The rulership that takes place within “This is what it means…” is known as a tribal government or sovereignty. These governments are ruled by the culture or tribe that exists in the space. In this case, the Native American tribes would choose their own people to be in charge, as seen when Victor visits the council. The council offers him money for his trip to pick up his father’s ashes, most likely funded by the outside government. The problem is that this enforces a culture only seen on the reservation. The Native Americans become accustomed to living under these conditions of colonization and make decisions that help them collectively, such as the small funding they provided to Victor, showing that they themselves are forced into their current living conditions because of a lack of money. These issues present themselves to Thomas, and his life on the reservation exists as the “Lone Storyteller”. He is separated from most of the group and lives his life trying to express his true identity relating to his culture.
Monthly Archives: December 2022
“Mine Eyes Have Seen”
“Mine Eyes Have Seen” holds a mirror up to the injustices that minority groups have faced through history. It, however, shows characters reacting to these injustices in a virtuous way. The reaction of the characters to the news of Chris’ draft is meant to uplift society and encourage citizens to look toward a brighter future instead of the dark past.
After finding out that his number was called, Chris laments at the past hardships that he and his people have faced in his country. He feels that he should not have to put his life on the line to defend a country that has never defended him or his family, as explained by Dan in the beginning of the play. The other characters explain that he has a duty to serve his country, regardless of if his country is serving him. Those around Chris who have been especially persecuted, Dan, Jake, and Ms. O’Neill, seem to be the loudest proponents of him fulfilling his duty to his country. I believe that, in Plato’s view, this story and its lessons would be in favor of his republic.
Erasure Poem (Saguaros by Javier Zamora)
The Proposal
Marriage proposal is how people want to propose. Everyone does it differently. Some guys go way overboard when they propose to their loved one. Some guys just ask the question straight up. Getting married is a big step in every person’s life, when you decide if you want to spend the rest of your life with that one person, grow together, and start a family together. In the play “The Marriage Proposal” by Anton Chekov, Lomov went to ask permission from the father Chubukov, for his daughter Natalya marriage proposal. The father said yes. The only reason Lomov is asking for her hand is because he thinks he is getting old. Lomov came to their home and started talking to Natalya, but they ended up arguing about the Oxen Meadow, who did it really belong to. Then they started to argue about whose dogs are better too. The father got involved and told them to kiss and to hurry up and get married. Nowadays social media plays a big part in people’s lives. People like to post their life on social media, especially marriage and how they got a proposal. Marriage proposal is up to how the person wants to ask their loved one to get married.
Chopin
Kate Chopin was a white Creole writer from Louisiana. While her race may not have been a factor in her writing, it is possible that it influenced her view of race in America. Chopin grew up in a time when America was still struggling to come to terms with its racial past. The Civil War had only ended a few decades earlier, and the country was still struggling with issues of reconstruction and race relations. Chopin’s story, “Desiree’s Baby,” deals with the issue of adoption and the feelings of a white woman who adopts a black child. While the story is fictional, it is based on real-life events and may reflect Chopin’s own views on race (Chopin, 345). It is possible that her experience as a white Creole woman influenced her view of race in America, which may have contributed to the complicated and often contradictory attitudes towards race that are found throughout her writing. However, it is also possible that Chopin’s experiences simply reflected the attitudes of 19th century America, which were complex and evolving. It is impossible to say for certain what role race played in Chopin’s writing, but it is an important consideration when reading her work.
Marriage Proposals
In the play, ‘The Proposal, ‘ Chekov shows how easily fights and hostility can destroy a couple’s relationship. He tries to pass the message that couples must learn to reign in their wrath to keep their relationship healthy. Arguing over little matters is counterproductive and destructive. Just like modern time proposals, in the play, we see Ivan going to propose to Natalya. Ivan asks for permission to marry Natalya, he approaches Natalya’s father and asks him to permit him to marry her daughter, and he accepts the proposal (Chekov). The play fits into the performative aspect of proposals because Ivan uses word of mouth to ask for Natalya’s hand in marriage.
Chekov’s play shows that people are given specific roles, ways of acting, and expectations based on their gender. There are ideas behind symbolic gendering in the play. A good example is when Ivan says he wants to marry Natalya because he believes she can be a good housekeeper because of her gender (Chekov). Even now, this same idea is still shown in today’s media, and it is an excellent way to remember that marriage proposals can be about power, gender roles, and expectations. We find that men desire to marry women who will be more submissive, while men are supposed to be more powerful and the head of families after marriage.
The marriage proposal is still reflected in gender today. People still value the idea of marriage proposals. The wedding is an important event in a person’s life; thus, to make it charming and lovely, a marriage proposal is significant since it establishes a harmonious and meaningful relationship between the man and the woman. A marriage proposal is the easiest way to determine how committed your partner is to the relationship and how much they want to make it stronger and more stable.
Dunbar-Nelson
Moral criticism evaluates literature and art based on their ability to teach piety and virtue. This approach to criticism was first proposed by Plato, who believed that art should be used to educate and uplift society. In his view, art should be used to teach moral lessons and promote virtuous behavior rather than depicting immoral or corrupting scenes.
