Pocahontas: A Great American Myth Essay -- Native Americans History Es

Pocahontas: A Great American Myth John Smith's tales of the Indian princess, Pocahontas, have, over time, encouraged the evolution of a great American myth. According to this myth, which is common knowledge to most Americans, Pocahontas saved Smith from being killed by her father and his warriors and then fell in love with John Smith. Some versions of the myth popular among Americans include the marriage of Smith and Pocahontas. Although no one can be sure of exactly what happened almost four-hundred years ago, most historians agree that the myth is incorrect. Pocahontas did not save John Smith's life from "savages" and never showed any affection for him. The events of her life differ greatly from the myth Americans have created. Historians, such as Nancy Egloff, of the Jamestown settlement, believe Smith created the story of his attempted murder to gain fame (Vincent 1). Our sole evidence that Pocahontas saved Smith's life comes from his story in The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles (1624), but this may not be a reliable source. According to Smith, he was captured by Indians, taken to their chief, Powhatan, and was to be killed, but Pocahontas, Powhatan's daughter, saved his life (111). John Smith was captured by the Indians, but whether he was to be killed by them in the ceremony which he describes in The General History of Virginia is not certain. Smith describes a scene where all of the Indians gather around him, place his head on a stone, and Pocahontas lays her head on top of his to save him from being clubbed to death (111). Historians believe that this was not an attempt to "beat out his brains," as Smith describes (111), but rather an adoption ceremony. The Indians merely welcomed Smith into the tribe, for after the ceremony, Chief Powhatan named him his son, which Smith also describes in his General History, but attributes his acceptance to Pocahontas' love for Englishmen. This ceremony was actually a traditional ritual of the tribe, and Pocahontas played a designated role in that ritual (Chief Crazy Horse). She accepted Smith as her brother in the ritual, while Smith believed she saved his life from ruthless savages. Smith may have misinterpreted an Indian ritual, or he may have romanticized the story to gain fame, which many believe was typical of him. Some believe Smith's captivity may never have occurred... ...ey's further dramatization of the myth: It is unfortunate that this sad story, which Euro-Americans should find embarrassing, Disney makes "entertainment" and perpetuates a dishonest and self-serving myth at the expense of the Powhatan Nation. (3) Perhaps we, as Americans, enjoy this romantic tale of Indians and Europeans, our ancestors, uniting. We therefore continue to relay this obstruction of the truth from generation to generation, until the truth is no longer recognizable. Works Cited "Pocahontas." Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. Online. Internet. January 24, 1998. Available at http: //www.apva.org /history/ pocahont.html. "John Smith." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Baym, Nina et. all. 4th ed. Vol. 1. New York: Norton, 1994. 111. Chief Roy Crazy Horse. "Pocahontas Myth." Powhatan Nation. Online. Internet. January 24, 1998. Available http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html. "Pocahontas." Columbia Concise Encyclopedia: Microsoft Bookshelf. Microsoft Corporation: 1993. 1. Vincent, Mal. "Preview: the historical Pocahontas." Online. Internet. 24 Jan. 1998. Available http://www.pilotonline.com/movies/mv0620his.html

