Mississipi Burning Essay Example for Free

Mississipi Burning Essay The film, Mississippi Burning (1989) can be classified as a very useful source for a historian studying the Civil Rights Movement, however, there are a few noticeable limitations that could prevent the historian from gaining a full understanding of the true culture in the Southern States of America. The film thoroughly examines the role of the Klu Klux Klan and touches upon the role of the media. Despite the useful information that is provided throughout the film, there are certain flaws that limit the historian from gaining knowledge on the true nature of Southern Americans. In the 1950s the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement triggered the Klu Klux Klan organisations to ramp up their terrorisation of the African Americans. The most significant of these was the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan led by Robert Shelton. In the Deep South considerable amounts of pressure were put on blacks by the Klan not to vote. An example of this was in the state of Mississippi. By 1960, 42% of the population was black but only 2% were registered to vote. Lynching was still employed as a method of terrorising the local black population. (Klu Klux Klan, http://www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/USAkkk. htm) The film ‘Mississippi Burning’ supports this information and displays some of the methods the Klu Klux Klan used to attack and threaten African Americans as well as those who supported integration between blacks and whites. The media played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement. People throughout the world were able to view significant events such as riots, marches and certain court cases. This meant that people became more aware of the extent of violence and injustice that was bestowed on African Americans, particularly in the small country towns in the Southern States. Actually viewing all this violence sparked even more rage amongst those who believed in the Civil Rights Movement. While the majority of White Americans still harbored racist views, many were horrified with the beatings, murders and other brutalities exposed by the media. Many northern whites did not understand what was happening in the South. The new surfacing of television delivered powerful images to the nations living room. Print media was important, but it was television coverage that played a major role in the changing of attitude towards the Civil Rights Movement. The film ‘Mississippi Burning’ subtly but effectively touches upon the role of the media. Throughout the film, there are shots of cameramen filming significant events such as the search for the missing activists and the court case for their murder. This allowed viewers to get a sense of how much the media was used to in this era to help people around the world become aware of atrocities occurring in Southern America. Despite the valuable information, that supported other sources, in the film Mississippi Burning, there were various inaccuracies that could potentially mislead a historian studying the Civil Rights Movement. To make the film more entertaining, it was clear that the producers of the movie were fairly biased towards the Southern Americans and portrayed them all as ‘redneck’ racists. In actual fact there were a number of residents in Mississippi who did accept the Civil Rights Movement and participated in marches and riots against those who refused to do so. Another inaccuracy in the film was the way the detectives discovered Deputy Pell was guilty of participating in the murders of the Civil Rights Activists. In the film, Agent Anderson becomes relatively close with Mrs. Pell, Deputy Pell’s wife. He eventually manages to milk information out of her. In reality, Klu Klux Klan member, James Jordon, confessed to the FBI agents that he witnessed the murders and agreed to co-operate with the investigation. Mississippi Burning is in many ways a useful secondary source for a historian studying the Civil Rights movement. The Klu Klux Klan were heavily acknowledged in the film and their methods of terrorising African Americans were exceptionally realistic, supporting other sources about Southern American culture. The media was also touched upon throughout the film, providing evidence that the media played a large role in the acceptance of the Civil Rights Movement. Despite the small inaccuracies in the film to create a more entertaining storyline for viewers, the benefits of the information provided, outweigh the flaws.

Great Depression Themes in 42nd Street :: essays research papers

Great Depression Themes in 42nd Street   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Seen through a particular light and given specific occasions in the film, we can see how 42nd Street echoes the general attitudes of the Great Depression. Particular characters in the film exemplify the wealthy citizens of the time, the common laborer, and Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) portrays a life-force, Franklin Roosevelt, bringing hope along with his New Deal.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the film, there is a dichotomy exhibited through the members of the production and the financiers, namely Abner Dillon. He represents the side of competitive capitalism, while the actors stand for a community. The actors identify with each other because they are all in the same situation and each need the job to survive. Abner, on the other hand, has the money to throw around whimsically, for the difficulties facing the nation do not have the devastating effect on the wealthy that they have on other classes. Hard times have fallen on the nation and they realize that it will take a group effort to pull themselves out of the Depression. While the competition is cut-throat and individualized off of the set, as we see with Dorothy Brach’s arrangement with Abner Dillon, the sense of collectivity is emphasized on stage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leading the march against the depression and maintaining the collective voice, is Julian Marsh. He can be equated with Franklin Roosevelt his work ethic can be seen as a reflection of the New Deal. As Roosevelt gave hope, optimism, and unity to the nation; Marsh gives the same to the cast members of 42nd Street. Marsh fights for the actors because he is in the same situation as them, not exclusive of it like Abner. He is in poor health, and yet, he takes responsibility on; seemingly, he cannot afford to pass up the job. He realizes that it is going to take a lot of hard work to make the show a success (end the depression) so he works the actors night, day, and in-between. Marsh may seem like a slave driver, but this is because he knows that it is going to take an immense amount of work for the show to go on. A key scene in the film is when Abner is going to pull out of the production, but Julian pleads for him not to. Obviously, we see that Julian is looking out for the interests of the hundreds of workers who need the show, while Abner is merely concerned with his own selfish desires.

