Lord Of The Flies :: essays research papers

Lord of flies Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the “Lord of Flies'; William Golding does tell us a story about a group of English boys stranded on a Pacific Island, in the literal level but in a more allegorical level he tells a story about corruption of innocence, brutality/savagery and victimisation/prejudice through the characters of Ralph, Jack, Piggy and Simon. Interesting stylistic features such as symbolism and omnipotent narrator make this story more than just a simple story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph can be seen as a fair head boy, tall, well built and the major character of the novel. In a deeper sense Ralph represents Law, order and authority but not in a tyrannic way, he also represents democracy and justice. It is also through his eyes we see loss of innocence. “…Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart…'; In the above quote Ralph cries after piggy is killed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack can be seen as a cruel, ugly, skinny, and the leader of choir at first then the leader of hunters. In a deeper sense Jack represents dictatorship and a primitive hunter. His leadership depends on in the ability to threaten and frighten those under him. His victory over piggy represents the triumph of violence over intellect, his knife represents death and destruction. It is through jack we see Brutality and savagery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Piggy is a typical obese young boy with brains, but in more he can be seen as a boy with civilised and scientific mind. His scientific mind can be seen when he talks about the beast: “ I know there isn’t not beast- not with claws and all that…'; It is through Piggy we see victimisation/prejudice. “Shut up fatty!';(Jack) “ You let me speak I got the conch…'; In the above quote we see piggy being the victim because of his low class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Simon is a sensitive, epileptic and religious boy who is wiling to work and is brave in the face of physical danger. He is right about “beast'; but is wrong in underestimating the power of this evil. He discovers in the conversation with lord of flies the even he contains the evil within and it cannot be destroyed physically. Simon the Saint was the only hope for the new society but unfortunately he is mistaken for the beast and killed by the savages including Piggy and Ralph. ‘What I mean is... Maybe it’s only us.’ In this quote Simon shows us his common sense and reasoning.

Racism in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay

Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and other black anti-racist leaders fought against discrimination. They fought a battle that has gone on longer than many people have been around, back in the 1800’s. In the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by Mark Twain, twain wants us to see how this battle rages on today, affecting many people’s everyday lives. The book itself is very racist toward African Americans in which the word â€Å"nigger† is used. Many people use this word today, but back when Huck was around using vulgar discriminating words was a regular thing. So the question is how is racism still shown today in the 20th century and the relationship in how Twain describes it in his book? First racial thing in the book is when Toms talking to Huck about breaking Jim out of jail. Tom says, â€Å"Give a nigger a inch and he e’ll† (88). When he says this he is saying that if you give a black person freedom, it’s giving them way too much. But Huck isn’t fond of using such a poignant word to Jim. Racism plays a big part when the King and the Duke show up on the raft with them. When they stay with the girls in the house, the sophomoric type of Duke says â€Å"I should ‘a’ reckoned the differences in the rank would sejested that a corn-shuck bed wont fit for me to sleep on . Your Grace’ll take the shuck bed yourself† (126). This shows his destitute for taking Jim seriously as a person and not just some dumb slave. The use of racist and vulgar words was constantly heard from the white adults as well as the children in the novel. â€Å"Â…was Jim a runaway nigger?†(126). Out of all the pieces of literature this book is known by many people worldwide, not only does things in this book still happen today, we can all relate this book. The lack of care the whites had for blacks, thus, the whites have lost nearly all of their respect. This was Mark Twain’s indirect way of showing the whites inequality to the blacks. In today’s age, the ideas of racism have definitely changed. Slavery is no more, and even the use of such language as â€Å"nigger,† is considered vulgar. But, as children such as Huck and Tom grew up considering slavery the â€Å"normal,† children today grow up learning the exact opposite.

The Gullah or Geechee Community

The Gullah people of South Carolina and Georgia have a fascinating history and culture. Also known as the Geechee, the Gullah are descended from African slaves who were prized for their ability to grow crucial crops such as rice. Due to geography, their culture was largely isolated from white society and from other slave societies. They are known for having preserved a tremendous amount of their African traditions and language elements. Today, approximately 250,000 people speak the Gullah language, a rich mixture of African words and the English that was spoken hundreds of years ago. The Gullah are currently working to ensure that future generations and the general public know about and respect the Gullah past, present, and future. Geography of the Sea Islands The Gullah people inhabit many of the one hundred Sea Islands, which stretch along the Atlantic Ocean coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida. These marshy tidal and barrier islands have a humid subtropical climate. Sea Island, St. Helena Island, St. Simons Island, Sapelo Island, and Hilton Head Island are some of the most important islands in the chain. Enslavement and Atlantic Voyage Eighteenth-century plantation owners in South Carolina and Georgia wanted slaves to work on their plantations. Because growing rice is a very difficult, labor-intensive task, plantation owners were willing to pay high prices for slaves from the African Rice Coast. Thousands of people were enslaved in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, and other countries. Before their voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the slaves waited in holding cells in Western Africa. There, they began to create a pidgin language to communicate with people from other tribes. After their arrival in the Sea Islands, the Gullah blended their pidgin language with the English spoken by their masters. Immunity and Isolation of the Gullah The Gullah grew rice, okra, yams, cotton, and other crops. They also caught fish, shrimp, crabs, and oysters. Gullah had some immunity to tropical diseases like malaria and yellow fever. Because plantation owners did not have immunity to these diseases, they moved inland and left the Gullah slaves alone in the Sea Islands for much of the year. When the slaves were freed after the Civil War, many Gullah bought the land that they worked on and continued their agricultural way of life. They remained relatively isolated for another one hundred years. Development and Departure By the mid-20th century, ferries, roads, and bridges connected the Sea Islands to the mainland United States. Rice was also grown in other states, reducing the rice output from the Sea Islands. Many Gullah had to change their way of earning a living. Many resorts have been built in the Sea Islands, causing lingering controversy over ownership of the land. However, some Gullah now work in the tourism industry. Many have left the islands for higher education and employment opportunities. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas spoke Gullah as a child. The Gullah Language The Gullah language has developed over four hundred years. The name Gullah probably derives from the Gola ethnic group in Liberia. Scholars have debated for decades over classifying Gullah as a distinct language or merely a dialect of English. Most linguists now regard Gullah as an English- based Creole language. It is sometimes called Sea Island Creole. The vocabulary is comprised of English words and words from dozens of African languages, such as Mende, Vai, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. The African languages also greatly influenced Gullah grammar and pronunciation. The language was unwritten for much of its history. The Bible was recently translated into the Gullah language. Most Gullah speakers are also fluent in standard American English. Gullah Culture The Gullahs of the past and present have an intriguing culture that they deeply love and want to preserve. Customs, including storytelling, folklore, and songs, have been passed down through generations. Many women make crafts like baskets and quilts. Drums are a popular instrument. The Gullahs are Christians and attend church services regularly. Gullah families and communities celebrate holidays and other events together. The Gullah enjoy delicious dishes based on the crops they traditionally grew. Great efforts have been made to preserve the Gullah culture. The National Park Service oversees the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. A Gullah Museum exists on Hilton Head Island. Firm Identity The story of the Gullahs is very important to African-American geography and history. Its interesting that a separate language is spoken off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. The Gullah culture will undoubtedly survive. Even in the modern world, the Gullah are an authentic, unified group of people that deeply respect their ancestors values of independence and diligence.