Thursday, January 23, 2020
Exposing Boundaries in Wilsons Fences :: Wilson Fences Essays
Exposing Boundaries in Fences Fences is a play that deals with boundaries that hold people back and the trials and tribulations of those who try or wish to cross them. The characters are African-Americans in a time before the civil rights movement, living in an industrial city. The main character, Troy Manxson, is a talented baseball player who never had the chance to let his talent shine, with restrictions on race and his time in jail as the main obstacles that held him back. He is now hard working and loves his family. However, he tends to exaggerate and has his faults, most prevalent a wandering eye when it comes to women. His wife, Rose, is younger than him and loyal, but she may not have known about all of his faults when she married him. At the beginning of the play, Troy has a son from a previous marriage, Lyons, and a son with Rose, Cory. Also appearing are Bono, Troyââ¬â¢s drinking buddy, and Gabriel, his brother. All of the characters are "fenced in," by various barriers. Troy is working in a job where African Americans can get the lowest and most difficult tasks. On the home front, he has responsibilities to his family. Rose has chosen life with Troy as an alternative to "a succession of abusive men and their babies, a life of partying, or the Church." Troyââ¬â¢s son, Lyons, is supposedly a musician but is going nowhere. Cory has potential but has his dream of playing college football extinguished by both protective and jealous Troy. The characters must deal with hardships of daily life, racial discrimination, straining relationships with each other, and the feeling that this is all their lives are: somewhat of a confined space with no escape; fenced in. Troyââ¬â¢s brother Gabriel, although minor, is important to the play for many reasons. The most important is that while Gabriel perhaps has highest and most impassable fence around him, he is the only one who ignores it; he is not bounded, at least not in his own mind. Gabriel is seven years younger than Troy. They were both in a large family with a frustrated and abusive father. Gabe is the only family Troy speaks with now. Injured in World War II, Gabriel had part of his head blown away. He now has a metal plate and is confused and somewhat delusional.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
History of Psychology-John Locke and John Mill Essay
Psychology as a recognized science is a fairly new revelation, falling into favoritism only within the past century. Philosophy bears the roots of psychology, and philosophers have been pondering the inner workings of the mind and body for many centuries before psychology came in to favor. One of the key philosophers crucial in the development of psychology in to a formal discipline was Descartes. Their writings influenced more modern Western philosophers such as John Locke and John Mill. From this point, psychology grew into the science it is now recognized as. The Philosophers The 17th century is the cornerstone of philosophy evolving into psychology. Rene Descartes (1596-1650) is often considered to be the inspiration for and credited to be the father of our modern philosophy, and psychology. He is most famously quoted for ââ¬Å"I think, therefore I amâ⬠(Descartes, 2006). A humanââ¬â¢s ability to reason is the only to find truth. Descartes would also not accept anything to be truth unless there was no discernable reason for doubt. ââ¬Å"The only way to get to the certainty of truth is to arrive at oneself, relying on the clear use of oneââ¬â¢s own reasoning powersâ⬠(Goodwin, 2008, p.33). Disenchanted with the philosophy he was taught, Descartes found nothing in his learning that could not be left to question. He was said to only believe as truth what could not be doubted and Descartes pursued to find the knowledge he could find within himself (Goodwin, 2008). Descartes was a rationalist and dualist, making him firm believer in the mind and body being two completely separate entities. His beliefs on this are debatable in philosophy and psychology and have been so in the centuries following his life. Philosophers and psychologists to this day are still trying to find the connection between the mind and the body. Western Influences John Locke John Locke was a 17th century British philosopher who is credited with being the founder of Empiricism, the idea that our experiences are our only true source of knowledge. Lockeââ¬â¢s view on the formation of ideas was sensation and reflection is the only foundation on which we form ideas. He believed we acquired all of our knowledge form our experiences in the world and in life. Locke compared the human mind to a sheet of white paper. Over the course of life, all of our experiences are recorded upon this paper, our sensations. These sensations can later be recalled, in reflection, to add to new sensations and to acquire new