Anne Carson Essay

â€Å"Early one morning words were missing.† When I first read Short Talks, I had difficulty understanding why Anne Carson wrote about what she did, and thought that some words must have been missing. I was confused as to how they all fit together and it was only after further consideration that I came to see how the sections unite into one cohesive piece. Anne Carson’s Short Talks is a series of short reflections on different subjects that at first do not seem to be related, but through her use of cyclical images and consistent use of historical facts in fiction, the piece gains a cohesive quality that unifies the work. Throughout this piece Anne Carson references many historical figures. She mentions many famous people, including Frans Kafka, Gertrude Stein, Prokofiev, and Sylvia Plath, and by referencing these people she borrows from the authority they hold in the readers mind to strengthen her own work. She even references Frans Kafka multiple times, which acts to reinforce her authority. She references him first in the short talk â€Å"On Rectification† about his life and wife, and then brings him up again in â€Å"On The Anatomy†. By having her texts refer back onto themselves in an authoritative way, she strengthens her reliability in the reader’s mind as well as the relatedness of the different Talks. Anne Carson goes further than just bringing up historical figures. She also references many historical works of art as well as facts. The way in which she does this unifies her talks in a way that seems scientifically reliable. It appears as though she has facts to base her talks on, which stops the reader from wondering for too long if she is any sort of authority on the subject. She places these historical references throughout the text to curb the readers questions, as if to say â€Å"look, I’m not making this up, see this fact? I am talking about real things, go look it up if you want.† She starts off the talks with a fact asserted alongside her assumptions. In â€Å"Homo sapiens† she says the phases of the moon were inscribed on the handles of the tools, so they could be â€Å"reminded of her presence† while they worked. While the tools may actually have had the phases of the moon inscribed upon them, it does not mean the inscriptions were used for th at purpose at all. Anne Carson asserts historical assumptions with historical fact consistently throughout her text, which serves to unify the text. Yep, she plays with that strict division between fact and fiction. I think she is showing us that the way she knows these facts is filtered through her aesthetics and her particular way of perceiving — even though she is a classics scholar, her facts are inevitably fictionalized. Anne Carson also uses many cyclical imagery to unite her work. There are many reappearing images in this work, including the moon, travel, and art, but one great use of imagery is her use of water. Water appears in many of the talks, including â€Å"On Waterproofing†. This short talk is particularly important because it gives a deeper meaning to the appearance of water. This is a very strong, emotionally charged, talk, and whenever water appears in the peace emotions seem to flow with it. In â€Å"On Waterproofing† the mother dies shortly after the father shines her shoes so they are â€Å"waterproof†. Water also appears again when she is looking for her lost lover she crosses rivers, and the strong emotions of loss are again connected with water. Water is also a very cyclical element. Water exists in the water cycle, and the water cycle is also related to the moon and its cycles. These are wonderful details to notice. I loved these sections too! Water is also important in more subtle ways throughout the text. In â€Å"On Trout† the cyclical nature of water is more subtly referred to. Trout live their lives entirely in the water, and their life cycle depends on swimming upstream to spawn. Anne Carson says that some trout do not spawn upstream, and says that these â€Å"remaining trout† survive the winter by finding somewhere very deep in the water to hide. This reference brings up imagery of both the water cycle and the life cycle of trout, but also reinforces the watery imagery throughout the text, which ultimately serves to unite the short talks as a whole.

The bourgeoisie and proletariat classes according to Karl Marx essays

The bourgeoisie and proletariat classes according to Karl Marx essays One basic tenet Karl Marx's defines in his famous Manifesto of the Communist Party is the distinguishing characteristics of two opposing social classes, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat classes. These classes can easily be defined as those who gain wealth (bourgeoisie) from the working class (proletariat). While the bourgeoisie class continues to gain wealth and power, the proletariat falls in a downward spiral of social and economic crisis. This paper will examine how each class differs according Marx's theory illustrates a good versus evil society. In his manifesto, he says, "Society as a whole is more and more splitting into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat" (Marx). He predicts that a "haunting specter of Communism" (Marx) is looming ahead in the future, unleashing a revolution that will overthrow economic forces, and governments as well as social and cultural forces that exist in capitalist countries. Marx urges this overthrow by the proletariat class, asking them to liberate themselves and unify under the Communist Party. Communism will lead them in a revolutionary action that will overthrow the bourgeoisie and thus win them the world, which the bourgeoisie has created. (Lavine 306) According to Marx, the bourgeoisie is: Unfit to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot help letting him sink into such a state, that it has to feed him, instead of being fed by him. Society can no longer live under this bourgeoisie; in other words, its existence is no longer compatible with society. (Marx) According to T. Z. Lavine, author of The Philosophic Quest: From Socrates to Sartre, Marx identifies the proletariat class is the "most revolutionary class" that has existed up till this present time. The b...

