The Underground Artist as Political Spokesperson
It has often been said that comics do not necessarily affect society as much as they reflect society. Where the latter may seem to be true, the former is the more obvious truth. The subtlety of their messages may escape the immediate notice of the average citizen, but hours, or even days later, when that person stops and uses a clever comic to illustrate a point; the artist’s statement has been made. Many subtleties appeared in the 1960’s-1970’s – no one really noticing their arrival until it was too late to prevent their existence – and many of these same subtleties made permanent changes in the way American youth perceived their world, and especially their country.
The periods of the ‘60’s and 70’s were periods of unrest in America . The culture that our society had grown accustomed to was in the throes of violent change, redefining itself on what seemed to be a day-by-day basis.
By ‘culture’ we refer to the social circulation of meanings, values, and pleasures, to the process of forming social identities and social relationships, and to entering into relation with the larger social order in a particular way and from a particular position. (Fiske 322)
To make such a simple statement about these twenty years may seem to devalue them, but one thing remained constant through all those changes. Despite, or in spite of at times, the political bankruptcy of the nation, the evaporating credibility of national and international policy, Vietnam, rioting in the city streets and on college campuses, not to mention the murder of innocent students by an armed militia, comic books stayed stable. They provided a foundation, although rooted in “Establishment” values, for ...
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In the opening of the story Elisa is emasculated by the description of her clothing. She wears "a man’s black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron…" (paragraph 5). When Elisa’s husband Henry comes over and compliments her garden and ability to grow things Elisa is smug with him and very proud of her skill with the flowers. Her "green thumb" makes her an equal in her own eyes. When Elisa’s husband asks her if she would like to go to dinner her feminine side comes out. She is excited to go eat at a restaurant and states that she would much rather go to the movies than go see the fights, she "wouldn’t like the fight’s" at all (paragraph 21). Elisa is taken aback with her own submissiveness and quickly becomes preoccupied with her flowers as soon as her husband leaves. When the drifter comes and asks Elisa for work to do she is stern with him and refuses him a job. She acts as a man would to another strange man and becomes irritated. When he persists in asking her she reply’s "I tell you I have nothing like that for you to do" (paragraph 46). The drifter mentions Elisa’s chrysanthemums and she immediately loosens up as "the irritation and resistance melt(ed) from her face" (paragraph 51). The drifter feigns great interest in Elisa’s chrysanthemums and asks her many questions about them. He tells her he knows a lady who said to him "if you ever come across some nice chrysanthemums I wish you’d try to get me a few seeds" (paragraph 56). Elisa is overjoyed by any interest in her flowers and gives the man chrysanthemum sprouts to take to his friend.
Grimmett, Richard F.“The War Powers Resolution: After 30 Years.” CRS Report for Congress. March 11, 2004. https://www.fas.org/man/crs/RL32267.html.
Steinbeck's strong and somewhat manly description of Elisa while working in the garden, gives the distinct impression that she is not as weak as a stereotypical housewife would be. He writes that "Her face was lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water. Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man's black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron with four big pockets to hold the snips, the trowel and scratcher, the seeds and the knife she worked with." As evidenced by this excerpt you can see that she has covered up her hair with a "man's hat" and has thrown an apron over her dress in attempts to cover up her femininity. This apron also takes on a similar role as a man's tool belt as he works the land. This initial description lends to the notion that Elisa wants to be stronger as a woman, to stand beyond the stereotype of a housewife. Other phrases used by Steinbeck further the above points. The author mentions that her face was "handsome," her work with the scissors was "over-powerful," and her fingers "destroyed such pests." This description shows an inner strength that Elisa possesses; yet she is unable to bring this out. She also hints to the reader that she would like to take on more masculine responsibilities after her husband Henry comments on the size and beauty of her chrysanthemums. He says that he wishes she'd work out in the orchard and "raise some apples that big." She reacts to this by saying "Maybe I could do it too. I've got a gift with things, all right. My mother had it. She could stick anything in the ground and make it grow.” All of these de...
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However, as Arthur Schlesinger Jr. argues, “presidential primacy, so indispensable to the political order, has turned into supremacy, and we can see an appropriation by the presidency of powers reserved by the constitution and by long historical practice to congress.” Although following president Richard Nixon’s resignation, Congress was resurgent and the foreign policy power of the presidency appeared to be waning, in the post-September 11 era, in dealing with terrorism, the Bush administration pushes the boundaries on the presidential use of force and threats the balance between the executive and legislative branches. However, Congress approved Bush’s request for $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan with little changes and failed to deal with the Iraqi prison abuse scandal. In the post-9/11 era Congress has failed to arrest the growth of the imperial presidency in foreign policy, rendering the WPR little more than a symbolic declaration of lost
Through the stereotypes, it is examined how different characters have saved themselves from being a part of the stereotype or have become a victim to the stereotype. The essay explores the examples of both Americanized and those who maintain the culture publicly, as well as changes in comic book characters after traumatic events in American History, such as World War II and 9/11.
...and sidewalks, there is a perception of an increased sense of community and decreased isolation among the community, which helps members of the community to engage in physical activity (“Recommendations to increase,” n.d.). Based on our assessment and literature that supports the link between environmental structures and physical activity, accessibility and the quality of environmental structures may be linked to physical inactivity in Talbot.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a roman philosopher that lived from 4 B.C. to 65 A.D., offered some of the most influentially inspiring writings that argue the very purpose of life and the inward reflection of oneself. Seneca was a confidant of the Roman Emperor Nero and towards the end of his life procured many letters and writings of his beliefs to mentees. He is considered a major influence on the Christian theology because of the comparison between the morality expressed in his philosophy and verses in the Christian bible; specifically those concerning money and wealth as a path to evil and the treatment of man to one another. His philosophy expanded the traditional views of stoicism; a Hellenistic ideology that addresses the ways in which one
Technology is one of the most important things in everyone’s life. Technology improves every day. in regards to today’s youth, they were born with all the new technological inventions as opposed to our parents. In “Quality Time, Redefined” by Alex Williams, published in the New York Times, the author talks about the positive and negative effects on technology. I enjoyed this reading because it related my personal day to day life. Even though some Americans acknowledge that technology is a part of their everyday life, they do not see the negative outcome of technology, they are blinded only by the positive aspects.
Comic books have been used in a number of ways. Besides as an entertainment source they also have been a way to introduce children to reading. This is proved true by the annual event held nationwide called “free comic book day”, which held on the first Saturday of May. With their well-drawn pictures and colorful characters, comic books have been successful in that area. Howev...
Comic books may not be considered in the same realm as the great novels of F.Scott Fitzgerald and George Orwell; some don’t even consider comics literary works but there is a viable argument to justify their presence as culturally important pieces of literature. Similar to the great novels of our time, comics express the difficulties of human nature and are timeless works (Kalstein Web). The content of these short stories can be used as primary sources of popular culture as they are filled with historical references and have been influential in guiding the thoughts of the nation through their patriotic content over time, leaving an impactful mark in history.
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“The Golden Age of Comics” PBS. PBS, 2011 Web. Retrieved on February 11 2014 from http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/the-golden-age-of-comics/
Popular culture is often dismissed as frivolous, unimportant or simply mindless entertainment, both by media critics and by academics. However, it is important to examine and think critically about popular culture and what it can tell us about the society that we live in. In the specific case of the relationship between gender and popular culture, popular culture is informed by the way gender is structured and the structure of gender is, in part, reinforced by popular culture.