compounded knowledge. John Mill John Mill is considered to be the most important contributor during the British Empirical movement. His contribution stated all knowledge is attained through experience and inborn ideas do not exist. Mill also believed a man should be able to do anything desired as long as the actions do not harm or hurt fellow man in the process. This also affected his views on the necessity of government. ââ¬Å"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. â⬠(Mill, 2008). Mill found the government to only be necessary for the protection of the people in defense of a war, safety against violence, and to prevent cheating or fraud. Modern Psychology The evolution of philosophy into the science of psychology rapidly took shape in the 19th century. The world was also rapidly changing; the Industrial Revolution created new technologies to help in the advancement of many facets of science. Moving into the next century, advances in the knowledge in anatomy and of the brain further assisted the progress of psychology being a science. Robert Watson was crucial in the study of the history of psychology. Founding a new division of the American Psychological Association, he encourages a study of the history of psychology. As a result, nearly all psychology programs today require a course in psychologyââ¬â¢s history. (Goodwin, 2008) Conclusion. Psychology as the science we recognize today is barely more than a century in the making. When following the links to the past and the minds that have gotten us to where we are in psychology today, much it to be learned. From modern medicine and science all the way back to ancient philosophers, psychology is a longstanding and diverse study. References Descartes, Rene (2006). A discourse on method/ by Rene Descartes [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from Amazon. com Goodwin, C. J. (2008). A history of modern psychology [3rd ed. ]. Mill, John S. (2008). On liberty/ by John Stuart Mill [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from Amazon. com.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
The Setting for Thomas Hardys The Withered Arm and Other...
The Setting for Thomas Hardys The Withered Arm and Other Wessex Tales In the following essay I seek to show evidence of how Thomas Hardy was acutely aware of the social status of people, how village and town life was conducted, how men and women reacted to their own sex and to each other and the part religion played in peoples daily lives. Social class is raised a lot in Hardys pieces. Even though these stories were all written at a different time and then put together, you can see it is a strong theme in the book. In the Withered Arm, there is instantly a strong sense of upper and lower class. You learn of a milkmaid named, Rhoda Brook, and hear of her story among gossipers at the farm. Sheâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦This also shows that Mr. Twycott really cares for Sophy, as marrying someone from a lower class is like, Social suicide. Sophy and Mr. Twycott move to London where people would not know of their sin, Mr. Twycott dies, leaving Sophy a large sum of money, a son and in a higher class. London is described as a snobbish place and the people living there do not get on with Sophy because of the way she speaks, à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦but she still held confused ideas on the use of was and were, which did not beget a respect for her among the few acquaintances she made. This shows the city folk to be of a higher class compared to the lower class country folk, and how they are snobbish and vain. In country life it does not matter the way you speak, but who you are inside. A big comparison has been made in this story between men and women. Even though Sophy was older and the one to inherit her husbands belongings, the son takes charge, She was left no control over anything that had been her husbands beyond her modest personal income. Her own child would soon take over being the man of the house, The completion of the boys course at the public school, to be followed in due time by Oxford and ordination, has been all provisioned and arranged. This shows that in these times a womans job was none atShow MoreRelated Women play victims in Thomas Hardyââ¬â¢s short stories, roles that were1788 Words à |à 8 PagesWomen play victims in Thomas Hardyââ¬â¢s short stories, roles that were typical of Victorian women in general ââ¬Å"Women play victims in Thomas Hardyââ¬â¢s short stories, roles that were typical of Victorian women in generalâ⬠Discuss with references at least three of Hardyââ¬â¢s short stories Thomas Hardy in his short stories ââ¬Å"The Withered Armâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiverâ⬠and the Winters and the Palmleysâ⬠presents his readers with a series of unsettling visions of the relations between men and Read More An Essay on The Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy2241 Words à |à 9 PagesThe Withered Arm, by Thomas Hardy ââ¬ËThe past is a foreign country. They did things differently there.ââ¬â¢ ââ¬ËThe Go Betweenââ¬â¢ by L.P. Hartley. Thomas Hardy, a Victorian novelist, based his stories on experience of growing up in rural Dorset. Growing up there, he became familiar with the language, customs, practises and stories of the country folk. These stories draw up on his experiences enabling him to write ââ¬ËWessex Talesââ¬â¢. Among many pieces of work is ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢. ââ¬ËThe Withered Armââ¬â¢