Love Conquers All Essay

I believe that a relationship is more than just love, it’s a balance of communication, love, and trust. The day I fell in love was a defining moment in my life. I now had a partner and a life long friend . My husband and I spent the first part of our marriage struggling over money issues. There was never enough money to take care of all the bills and the kids, as well as our moments. Still through all the rough hills we climbed, nothing ever broke our bond to each other. My husband tried repeatedly to find work so that he could support his family; he was so determined. At last an opportunity to build bridges emerged and he went for it. Grateful we were going to be financially secure, we now have three times the income he was making. Everything was looking up! We would not have to scrape by anymore. With the new career also came new challenges, my husband would be out of town five days a week. We have never even been apart! How was this going to work? I was a little scared to be alone, so we sat down and discussed the challenges together. I learned that he was nervous too. He was going to be so far away and could not protect his family. We just bonded together, it was emotional. We knew it was going to be a great opportunity for our family. â€Å"I am going to miss you so much, this is going to be tough†, I said while standing by his packed car. He pulled me in and held me tightly in his arms, kissing my forehead ever so gently and whispered,†I love you so much and this will only make us stronger.† We kissed each other good bye and away he drove. Then I cried! Week after week it became easier to say bye, but the tears always filled my eyes when I watched him drive away. This was the hardest thing we ever went through. During the time he worked out of town I became a stronger woman and mother. I learned that love can conquer all. We worked together more than ever before and we grew to understand just how much our family†¦

