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Brutes In Today's Society

In our American Studies class we have been talking about race.  One of the topics we have been going over are typical stereotypes that were used in slave times.  We were asked if these stereotypes were still present in today's society.  The answer is yes.

The BRUTE was a typical stereotype after slavery was abolished.  This term was brought up because people thought that freed African Americans we these savage mean animals.  This was really a fear for some people because they were scared to even be around a African American just because they thought they would kill them.    

I believe that this sterotype is still around and it is portayed in rap music.  Rap music is assoceated with this tough ganster type thugs that people are supposed to be scared of.  A perfect example of this thug type would be the rapper 50 Cent. 

This just renforces the stereotype that the brute is a person to be scared of.  It also is about there lyrics in there songs that promote this brute attitudes alot of them but not all of them are about hurting people and killing people.  People who have never heard rap music and listen to the lyrics could be scared by the things they say. 

 

 

Madea, the Symbol of the Typical Black Woman?

Tyler Perry, other wise known as Madea,is a global symbol of the typical African Amercian woman.  Being naturally agressive, yet at the same time caring to others in the house hold.  Being a man of great sense of humor, could his symbol be seen as a racistal figure as well? think of Madea from another race's point of view, how would you react towards black females knowing they could be like this symbol and be aggressive at any moment? would you be afraid to aproach said females?  These are the questions that come along with modern day society. 

There are many things that can be used to descibe african american females, but tyler perry likes to stick to the "facts" and "stories" that come along with this culture of females.  In african american households, the female is portrayed as the ruler of the house.  She lays the laws essentially, but at the same time she isn't the ruler. The african american male obeys the females rules but he knows he is controlling, but doesn't need to say so.  Basically speaking, the African american female plays a strong role in her household.

superstitious

In the novel The Seventh Son, the devil is described to a young man named Alvin.  The describer states that the devil looks like "the horns of a bull, claws of a bear, hooves of a goat, and has the roar of a ravening lion."  The young man replies to this saying "An you call us superstitious."  From this conversation between two characters, i wonder if ones self can believe in a religion and at the same time, not believe it is indeed superstitious... 

Within the novel itself, a family called the Millers, see themselves as a superstitious family, The local Reverend "thrower", also see's it this way.  As a reader, in some sense i see the Reverend himself as a superstitous person.  He tries his best to force a religion onto a young man, who is uncapable of understanding the figure "god".  Is this how he should spread such a godly religion? i think not.  Along with that note, he wishes to kill the young man because the thinks he is the devil.  Being a man of god, could he take gods power into his "own" hands to kill one of "gods creations"?

In some sense i belive that the image of god we ourselfs have created is somewhat superstitious, no human on earth has ever seen this "God" but we still believe he is there.  Other cultures have many gods..doesnt it seem unnessesary to have multiple gods that withhold the same powers? could it not be possible that one "god" created us all, and not the the power of multiple "gods"?  For that matter, wouldnt having "A" god be superstitious enough? i believe that this "god" might just be a figure of the human imagination, and at the same time just a figure of history, not actually a person.

The frontier helps The American Identity.

The frontier helps the American identity because living and surviving out on the frontier makes us look better to other people who don't know what we have to go to live. Living out on the frontier is a difficult thing to do because its a free for all type of living, move there with your family, looking for land large enough for you, create a house, and live against the wild and thrive and there are many threats to your life and your families. Animals, other people, or sickness. If other countries who think we are just lavished and all of our people are rich, I feel like they will give us respect for what a majority of people have to do to live. The idea of a rugged individual is created from men living out on the frontier. People who are rich and always inside living the "cozy" life aren't going to be much of a rugged individual. I also feel that being a rugged person is looked at by other people from other countries as being a group of people that they don't want to deal with, or they would want to ally with them. Frontier is something that not all countries population have to go through that we the people have to go through.  