Monday, December 30, 2019
A Study On Southern Illinois University - 2136 Words
ââ¬Å"Q: How many SIU freshmen does it take to change a light bulb? A: None. That is a sophomore course.â⬠(Top 20 Jokes about Southern Illinois University Carbondale Salukis Basketball). Although the joke about Southern Illinois University, Carbondale is making fun of the university, many people think of Southern Illinois University as one of the most prestigious schools in America. ââ¬Å"SIU embraces a unique tradition of access and opportunity, inclusive excellence, innovation in research and creativity, and outstanding teaching focused on nurturing student success. As a nationally ranked public research university and regional economic catalyst, we create and exchange knowledge to shape future leaders, improve our communities, and transform livesâ⬠(Southern Illinois University). Southern Illinois University is an excellent school that student should consider going to, but it is expensive and is located in a dangerous city. In the city of Carbondale, most of the crime happens outside of the campus and around the rest of the city such as theft and rape. Carbondale, Illinois is in the 94 percentile of cities with the most crime in America. Southern Illinois University is in Carbondale, IL, and has many advantages to being in a medium sized city. There are restaurants everywhere, there is a lot of things to do, but there is a lot of crime and is one of the most dangerous towns in America. Only six percent of cities in Illinois are more dangerous than Carbondale. There are moreShow MoreRelatedStudy on a Hispanic Club at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville762 Words à |à 4 Pageschoose to study a Hispanic Culture club here at SIUE (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville). I made this decision because I wanted to learn more about what Hispanic students that go to this school go through, what traditions do they practice, and what is thier family background. Another expirience that changed my topic is one that took place in Anthropolgy class. That week of class, Dr. Lee Mun Wah visited our school and gave a seminar on a very controversial topic, racism at universities aroundRead MoreSample Letter Formal Approval By The Siu Board Of Trustees1006 Words à |à 5 PagesSouthern Illinois University President Randy Dunn named Randall Pembrook Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilleââ¬â¢s ninth chancellor in its history Monday. The selection is pending formal approval by the SIU Board of Trustees. Pending approval, Pemebrook, who has a doctorate in music education from Florida State University, will officially assume his duties in early august. An official introduction and reception will be scheduled for the beginning of the academic year. ââ¬Å"I am excited about theRead MoreIllinois Is A Full Of Corruption And Greed1128 Words à |à 5 PagesCampaign Paper Illinois is a full of corruption and greed. There are certain aspects that need to be changed in order to help voters get what they want and also to alter the political culture of the state. The Governor of Illinois has a lot of say as to what happens politically in Illinois. For one thing, the Governor is responsible for enacting laws. This can affect the lives of the citizens of Illinois. Voting for governor can help with voters self-awareness and the stateââ¬â¢s happiness. Many GovernorsRead MoreInstitutional Animal Care And Use Committee ( Protocol 13-070 )1438 Words à |à 6 PagesEight, Southern Illinois University-owned, cecally-cannulated horses, two males and six females, ages 5-8 years old, and weighing 1082.50 à ± 79.41, up to date with vaccinations, and in good dental health were used in this study. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol 13-070 amended) approval was obtained prior to the initiation of this study. All research was conducted at Southern Illinois University Equine Center, Carbondale, Illinois. Each horse was removed from grass pasture at approximatelyRead MoreFracking And Its Effects On The Environment1443 Words à |à 6 Pagesexperts and passionate amateurs alike have been debating about fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing.. Although it has the potential to be a very lucrative process, presently fracking is far too detrimental to the environment, for example Southern Illinoisââ¬â¢ Shawnee National Forest, for any environmentally conscious human being to be supportive of until there is a large change in the way the process affects the environment. Hydraulic fracturing is ââ¬Å"the process of injecting liquid at high pressureRead MoreBecoming a Dental Hygenist1012 Words à |à 5 Pagesdifficult. Making sure the patients have excellent oral care is very important The requirements of becoming a dental hygienist requires many different types of schooling. Dental hygienists can earn their education through community college, universities, technical colleges, or even dental schools (ââ¬Å"Dental Hygienistâ⬠American para. 13). If attending a community college it takes approximately two years to complete all courses (ââ¬Å"Dental Hygienistâ⬠American para. 13). The graduates of community collegesRead MoreEastern Europe During The Communist Regime1038 Words à |à 5 PagesWhen most people think of eastern Europe during the communist regime, they do not think of a professor from a small Illinois university. But that is exactly Elza Ibroschevaââ¬â¢s background. She was born in Burgas, Bulgaria, and is now a professor in the mass communications department at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. ââ¬Å"I grew up in a very happy childhood, contrary to what most people would believe because I also grew up during communism,â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"I had a very carefree, wonderful experienceRead MoreThe City Of St. Louis1346 Words à |à 6 PagesWhen I moved from the small Illinois town of Madison to University City, a neighborhood in the city of St. Louis, I noted many differences between the two areas. As I expected, St. Louis offers quicker access to cultural areas and unique (albeit more expensive) restaurants and bars. However, I also noticed some surprising differences between the two locations, one of which being a lack of familiar grocery stores and fast food chains. Although in southern Illinois I was used to grocery stores suchRead MoreJiayun1132 Words à |à 5 PagesAnn Li May 5, 2013 Social Study Research Paper Ms. Yassin Abraham Lincoln On February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of United States came into the world in a poor family in Hardin County, Kentucky. When Lincoln was born, he was given his paternal grandfathers name. His father, Thomas Lincoln was a farmer and shoemaker with only a little amount of knowledge. However, Abrahams father gained respect of the community because he purchased his own land twice. His religious beliefsRead MoreJohn Howards Men Like That Book Review Essay1129 Words à |à 5 Pagesï » ¿Howard, John. Men Like That: A Southern Queer History. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1999. (hb). ISBN: 0-226-35471-7. John Howard in his 1999 book Men Like That: A Southern Queer History explores gay and transgendered male-male sexual desire and actions that goes beyond self- identification as being gay and includes those men that are ââ¬Å"likeâ⬠that and self -label as gay, as well as men who ââ¬Å"likeâ⬠that and engage in homosexual activity but do not consider themselves gay.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Causes of World War II - 784 Words
The great global conflict of the Second World War was started because of the inexistent actions taken to prevent the war. The Second World War did not happen directly, but there was a series of events that led up to the horrific war. The deadly World War II had begun by the inability to enforce the Treaty of Versailles, the corrupted League of Nations, and the failed policy of appeasement. These three points are long term causes which express thee reasoning for the outbreak of war. The inability to enforce the Treaty of Versailles played an important role in the starting of World War II. The weight of enforcing the rules of the Treaty was put all on the shoulders of Britain and France. It was hard to impose because some major powers did not sign the Treaty like the United States and the Soviet Union. The loss of the support from major powers had affected the Treaty of Versailles, because it made it harder to know what Germany was doing, and how to take action to prevent it. Many politicians also felt that the Treaty was too harsh on Germany, and that some rules on the Treaty should be overturned. Germany in World War I was blamed for everything, lost a lot of land and was restricted from doing many things. When the Treaty was created, the terms were not fair, and Hitler realized this and wanted to get back what was `rightfully` his. When Hitler began obtaining territories everyone was fine with it, because it was understandable since Germany`s restrictions in the TreatyShow MoreRelatedThe Cause Of World War II1259 Words à |à 6 PagesThere is a fact that the causes of World War II are from the end of World War I, which a consequences of ending the frist World War affect to cause