Pros and Cons of a Dry Campus Essay Example

Pros and Cons of a Dry Campus Essay Example Pros and Cons of a Dry Campus Paper Pros and Cons of a Dry Campus Paper Essay Topic: Pros and Cons Every year, universities always have the same issue regarding alcohol. Students are constantly getting in trouble for possession or consumption. Here at Eastern Connecticut State University, the policy is a dry campus. This means that alcohol is completely prohibited on campus. There are many opinions when it comes to this choice, as there are also many pros and cons to it. One pro of having a dry campus is that students can find other events to go to. Eastern often offers other events where students can do and socialize, promoting a night without alcohol. Students can also join clubs, intramurals, sports, etc. All of these clubs and events offer a positive influence on the students by keeping them busy. According to a friend and student of the school, one event that the University of Maryland sponsors is the â€Å"Spring Party Challenge. † This is where students are encouraged to throw the best party possible without the availability of alcohol. The winner of this event will receive $300 and two runner-ups will receive $100 each. Although Eastern does not offer an event like this, it does have other fun things to do like the monthly â€Å"Fridays After Dark† events or even free pancakes on Thursday nights sponsored by the Christian Fellowship group. Another pro of having a dry campus is for the school itself. Because more than half the students at universities are underage, having a dry campus is a smart choice for schools. This is because it makes them not liable for any incidents that may happen to their students involving alcohol. With a written document, it’s rather difficult to blame the school for anything that could happen. An issue involving this is the amount of death of college students throughout the years. According to Collegedrinkingprevention. rg, â€Å"1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 died from alcohol-related unintentional injuries including motor vehicle crashes† (article reviewed in 2010, year of statistic not available). The issue here is that by making a school a dry campus, students are more prone to not drink on the properties, thus making it a safer campus. On the other hand, students will go out to drink, trying to avoid getting written up. Students will drive off of camp us to go somewhere else, then having to drive back home afterwards. The problem with this that it will leave students stranded or making poor decisions, particularly without a designated driver. From personal experience, I’ve gotten a ride from a friend who said he was â€Å"alright† to drive, only later finding out that he was â€Å"buzzed. † His reasoning for volunteering to drive was that it was his car and we needed to get back to campus. Once safely on campus, he admitted that he should not have gotten behind the wheel because he knew it was dangerous. If the campus is not dry, then students are more likely to stay on campus to enjoy a few drinks, reducing the amount of drunk driving. Continuing on cons, another reason that students dislike having a dry campus is that they feel as though they aren’t as independent as they like to be. A lot of students choose to live on campus because they want to escape their parents and live life they way they chose. I feel that students should have the choice of drinking or not drinking, regardless of their age. I believe that it should be his/her choice as to whether or not they want to go to class with a splitting headache or if they choose to do something stupid while intoxicated. These students are old enough to make decisions and they should know what is right and wrong. We are old enough to fend for ourselves and to decide what we want to do with our lives. If we choose to spend all our money and skip classes the next day because of alcohol, then so be it. We are making these choices; therefore we should learn to live with the consequences. Personally, I feel that although all these deaths and injuries that occur because of alcohol, is actually the person. Yes there are more alcohol related incidents for college students, but that’s also because these students have no self-control and are not responsible for what they are doing. However, it’s not just happening in college. It’s happening everywhere, regardless of location. I do believe, however, that students who are underage should get punished when caught because they are breaking a law, not just a rule. In conclusion, I am not completely sure whether or not it is better to have dry campus. There are a lot of cons but there are also a lot of pros to it too. I think that it depends on the students and geography of the school.