One work of literature that can be evaluated using moral criticism is Alice Dunbar-Nelson’s play “Mine Eyes Have Seen.” This play is a historical drama about a group of enslaved Africans brought to the United States in the 1800s(Dunbar-Nelson). The play follows the struggles and triumphs of these characters as they navigate their new lives in the harsh and unforgiving world of slavery.
When evaluating this play using moral criticism, one might ask whether it teaches piety and virtue, as Plato envisioned. On the one hand, some might argue that the play promotes virtuous behavior. The characters in the play face numerous challenges and obstacles, but they always try to do what is right and moral, even in the face of great adversity. They show courage, compassion, and resilience in the face of unimaginable suffering and never give up hope. This is a clear example of the kind of moral instruction that Plato had in mind.
On the other hand, others might argue that the play does not exemplify moral criticism. In their view, the play does not depict virtuous behavior or teach moral lessons but shows the lowest strata of human behavior. The play’s characters are enslaved people subjected to unimaginable cruelty and violence. They are forced to work long hours in the fields and are punished harshly if they do not obey their masters. The play does not show the characters behaving virtuously but rather shows them being mistreated and oppressed.
Additionally, some might argue that the play is corrupting to its audience rather than uplifting. The play shows the brutal and degrading realities of slavery, and some might say this could damage the viewer. They might argue that the play does not promote virtuous behaviour but shows the worst aspects of human nature.
In conclusion, whether or not “Mine Eyes Have Seen” exemplifies moral criticism is a matter of interpretation. Some might argue that the play teaches piety and virtue, while others might say that it depicts the lowest strata of human behavior and is corrupting to its audience. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the play as a moral instruction tool can be debated and discussed.
Feminism in Ichiyo
In this short story, The Thirteenth Night, Oseki’s female character represents the status of women in the 19th century and the centuries before. Just like Ichiyo tried to get into a romantic relationship with her mentor, Nakarai Tōsui, hoping to get more connections to editors, the female character in the Thirteenth Night had to depend on what her father decided about her marriage, the financial power of her husband, and the need to protect her brother’s job.
Oseki’s experiences reflect what Ichiyo went through while growing up in Japan in the 19th century. Born and raised in a relatively poor family that was once relatively wealthy before things took a new turn, she experienced gender stereotypes from her mother. According to her mother, education was unnecessary for girls, and as a result, she made her stop attending school at the age of 11 despite her strong motivation to continue school. However, she did not have a say in this matter, just like Oseki does not have a say in ending the abusive marriage she is in.
Based on this story, women during this era had little power and also played limited roles in society, then. For instance, Oseki’s father reprimands her, mentioning that it is her responsibility, as a wife, to take care of her abusive husband. He states that her situation is not one of a kind and that many other women are leading unsatisfactory lives with their husbands, “your only responsibility is to Isamu—to make him happy and to manage his household” (Ichiyo 3). In her conversation with her father and mother, Oseki realizes that it is selfish for her to think of a divorce at a time when her own family belongs to a low social class, which also makes them more vulnerable to the potential demands of such a rich husband as Isamu.
In summary, to navigate the systems of power during this historical era, women had to compromise their feelings and thoughts for the sake of men and their children. Oseki, for instance, knows that divorcing Isamu would be the last time she would see her son, Taro, again. She vows to go back and watch over him like a ghost for his sake.
What Does THANKGIVING MEAN?
The meaning thanksgiving mean to me is the time to spend with the family and friends, loved ones. In school growing up the teachers teaches the children that Thanksgiving Day is when the pilgrims and the Native of American came together and had dinner together. My family is from Mexico, and we don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Having kids of my own I started to celebrate it. Teaching them the meaning of thanksgiving. Is a time to spend with family and loved ones, appreciate for the things we have and the people who are always there for us.
Marxism in The Thirteenth Night
In the short story, The Thirteenth Night, by Higuchi Ichiyo, a young woman, Oseki, is troubled in her marriage to an abusive husband named Isamu. However, she does not have the power to decide whether or not to divorce him independently. Her parents are concerned about the well-being of her brother, who is now employed by Isamu, which means that a divorce would affect his job and supplement the family income.
One of the things that Oseki learns from her run-in with Roku is that every person has their share of sadness or grief, based on their context or circumstances. Not everyone gets to fulfill their original wishes in life. Nevertheless, she discovers that Roku has always been in love with her, which is also the primary reason for his financial downfall since he discovered that Oseki was never going to marry him.
Through the lens of a Marxist theory, Oseki pities Roku, her former love, who is now in a lower social class than she is. According to Marxist theory, society is made up of different social classes, the middle, upper, and lower classes, which are in a constant state of conflict. In the current context, Oseki is now in the upper social class, while Roku is in the lower social class. This means that she takes her time to consider her marriage with Isamu as a better choice compared to how things would have been with Roku. In other words, she learns that she is probably lucky to have married Isamu, not Roku.