World War II. For ending of World War I, The final Allied push towards the German border began on October 17, 1918. As the British, French and American armies advanced, the alliance between the Central Powers began to collapse. Turkey signed an armistice at the end of October, Austria-Hungary followed on November 3.Germany began to crumble from withinRead MoreThe Causes Of World War II1134 Words à |à 5 PagesThe Causes of World War II: The seeds of world war II lies in the instability created by world war I. particularly the instability in Germany in the economic and political conditions due to the harshness of the Versailles treaty and as a result the rise of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party The effects of the treaty of Versailles: The treaty of Versailles harshness was one of the main causes for the outbreak of World War II. It began in 1919 when Lloyd George of England, Orlando of Italy, ClemenceauRead MoreThe Causes of World War II772 Words à |à 3 Pages World War II was one of the biggest wars known. The things people have done, the things that have happened in that war were so graphic that it has ruined the thoughts of people forever. There were so many causes of WWII; even just one wouldââ¬â¢ve been enough to make it happen. It has affected the lives of so many people, not only people that experienced it, but individuals who have looked upon it. It was such a powerful event with things to be learned. But, it all starts and ends somewhere; andRead MoreCauses And Consequences Of World War II908 Words à |à 4 PagesOf all the wars that the world has seen happen, none have been more catastrophic than the terrible world war II. But what were the causes of this war? There were many causes to World War II, although there were four true causes: anger over the Versailles Treaty, Fascism and its increase in the European countries, and the nitrous goals of Adolf Hitler combined with the isolationism of America and Britain from war. Wi th all of these main causes combined together, the will create the most devastatingRead MoreCauses and Consequences of World War II777 Words à |à 3 Pages World War II: Causes and Consequences On September 1, 1939 World War II started after Adolf Hitler signs the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler shortly attacks Poland, not keeping his promise. Shortly after the attack France and Britain declare war on Germany. Hitler was the cause of World War II since he broke the treaty causing other countries like Britain and France to declare war. Hitler kept all the Jews in concentration camps because he thoughtRead MoreCauses And Effects Of World War II1370 Words à |à 6 PagesCauses and Effects of World War II World War II has been considered one of the worst things to ever occur in history. Violence, death and aggression took place in the 1930s and 1940s in certain European nations. German leader, Hitler played an important, yet a very big role during this time. With the rise and domination of fascism in Germany and Italy, the goal was to maintain peace, established by the Treaty of Versailles ended up in major disaster. World War II began with the poor economic conditionsRead MoreCauses of World War II Essay907 Words à |à 4 PagesCauses of World War II When Hitler came to power in 1933 he made several of actions that some years later lead to war. These actions were re-armament, leaving the league of nations, re-militarism of the Rhineland, the spanish civil war, the lightning war and the alliances with Italy and Japan. Hitlers aims were clear, he wanted lebensraum (living space) in order to gain self-sufficiency, wanted to abolish the treaty of Versailles and revenge for those who signed itRead MoreEssay on The Causes of World War II1106 Words à |à 5 Pagesthere were many causes that lead up to World War II. World War I left Germany with many shortfalls, thus leaving them in the hands of the Treaty of Versailles. Rather unfair of a Treaty, this left Germany once again looking for another way out. A country resented by many had no other choice but to feel optimistic toward Adolph Hitlers empty promisesâ⬠¦ making it substantially simple for him to gain power so quick. Throw in the Great Depression, and you have a vastly unstable world, which the GermansRead MoreThe Cause And Effects Of The World War II1291 Words à |à 6 PagesAn Pham Mr. Grosse World History Research Paper February 10, 2017 The Cause and Effects of the World War II The world has changed since that day, September 1, 1939, with the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany, the start of World War 2. There were many fluctuations in economic terms as well as the politics of some powerful countries in the world also started from there. This is a catastrophic world war between the Allied forces and the Axis under fascism. Although this war just lasted in 6 years,Read More Causes of World War II Essay2009 Words à |à 9 PagesCauses of World War II Many historians have traced the causes of World War II to problems left unsolved by World War I (1914-1918). World War I and the treaties that ended it also created new political and economic problems. Forceful leaders in several countries took advantage of these problems to seize power. The desire of dictators in Germany, Italy, and Japan to conquer additional territory brought them into conflict with the democratic nations. After World War I ended, representatives
