a human. While we are not expecting any hovering cars anytime soon, artificial intelligence is projected to have a major impact on the labor force and will likely replace about half the workforce in the United States in the decades to come. The research in artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly at an unstoppable rate. So while many people feel threatened by the possibility of a robot taking over their job, computer scientists actually propose that robots would benefit a country’s efficiency of production, allowing individuals to reap the benefits of the robots. For the advantage of all, researchers and analysts have begun to mend the past ideas of human-robot interaction. They have pulled inspiration from literary works of Isaac Asimov whom many saw as the first roboticist ahead of his time, and have also gotten ideas of scholarly research done by expert analysts. These efforts have began to create an idea of a work force where humans and robots work together in harmony, on a daily basis.
Considering student achievement based upon the classroom environment, research shows that teachers who use constructivism in their classrooms have students whose achievement is more significant than those who learn by using traditional methods. (Singh, Yager, Yutakom, Yager, & Ali, 2012) It has become vitally important in this age for students to construct knowledge and apply it to both social and scientific situations in the real world. Additionally, the job market has changed, and employers are looking for more in potential employees. There are numerous skills being sought after that center around independent problem solving, a skill that can be taught using a constructivist approach. (Lew, 2010)
There are methods that are considered very different than constructivism that are used in the classroom. One of the approaches is the traditional approach where the teacher teaches the information to the student, and the student does not contribute as much or convey the prior knowledge of the material during instruction (Airasian & Walsh, 1997). It has been said that traditional teaching can segregate students, especially ones with special needs, in the classroom (Bloom; Perlmutter& Burrell, 1999). In other words, traditional instruction is a more teacher-centered approach that uses rote, fact based learning. The teachers create the values, behaviors, and beliefs for the students. The teacher is in charge of the classroom, where they have rewards and consequences, and the students work mostly by themselves (this is very different that the constructivist classroom, which will be explained) (Windschitl, 1999).