The Other Side Of The River Analysis

643 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Terrorism and its effect

In today’s civil society, we are taught to show compassion and tolerance towards one other, yet the media portrays society in a different perspective, as being intolerant. In the book The Other Side of the River, writer Alex Kotlowitz reflects on the story of a young black male whose lifeless body was found in the St. Joseph river of Michigan. In this story, Kotlowitz reflects on two communities that are opposite from the other in regards to ethnic background and financial well-being, yet both appear to share the same lack of tolerance towards the other. There is a paragraph were Kotlowitz writes,
It’s all about perspective -- which has everything to do with our personal and collective experiences, which are consistently informed by race. From those experiences, from our histories, we build myths, legends that guide us and constrain us, legends that include both fact and fiction (1).
In this paragraph, Kotlowitz is sharing his …show more content…

There are numerous accounts that have led society into believing a distort-ed perception of reality and becoming intolerant towards another. Back in 2001 after the unfortunate terrorist attacks on 911, America was quick to take actions in subduing these radical Muslim fanatics. Former President George W. Bush announced the declaration of a “War on Terror”, which was strongly opposed by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and the county of France. Thus began the American boycott on France and everything relating to the country including the renaming of French fries to American fires. Regardless of the facts for France’s unwillingness in supporting the “War on Terror”, the social media went ablaze with anti-French sentiment, insuring that all Americans became intolerant towards France and anyone with French ethnic

Show More
Related

  • Shall We Gather At The River Analysis

    481 Words  | 1 Pages

    The hymn, “Shall We Gather at the River” and “The Scarlet Ibis” have similar themes. One of the themes is, one day everything will end, so instead of wanting and wishing for more, appreciate what you have now. The song and short stories have similar themes and morals of stories.

    Read More

  • The Rainy River Analysis Essay

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the chapter the “Rainy River” of the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, O’Brien conveys a deep moral conflict between fleeing the war to go to Canada versus staying and fighting in a war that he does not support. O’Brien is an educated man, a full time law student at Harvard and a liberal person who sees war as a pointless activity for dimwitted, war hungry men. His status makes him naive to the fact that he will be drafted into the war and thus when he receives his draft notice, he is shocked. Furthermore, his anti-war sentiments are thoroughly projected, and he unravels into a moral dilemma between finding freedom in Canada or standing his ground and fighting. An image of a rainy river marking the border between Minnesota and Canada is representative of this chapter because it reflects O’Brien’s moral division between finding freedom in Canada or standing his ground and fighting in the Vietnam war.

    Read More

  • Symbolism In The River

    1002 Words  | 3 Pages

    To some this story might seem like a tragedy, but to Christians this is a beautiful story. Although young Harry dies at the end, he is accepted into the kingdom of God, which is far superior to anything on Earth. A non-religious family raises him and the first taste of Christianity he gets makes him want to pursue God. In Flannery O’Conner’s short story, The River, the allure of Gods grace and the repelling of sinful ways are shown heavily through Harry.

    Read More

  • On The Rainy River O Brien Analysis

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    The late author and philosopher Dame Iris Murdoch once said “We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality.” The general argument made by Tim O’Brien in his short story “On the Rainy River” is that an individual’s self-perception may skew the line between illusion and reality. More specifically O’Brien argues that the line may be discovered if an individual is able to come to terms with their perception. Illusion and reality are found to be confused throughout the novella “On the Rainy River” as a journey through one’s own mind is taken in order to reach a life-altering decision.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of You Only Can Make A Bridge Where There Is A River

    987 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Home of The Brave, by Katherine Applegate, part 2’s proverb “you only can make a bridge where there is a river” relates to the main character, Kek, needing to build a bridge to get over the river of struggle and alienation in this new world.

    Read More

  • June Jordan Many Rivers To Cross Analysis

    622 Words  | 2 Pages

    In June Jordan's essay “Many Rivers to Cross,” Jordan explains how multiple events in her life, including her mother’s death, led her to realize that women should “stand up” and not allow men to control them. The title of the essay is very indicative of the process that she had to go through before she came to this epiphany. Jordan’s husband is a man who is a part of the patriarchy that disrespects women. Her father is another example of a man who doesn’t know better than to oppress women, while Mrs. Hazel Griffin is the antithesis to his misogynistic ideology. Mrs. Griffin is a strong, independent women who doesn't need a man to be happy or successful. Jordan believes that women should be strong, like Hazel Griffin, and not give up when they are being persecuted, rather than being weak and submitting to oppression, like Jordan’s mother.