Friday, December 13, 2019
Whats Eating Gilbert Grape Free Essays
In my opinion the three main themes are marginalization, tolerance of difference and the urban/rural divide. Gilbertââ¬â¢s mother is obese and his brother, Arnie, has a brain disorder. However, Arnie is more accepted by the town and is not frowned upon like his mother. We will write a custom essay sample on Whats Eating Gilbert Grape or any similar topic only for you Order Now His mum has not left the house in seven years because of how ashamed she is of herself. She says so to Gilbert: ââ¬ËI know what a burden I am. I know that you are ashamed of me. I never meant to be like this. I never wanted to be a joke. â⬠At the beginning of the film Gilbert is ashamed of his mother and describes her as a ââ¬Å"beached whale. His view changes towards the end of the film when his mother goes to get Arnie from the police station. When she dies he wants to make sure that she is not a ââ¬Å"joke. â⬠So instead of people lifting her out with a crane he burns the house down. There is a clear urban/ rural divide. Gilbert works in a very small grocery store called Lamsonââ¬â¢s Grocery and just outside Endora there is a huge supermarket called FoodLand. At the beginning of the film he says ââ¬Å"Lamsonââ¬â¢s Grocery is where I work and miles out of town on the interstate, thereââ¬â¢s Foodlandâ⬠¦. where everyone else shops. Gilbert is trapped in Endora because of his responsibilities; his whole family counts on him. Whenever they need something done they always call him, even with all his responsibilities his family are constantly telling him to ââ¬Å"do better. â⬠It is very clear he wants to leave Endora because he says at the beginning of the film that his older brother managed to ââ¬Å"get away, â⬠at this point he sounds disappointed that he didnââ¬â¢t manage to get away. Endora is very small, the streets are never busy and nothing exciting ever happens. According to Gilbert, ââ¬Å"Living in Endora is like dancing to no music. â⬠How to cite Whats Eating Gilbert Grape, Papers
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Muckrakers Essay Example For Students
Muckrakers Essay Muckraking was a powerful journalistic force, whose supporters made it become so. Muckraking was the practice of writers and critics exposing corrupt politicians and business practices. President Theodore Roosevelt made the term muck-raker popular. He once said The man with the muck-rake, the man who could look no way but downward with the muck-rake in his hands; who was offered a celestial crown for his muckrake, but who would neither look up nor regard the crown he was offered, but continued to rake himself the filth of the floor. Some, like Roosevelt viewed methods of muckrakers such as Ida Tarbell, Ray S. Baker, Lincoln Steffens, and Upton Sinclair as these types of people. Others saw these muckraking methods as perfectly acceptable for fighting against the industrial powerhouses. Either way, these muckrakers worked hard to arouse sentiment in the hearts of the public (Reiger 1). Muckraking actually began long before the years of 1900-1902, when the muckraking movement is credited to have begun. Jesus was probably the first muckraker. Years later, Martin Luther exposed the corruptness of the Catholic Church. Also, early Abolitionist worksStowes Uncle Toms Cabin and Helpers The Impending Crisis used muckraking to get a point across. However, events during the 1890s most directly paved the way for the critiques and exposures of existing conditions. This period was able to reach a limited upper class and the muckrakers were able to expand appeal to the average middle class citizen (Reiger 49-50). One reason for the outspread of muckraking was the explosion of journalism. From 1870-1909 the number of daily newspapers circulated boomed from 574 to 2,600 and the number of subscribers from 2,800,000 to 24,800,000. With this increase, newspaper owners and editors needed new bait to reel in its subscribers. The newspaper editors wanted to replace ordinary town gossip with gossip about the latest events of the city. Therefore, in newspapers they placed the most shocking events and kept the rural mind drooling for more. As newspaper circulation grew, the large newspaper depended much less on political parties and could now even challenge them. Newspapers played on the new human interest, the concern of the wealthy with the affairs of those below them, status-wise. This story of the poor became