Boston Massacre

I honestly feel that the English had the right to shoot at the town people because people can only take so much and the town people were stupid of somebody in my face gun cocked back anf ready to shoot at me im not about to tell them to shoot me, thats just telling them you want to die. I understand you didnt want them there but the town people were dumb you try to get them to shoot they shoot and then they win the case. Next time you want to make an angry mob try thinking it out 

Seventh Son...So Far

 Seventh Son by Alvin Miller is the book, tht we should all know by know, that we are all reading in class. i would liek to first start by stating, WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THIS BOOK?! no liek really, when i first started reading it and hearing about tht damned chicken and it wanting nips outts Peggy, i was like "Aight, I Aint Never Going." truly it's such a wierd book and i dont know what is wrong with Alvin Miller. No disrespect, but i think the whole concept of making this a fantasy book was a lilttle bit off.

But then i really thought about it.  How would fantasy tie in with the Colonial Times?  then it popped into my head.  As the settlers moved West, they could only fantasize would the land would be like since it was such a new frontier to them.  thats what the book has started off with.  Alvin Senior and his family heading west towards new land so that they could become prosperous and hopefully become rich. 

Alvin played around with this idea and i thought it was a good one, in an allegorical sense.  But what i have yet to understand is the purpose of having the Seventh son and having people have magic abilities anyway.  If you can, someone please explain to me or write your own opinions.  thank you =0

Boston Massacre Review

Well from what I learned about the Boston Massacre in class lately was that Captain Preston and his soldiers came to the square because civillians were complaining and rioting about the taxes, debts needed to be paid, and people were owing money to others, etc. People were getting hurt because of this. Tar and feathers was used to scare others and were used on people speaking out. A good amount of people died during the massacre including a former black slave Crispus Attucks. The seven soldiers and Preston were all tried in court and they all ended up being not guilty. There were several witnesses in this crime but they all were saying same , but different views on what happened. People speculated over Preston's location in the massacre and witnesses say that he was in front of the army or in the back but no one was sure. Im glad I wasn't born back then, things seemed violent and chaotic.

 

The Chicago Art Institute

Let me start off by saying, that trip was fricking amazing. It was so enjoyable to see all the art work that they had on display.  My favorite part of the museum had to be the Contemporary and Modern Art in the museum.  I felt like I could really connect with the topics that the artist were trying to potray since of course thse were the most recent pieces of art work.  And also i was able to connect with it easily. 

It was really interesting to see how the artist could use so many different techniques to make one potrait.  for instance, the tree log was outstanding to me.  Of course they had to take it apart to get it in the museum, but i just felt like I resprsented more than a rotting piece of wood.  It was a symbol of how something something so big and strong that can last for hundreds of years can be brought down so easily my modern times. 

Or the one of the George Washignton pieces.  The artist took the potrayal of comic books, which is made withdots, and made a sort of 3D image of our first president. 

The most interesting piece if art to me was the Human Nature/Life Death, 1983. Follow the link and post your opinion of the artwork. 

A Day At The Art Institute

 

Our american studies class went on the 1st field trip to the Art Insitute of Chicago to explore artwork and talk about American Society. This picture above is the stairs thats in the middle of the building. I found it interesting because the words were different colors and speaked alot about things in out society.
The second picture is like a classic photo. Everyone has probably seen it or heard about it. I like this painting because of the texture thats used like you can see and feel how its made. The painting creates a warm bright feeling and it explains how one day everyone has umbrellas and sitting on the grass by a lake. The painting creates a realistic feeling.

The field trip made me learn about what art is and how it can tell a story and how you can be so creative with little or no materials. I liked the experience.

