After an economic depression in the 1930s, Americans underwent a phase of joy and expressed their excitement in a series of trends. One of the movements was the obsession over flamingos and the color pink. In the essay “The Plastic Pink Flamingo: A Natural History” by Jennifer Price, she talks about this vivacious tendency, but in reality she is mocking U.S. culture with her diction, tone, and allusions to show how Americans get easily obsessed with trends. Although she never clearly states her opinion of this trend, her point of view on U.S. culture can be seen through her word choice.
The Harlem Renaissance is a term that encompasses an intellectual and literary movement of the 1920s and 1930s. A renowned scholar, Alain Locke, argued that “Negro life is seizing its first chances for group expression and self determination” (1926). Moreover, The Harlem Renaissance refers to the re-birth of African Americans who needed “an affirmation of their dignity and humanity in the face of poverty and racism” (Gates, 1997: 929). In their research, Shukla and Banerji state the the Harlem Renaissance “can be considered as the spring of Afro-American voice” that previously remained unheard and unnoticed (2012). For the first time black musicians and artists came to the fore of attention and started to be praised for their work.
“Deadly Mind Traps” In the essay “Deadly Mind Traps” by Jeff Wise, the author gives real life examples of how our brains are hardwired or sometimes on autopilot, and make decisions based on what we humans think is logical. Sometimes these logical reactions, such as instinctively trying to save or rescue another human being from danger, or trying to grab a falling object, can work to our advantage. But in scenarios that are life threatening, we tend to get nervous. We start to feel added pressure and our ability to make sound decisions can disappear very quickly.
The Harlem Renaissance was a period in American history, which occurred in the 1920s in Harlem, New York. The cultural movement was an opportunity for African Americans to celebrate their heritage through intellectual and artistic works. Langston Hughes, a famous poet, was a product of the Harlem Renaissance. One notable piece of literature by Hughes is “Dream Deferred”. However, the discussion of African American culture isn’t limited to the 1920s.
Renaissance means rebirth of music, arts, poetry, and creativity The Harlem Renaissance did not only appeal to African Americans but whites also Harlem renaissance was often called the Roaring Twenties The Apollo Theatre and the Cotton Club was an important place during the harlem renaissance these clubs gave African Americans a chance to perform and express themselves. Apollo theatre help blacks start musical careers and give them opportunities Jazz music was made from the Harlem Renaissance African Americans moved to harlem to get jobs since they were unemployed due to the civil war The piano was a major instrument
Sampson Paquette Professor Edwards ENGL101C 9-13-2016 The Dance The essay: “Silent Dancing” By Judith Ortiz Cofer reflects on the transitional period in her life where herself and her immediate family made the move from Puerto Rico to the Big Apple, otherwise known as New York city. The timeline for the essay was set in the 1950’s where cultural fusion and blatant racism ran rampant in the streets.
The purpose of this essay is to provide a thorough yet concise explanation on the ways in which The Harlem Renaissance helped shaped the culture and perceptions of the “New Negro” in modern era of the 1920s and early 1930s. I will analyze the socioeconomic forces that led to the Harlem Renaissance and describe the motivation behind the outburst of Black American creativity, and the ideas that continue to have a lasting impact on American culture. In addition, I will discuss the effects as well as the failures of the movement in its relationship to power and resistance, highlighting key figures and events that are linked to the renaissance movement. During the 1920s and early 1930s New York City’s district of Harlem became the center of a cultural
Young adults seem to be achieving adulthood at a later time in life. Whether it’s college students going back to their home or living on their parents budget late into their lives, many adolescents seem to be achieving adulthood less and less in their twenties than generations before. In Henig’s article titled, “What Is It About 20-Somethings”, she states that “getting to what we would generally call adulthood is happening later than ever” (200). Trying to explain this new advancement, Henig sources Professor Jeffrey Arnett, who has introduced the rise of a new life stage, identified by exploring one 's identity, self-focus, and endless possibilities for the prospect called “emerging adulthood”. A bulk of the blame for the development of Arnett’s new stage of life that Henig explores can be sourced on the recent popularity of social media that is discussed in Maria Konnikova’s article “The Limits of Friendship”.
In his poem "Life Cycle of Common Man", Howard Nemerov is describing the stages that people, particularly men, go through in life. In a way, he is disparaging the lifestyle of the middle class in the 1960's. Although some say that the 60's were a time that was considered prosperous and easy-going, Nemerov shows how shallow he believed much of it was. He displays his wonderment for why people waste the time they are given on earth and use it for temporary things. In the first stanza Nemerov mentions the quantities of gin and coffee that the average man drank, as well as the amount of cigarettes smoked (lines 4-6), which demonstrates the volume of unhealthy substances consumed at the time.
The Harlem Renaissance was the cultural explosion that took place in Manhattan during the 1920’s and 30’s after World War I, peaking at 1928. It was here where African-American culture bursted into a flurry of nightclubs, speakeasies, community centers, cafes, publishing houses, and galleries. 1920-1930 was a party that lasted a decade, and Manhattan was the center of it. The Harlem Renaissance resulted in what came to be the Jazz Age and the blues, introducing musicians such as Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong; all at the Cotton
Guy Vanderhaeghe, author of “Dancing Bear”, explores both internal and external conflicts that man faces within society and within himself. Vanderhaeghe’s writing is intended to point out the importance and struggle of survival in literature. His work also presents the lives of those living troubled or dealing with a disability (Heath). The struggles of man versus man and man versus society are strongly spoken of within “Dancing Bear”. Vanderhaeghe describes a story of emotional battles of survival.
The male and female dancers, in Dark Matters choreographed by Crystal Pite, use movements throughout the dance that produce a visceral response from the audience. The performance begins with the two dancers partnering blissfully; they initiate their movements from the upper body and stay connected in some way. For these reasons one can conclude that the two dancers are comfortable, have a relationship with each other. The swaying section was brought to a complete stop when the woman collapses to the floor moving away from her partner. The man rushes over to her seeming to apologize to her, with a kiss.
The soulful rhythmic sounds of the Harlem streets, flowed within the souls of its people. “Jazz, blues, and spiritual was known as Black Music was very popular” (Watson, p.107). The Harlem Renaissance drew a lot of individuals beyond the black community. In the book, The Harlem Renaissance: Hub of African-American Culture, the author wrote, “Harlem drew… those who sniffed the winds of fashion…
Life is short. This statement is made by many but taken seriously by so few. The song “I Hope you Dance” by Lee Ann Womack , and more specifically the lyric “When you get the chance to sit it out or dance/I hope you dance” (8-9) describes the decision of living life to the fullest. Life will not stop for anyone or anything so why not live life with such caution. No one can make the rain stop so why does one choose to sit inside waiting for the storm to pass.
It shows that in order for one to live happily and carefree, one has to be a part of the upper class