the basic outline for muckraking (Hofstadter 185-188). This new concern of the public demanded more from reporters. Reporters had to dig up exposs and human-interest stories. However, reporters received more and more notice from the public eye. A reporters job was becoming more and more glamorous and held the aspirations of a growing number of young. As this occurred, those of education and those of culture sought out the reporters field (Hofstadter 189-190). As newspapers saw a radical change, magazines observed one as well. Previous magazines received limited audiences and were run by literary men. The new magazines, emerging in 1900 were run by business promoters and reached audiences ranging from 400,000 to 1,000,000. They took a turn away from literature and began writing what greatly resembled news. These magazines, many of which by accident, began producing muckraking articles. One of the most significant of these muckraking magazines was McClures. Others included Hamptons and Pearsons. Magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Colliers produced some muckraking articles, but were not muckraking magazines in themselves (Hofstadter 190-191). McClures magazine had already built a very reasonably sized circulation through popular fiction and historical representation. Ida Tarbell, the most popular reporter of the magazine, investigated Standard Oil originally as a way of honoring this great American business. However, Tarbell started to discover the unhappiness of the workers. She decided to research more deeply into the Standard Oil Company. Her research provided her with the story of a company whose ideas were based on primary privileges. These primary privileges allowed the company to operate under special permission, but more importantly operate immorally. This investigation was eventually printed in 1902 and is now considered the work that started the muckraking era (Reiger 121-125). Gies, Miep., Gold, Allison. Anne Frank Remembered. EssayMany other muckrakers existed besides the ones mentioned so far. Thomas Lawson, who wrote for Everybodys magazine from 1905 to 1908, his most famous article being Frenzied Finance showed a bitter contempt for popular democracy. David Graham Philips, who wrote for the Cosmopolitan from 1905 to 1906 produced the article The Treason of the Senate which was basically a series of attacks on different Senators. Charles Edward Russel, who wrote for the Cosmopolitan, Hamptons, and Pearsons commented on the innumerable accidents of the railroad and the fact of churches taking money from tenements that were a disgrace to the city in articles like The Railroad Revolution and Where Did You Get It, Gentlemen? These as well as many others were titled muckrakers (Hofstadter 193). Although the muckraking era is considered to span from about 1902 to 1912, some muckraking magazines and muckrakers worked on. Despite losing interest because of war events and change of values, Pearsons magazine continued to write on. Also, Upton Sinclair continued muckraking at least until the mid-1930s. In 1924, he produced an essay entitled The Consequences of Land Speculation are Tenantry and Debt on the Farms, and Slums and Luxury in the Cities. Here, Sinclair spoke of his problems with land speculation. He noticed the land speculator becoming a parasite. The speculator invested money in the lands potential value instead of investing money to improve it. Also, as the value of the land increased, farmers could not afford to pay their mortgage interests and the farmers became serfs to pay off the interest (Sinclair). Although muckraking attacked every corner and left no corrupt businessman or politician feeling completely safe, it did not enjoy too much direct success. However, indirectly, it was one of the most powerful journalistic movements of our history. The total circulation of the ten muckraking magazines reached over three million. Also, Upton Siclairs novels The Brass Check and The Jungle went over the hundred thousand mark by 1932. A new political movement of reformed capitalism was undergone as the muckraking era pounded out its grievances. Most importantly though, people, partly because of the information which muckrakers revealed, partly because of the visions of better things which reformers brought forth, and partly because of horrid personal experiences, began to regard big business as an enemy rather than a friend (Reiger 194-196). Works CitedHofstadter, Richard. The Age of Reform. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972. Josephson, Matthew. The Robber Barons. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Company, 1962. Reiger, C. C. The Era of the Muckrakers. Massachusetts: Peter Smith, 1957. Sinclair, Upton. The Consequences of Land Speculation are Tenantry and Debt on the Farms, and Slums and Luxury in the Cities. Upton Sinclair. 1924. (17 Dec. 1999)
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