    Read More

  • The Same River Twice By David Quammen Analysis

    650 Words  | 2 Pages

        David Quammen in “The Same River Twice” talks about how Heraclitus’s quote relates to an important event in his life.. Heraclitus’s says “You cannot step  twice into the same river, for other waters are continually flowing on.”

    Read More

  • Social Construction Of Race

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    In society, race clearly affects one’s life chances. These are the chances of getting opportunities and gaining experience for progression. The social construction of race is based on privileges and availability of resources. Looking at society and the formation of race in a historical context, whites have always held some sort of delusional belief of a “white-skin privilege.” This advantage grants whites an advantage in society whether one desires it or not. This notion is often commonly referred to as reality.

    Read More

  • Racism: A Historical and Social Construct in America

    2938 Words  | 6 Pages

    Pounder, C. et.al. "Race: the Power of An Illusion" Corporation for Public Broadcasting,. (2003). San Francisco, Calif. Web. 4 June 2015.

    Read More

  • Race And Race: The Preconceptions Of Race

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    All over the world, race is used by others to assign meaning to the way you look; people will use physical characteristics like: nose shape, eye shape, hair texture and most infamously, skin color to categorize race. Race isn’t a tangible concept, Social Construction Theory determines it’s more of a social idea created by institutions in society, meaning that it is created by society and is constantly changed. The notion of race is perpetuated and conserved, and therefore, must be changed by adjusting society’s preconceptions about race, institution’s structure and laws that are negatively based on race, and how education and awareness about race can create positive change.

    Read More

  • Race As A Social Construct

    1076 Words  | 3 Pages

    The concept of race is an ancient construction through which a single society models all of mankind around the ideal man. This idealism evolved from prejudice and ignorance of another culture and the inability to view another human as equal. The establishment of race and racism can be seen from as early as the Middle Ages through the present. The social construction of racism and the feeling of superiority to people of other ethnicities, have been distinguishably present in European societies as well as America throughout the last several centuries.

    Read More

  • Race : The Power Of An Illusion

    1038 Words  | 3 Pages

    Race: The Power of an Illusion was an interesting 3 part film. After watching this, it made me questioned if race was really an illusion or not. It is absolutely taboo to think that the one thing that separates people the most may be a myth in itself. “We can 't find any genetic markers that are in everybody of a particular race and in nobody of some other race. We can 't find any genetic markers that define race.” (Adelman and Herbes Sommers 2003). Racism is something created in the U.S made to create supremacy for the creator. Racism is not just the way someone thinks, it is something that has is manifested in our society to separate us and can be traced to our everyday activities.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Race: The Power Of An Illusion

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    Racism is often considered a thing of the past, with its manifestation rarely being acknowledged in the United States today. Race: The Power of an Illusion, is a documentary that addresses the legacy of racism through its significance in the past, and its presence in society today. To understand racism, it is vital to understand the concept of race. Race is a social invention, not a biological truth. This can be observed through the varying classifications of race in different cultures and time periods. For instance, in the United States, race has long been distinguished by skin color. In nineteenth century China, however, race was determined by the amount of body hair an individual had. Someone with a large amount of facial hair, for example,

    Read More

  • Analysis: The Other Side Of The Bridge

    1182 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone has expectations to uphold and often it can feel overwhelming to comply with them all. When one chooses not to comply to the expectations set by oneself or from others, it can be seen as an act of rebellion, foolish-thinking, or a failure to see what the future holds. Similarly, expectations that are too elevated towards others can result in a harsh confrontation with reality. In the novel, The Other Side of the Bridge, by Mary Lawson, the author develops the idea that one bearing too many expectations of others and of oneself can lead to developing distress and feelings of betrayal if the expectations are not met. The theme of expectations is developed using the character Ian, through the social expectations he encounters, familial

    Read More

  • Race And Ethnicity Essay

    934 Words  | 2 Pages

    This brings attention to why race and ethnicity exist so predominantly in society. There are a number of theories that observe why racism, prejudice, and discri...

    Read More

More about The Other Side Of The River Analysis

Open Document