Macbeth And Wuthering Heights - 1006 Words

Crooked Relationships Why are women so controlling in everything? In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, the women take control, over men, in the relationship. Sexism and jealousy are the two biggest problems in an existing relationship. The readers find out how ambition, sexism, and jealousy takes over lives. In other words, too much ambition may be fatal. When women don’t get what they want, bad things are subject to happen. Women will always rule in the face of the earth until none are left. Lady Macbeth rules the relationship over Macbeth himself. She wanted her husband, Macbeth, to kill Duncan, but he wasn’t going for it at all. Lady Macbeth quotes, â€Å"Art thou afeard†¦ live a coward† (Shakespeare†¦show more content†¦Actually, men do a lot more for their lady than anyone else. However, for Lady Macbeth, that’s not enough for her taste. Lady Macbeth quotes, â€Å"Come to woman’s breasts/ And take my milk for gall, you murd’ring ministers† (Thomas 85). She wants the evil spirits to come and give her a mind like a man, so she can do the things that her husband, Macbeth, won’t do. Just like how ambition took over on Macbeth, it took over his wife, Lady Macbeth, too. The readers of Macbeth know how too much ambition can go two ways. In Lady Macbeth’s situation, ambition has become very bad for him. Thomas quotes, â€Å"The â€Å"unsex me here† passage†¦ Lady Macbeth’s invocation parallels the witches earlier ones. Through her positioning and dress, she becomes essentially a fourth witch† (Thomas 85). Thomas says that she becomes a witch because she was secretly a part of the desperate murder of Duncan. When two people love each other, the relationship is usually going to last. When only one person is loving someone, it can be frustrating for not receiving the amount of love you’re putting out. Isabella was feeling frustrated because she was not being loved. Galef quotes, â€Å"Evincing a sudden and irresistible attraction toward the tolerated guest†¦ to frustrated love† (Galef 247). Isabella is mad at Catherine because Heathcliff doesn’t love her. Loving someone by a person who doesn’t love you is very hurtful. SometimesShow MoreRelatedMacbeth And Wuthering Heights1257 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare s Macbeth and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights are presented through sexism, jealousy and betrayal. Now a days in current relationships women do have some sort of controlling power over men. Relationships have came a long ways since the Shakespearean era (1600s). In Macbeth there is an underlying theme of control from a woman. Lady Macbeth was the beloved wife to Macbeth and this was one of the main examples. There are thousands of examples of ways Lady Macbeth tricked Macbeth into doing dirtyRead MoreWuthering Heights and Macbeth Thesis1456 Words   |  6 Pagesand Catherine in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, and Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare died as a result of not being able to deal with their haunting past. Heathcliff, from Wuthering Heights, didn’t have an easy past. He’s an orphan that was brought to Wuthering Heights by Mr. Earnshaw. Although Heathcliff was accepted by Mr. Earnshaw and Catherine, Hindley always disliked him. After Mr. Earnshaw’s death, Hindley becomes the master of Wuthering Heights; he mistreats HeathcliffRead MoreMacbeth And Wuthering Heights Analysis1162 Words   |  5 Pagesdestructive love within relationships in ShakeSpeare’s Macbeth and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights are presented through sexism, jealousy,and betrayal. Many events took place in these two story crazy,sad and evil things. Times have changed now how women are trying to get control of the relationship but cant. In ShakeSpeares,time it was easy for women to gain control of the relationship well at least for lady Macbeth it was. In shakespeares story lady Macbeth in the beginning she had a lot of control andRead MoreQuestions Answered On Macbeth And Wuthering Heights1864 Words   |  8 PagesQuestions answered about Macbeth / Wuthering Heights Macbeth and Wuthering Heights not everyone s favorite books. But have you ever thought to breakdown and analyze the book s piece by piece. In this short essay, that will be during for questions such as why is their so much suffering in both novels, ambition, why do all the relationships in the book don’t end well, why women always in control, and finally why people dislike the suggested books. With that, I give you the theme of destructive loveRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Macbeth And Wuthering Heights 1199 Words   |  5 PagesAndrew Sloop Mrs. Weaver English 4 May 29, 2017 Destructive Love In Macbeth and Wuthering Heights The theme of destructive love within relationships in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights are presented through sexism, jealousy, and betrayal. How do women gain control in a relationship? Can men regain control in a relationship? What makes a good relationship? What makes a bad relationship? Can people be over ambitious? These questions are vital to understanding the complex relationshipsRead MoreDestructive Love In Brontes Macbeth And Wuthering Heights1395 Words   |  6 Pagesrelationships in Shakespeare’s MacBeth and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights are presented through sexism, jealousy and betrayal. Destructive love is an active process of destroying the affection and tenderness between a couple. Both authors represent this kind love well in their respective stories. Lady MacBeth was a mastermind the way she had control in the beginning of Macbeth. She influenced MacBeth to do all his actions. An example of this is when Lady MacBeth told MacBeth â€Å"When you durst do it/then youRead MoreDestructive Love In Shakespeares Macbeth And Wuthering Heights1408 Words   |  6 Pagesin Shakespeare s Macbeth and Bronte s Wuthering Heights are presented through sexism, jealousy, and betrayal. In Bronte s Wuthering Heights and Shakespeare s Macbeth there is a lot going on between the couples in both stories. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth are in a terrible situation, starting off with Lady Macbeth pressuring Macbeth to kill Duncan. Macbeth not wanting to kill his king, finally caves in to his wife s request and ends up doing the deed. Lady Macbeth has her husband wrappedRead MoreTheme Of Shakespeare s Macbeth And Bronte Wuthering Heights 1095 Words   |  5 Pagesrelationships in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Bronte’s Wuthering Height s are presented through sexism, jealousy, and betrayal. These stories both are portrayed with a theme of destructive love, the tragic love of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, along with Heathcliff and Catherine. When a relationship has become destructive it means there has been some kind of destruction, one or both individuals affection towards each other has become hostile or in some romances one overpowers the other. In Macbeth there seems to be overpowermentRead MoreAnalysis Of Wuthering Heights 1398 Words   |  6 PagesWuthering Heights is a fictional novel written by Emily Bronte. This book is very sexist with the females frequently being immature, overly dramatic and childish. The betrayal in this book come when Heathcliff feels that Catherine betrayed herself by not pursuing his love. Hindle also showed jealousy towards heathcliff. In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is the most famous woman character. She is stronger, more ambitious and ruthless than her husband. Lady Macbeth pushedRead MoreThe Theme Of Destructive Love Within Relationships, Jealousy, And Betrayal1790 Words   |  8 PagesDestructive love The theme of destructive love within relationships in shakespeare’s Macbeth and Bronte’s Wuthering Heights are presented through sexism, jealousy, and betrayal. This three factors are the main causes of broken relationships and arguments between the partners. A good example would be the stories of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Wuthering Heights. Sexism, jealousy, and betrayal can also lead to death in a destructive love. Love can be defined as an attraction of feelings, states, and