Salzburg Witch Trials

In the years of 1675-1690, a unique witch hunt accrued where the hunt for an accused witch led to the deaths of many people. In the year 1675, a women by the name of Barbara Kollerin was arrested in Salzburg Austria for theft and sorcery. During her trial, she confessed that her son, Paul Jacob Kolle was involved in witch-craft. After her execution, the authorities began to search for Kolle who became known as the Jackl. As the police unsuccessfully searched for the Jackl, they presumed he was dead until they found a 12 year old handicap boy by the name of Feldner Bettlerbub Dionysos. Dionysos claimed that the Jackl was teaching kids and teens in the slums how to preform black magic. After Dionysos's confession, officials arrested many beggars and other young poor people from the slums. Many of the arrested teens told the authorities that the Jackl could turn invisible and could prevent crops from growing. Many people began to fear him and the police started to refuse to pursue Kolle in fear of being killed by his witchcraft. However, poor teens were still being arrested for being followers of the Jackl. Many gang members were targeted by the police for performing witch craft. By 1690, 139 people were either hung, decapitated, or burned alive. Although many were hunted and killed, the Jackl was never found.

African Crucible

The African Crucible exist in northern Angola. In 2007 Domingo, 12 years old, was accused by relatives of being a witch. When he was 12 his father died all of a sudden and doctors did not have a answer to what caused his death. Domingo's family tortured him while calling him a witch until he confessed that he was the cause of his fathers death. 432 children have been abused or abandoned after being called witches. 

Also a mother blinded her 14 year old daughter with bleach because she believed that it will help with getting rid of evil visions. A few months later a father made his son drink battery acid because he thought that his son was a witch. 

Witch Crap. . .

4. Could we have another witchcraft hysteria in present-day America -- even if it's not exactly about witchcraft?

I honestly feel like we "could" have another witchcraft hysteria in present day america. I feel people got bored with themselves and started this whole thing anyway. Just because it all started in 1692 and its 2010 now there is no change in the way people act. Personally I dont believe that this stuff is real, and im sure there are other people that feel the same as me. It still amazes me that this topic was a HUGE problem back then. I feel humans go over and beyond for anything cause theres crazy people in this world!! If I were to yell "witch" and point at a random lady theres a select few people who would look and laugh, because yet again ill say some people really dont believe that witches, and goblins, and anything else in that nature are real. BUT then there would be the CRAZY people who would go along with me and fall out saying shes hurting them with her eyes.<-- CRAZYY PEOPLE BEING DRAMATIC!!! I strongly feel back 1692 they killed innocent people. I dont believe anyone was a "actual" witch. But this is where humans bring out there acting skills and once you tell yourself something and start to believe it, it becomes real to you and to others. Then people get out of control and start to go over board, and start lieing, and start acting as if something is wrong with them when its really not. No matter how old the world is or the time frame were all going to be the same. 

Betty:The Victim of Witchcraft.

    In the play crucible, there is definitely one character that is very interesting compared to the other characters in the play write. Her name is Betty and she is 10 years old. She was caught in the forest with a slave and assumed she was under the witch craft of this particular slave. She was then in a "sick" position where she couldn't really move or even eat.

    She is the most interesting because she was the only one that was effected from that night. It was more than her there but she was the only one that ended up sick in the situation.Her conflicts were that she and her fellow friends were being accused of being apart of witchcraft.

    This particular conflicts reflects conflicts that every human has to face because in life many people are being accused for things that they are not. And when you feel the need to do so, most of the time your accusations are false.

He May Be A Communist

These sets of clips shot how Americans were so over whelmed with the Red Scare that the became to accuse people for being a communist just buy the way they acted or looked.  I also shows that you could even have family members in the Communist Party and not know about it.  Over this time America was in a state of shock because the didn't know who to trust.  This just shows the fear and the extreme ways that people back then tried to find out who was a communist.  These ways sometimes work but other times they just send the wrong people to jail. 

Martin Luther King Jr. vs. Malcom X

Martin Luther King Jr was about getting the peace but with out the violence, Malcome X was for if someone hit you, you hit them right back. But which way was better? I don't think that either one was better than the other i just think that whatever you felt was right was what you should have done. I think that both of the men were great men and did a good job for fighting for what they believed and that American would be a lot different if they had not stood up for what was right. It was horrible that both of them were taken from the earth when they were still so young.