Liquidity - Dictionary Definition of Liquidity

Liquidity - Dictionary Definition of Liquidity Liquidity refers to how quickly and cheaply an asset can be converted into cash. Money (in the form of cash) is the most liquid asset. Assets that generally can only be sold after a long exhaustive search for a buyer are known as illiquid. Terms related to Liquidity: Liquidity TrapLiquidity ConstraintThe Keynes Effect Resources on Liquidity: What Happens if Interest Rates Go To Zero?What is Money? Writing a Term Paper or High School / College Essay? Here are a few starting points for research on Liquidity: Books on Liquidity Financial crises, liquidity, and the international monetary system - Jean Tirole, Princeton, and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2002.Cash flow forecasting and liquidity - Brian Coyle, Chicago, Ill. : New York: Glenlake Pub. Co., 2000.Managing corporate liquidity - Chicago: New York: Glenlake Pub., 1999 (2nd edition). Journal Articles on Liquidity Order Imbalance, Liquidity, and Market Returns - Tarun Chordia, Journal of Financial Economics v65, n1 (July 2002): 111-30.Domestic and International Supply of Liquidity - Bengt Holstrom, American Economic Review v92, n2 (May 2002): 42-45.Bank Bailouts and Aggregate Liquidity - Douglas W. Diamond, American Economic Review v92, n2 (May 2002): 38-41.A Dual Liquidity Model for Emerging Markets - Ricardo J. Caballero, American Economic Review v92, n2 (May 2002): 33-37.Liquidity Risk and Specialness - Andrea Buraschi, Journal of Financial Economics v64, n2 (May 2002): 243-84.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 319

Assignment Example The location of Parkville avoids it from direct sun’s overhead. d. [10 pts] On the back of this sheet, draw a diagram showing the titled Earth during the winter solstice.Mark the Equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, and Parkville which is at 39Â °N latitude; then add the sun’s incoming parallel rays. Show where on Earth the sun reaches zenith during the winter solstice. 3. [30 pts] In the table below, fill in the altitude (i.e. the angle above the horizon) of the sun when it crossed the meridian (maximum altitude, around noon) for the different times of the year. (An altitude of 0Â ° means on the horizon. An altitude of 90Â ° means straight overhead, i.e. at zenith. Altitudes 90Â ° are not possible.) Use a value of 23.5Â ° for the axial tilt of the Earth. 1. [20 pts] In the table below, fill in the approximate time when the different moon phases are seen at the various locations. Choose from the following four answer choices: 12 PM (noon), 6PM (sunset), 12AM (midnight), 6 AM (sunrise). (Hint: Check out Figure 3.2 of your textbook.) f. [15 pts] After living on the moon a few months, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in alignment for what Earthlings call a lunar eclipse. When you look up at the Earth, what do you see? On the back, draw a diagram of this alignment. g. [15 pts] several more months later, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in alignment for what Earthlings call a solar eclipse. When you look up at the Earth, what do you see? On the back, draw a diagram of this

(no topic) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

(no topic) - Essay Example This code defines how people dress, build houses and their eating mannerisms. Cultural relativists assert that this code of ethics, cannot be declared as absolute truth or wrong, but it guides the activities of societal members. Societies are diverse due to their cultures and thus it is essential for people to understand their cultural diversity and learn to live in unity. This means tolerating each other and accepting that people are different. Consequently, unity in diversity and harmonious living become part and parcel of the society. Critics to this theory argue that societies have numerous similarities; they value virtues such as truth and preservation of human life. Therefore, there are some things which are universal among societies although societies exist as independent entities. Cultural relativism guides us not to assume that there are absolute truths to anything. It also urges us to be open-minded so as to cope with people from different societies (Rachels 8-11). The Golden Rule has its foundation on ethics. These are moral principles followed by an institution, society or organization. They have no significant variations across cultures and societies, and they are the foundation of responsible behavior. According to John Maxwell, the Golden Rule is that people want to be treated in a good manner (Maxwell 2-7). They always want to feel appreciated, valued and understood. Furthermore, this rule suggests that people have a strong passion for trust and respect. Therefore, they endeavor to obtain all these wants as they progress in their lives. On the other hand, Gensler’s Golden Rule suggests that people should treat others well if they would want them to reciprocate in the same manner (Gensler 5-15). Thus, one should not do something unpleasant to another person expecting the person to do something substantial in return. However, he does not mention the action to be done; whether it is positive or negative. Critics of this rule such as