Lean On Me Essay Example for Free

Lean On Me Essay Sometimes it can be difficult to know for certain when you have been victimized and it can be even more difficult to understand why, who, and exactly how you have been victimized. Obviously in cases of bullying, or violence, or rape, the victimization is very obvious, but a film like Lean On Me causes the viewer to question whether or not victims can sometimes go unnoticed. One example that is subtle, but present in the film, is the idea that all of the kids in East Side High School are victims of a larger social and political world that they probably could not fathom even if they had a chance to view it in its entirety. The social class-systems and economic distribution in America, the idea of free markets and of haves and have nots is at the bottom of their difficult and crime-infested existence. The great irony of the movie is, of course, that only by getting an education can the kids at the high school escape their dismal lives and earn something better, but the very decadence and violence of the schools has created an atmosphere where learning is impossible. Everyone, including myself, has probably experienced at least one obstacle, if not many more, to receiving their right to an education. In my own case, I have been victimized not only by school bullies, but by negligent or outright hostile teachers. In one case, I remember having been given a C- on an assignment in Math where the teacher had incorrectly marked many of my answers. The assignment deserved a B but when I asked for the teacher to take another look at the assignment, I was told to accept the grade I had been given, period. That is a kind of victimization which is very slight compared to the vents portrayed in the movie Lean on Me,but it is an example of how sometimes victimization can go unnoticed. People that I have known have experienced much more extreme victimization, whether it be a female friend who is in an abusive relationship, or a close friend of mine whose own family continuously criticizes him while relying on him to run errands and help with financial obligations. Victimization seems to follow a pattern where one person or group of persons takes advantage of someone whom they perceive to be weaker, or of lesser consequence than themselves. If you are a victim, that probably means that the person or group who is victimizing you has decided that you are of lesser power and importance than they are themselves. While it is a common belief that victims are the innocent party, it is entirely possible for somebody to be a victim while at the same time victimizing others. One good illustration from Lean on Me is the school drug-dealers whoa re making victims out of the people they deal drugs to, but they are also victims themselves of the same social injustices and social inequalities that plague the others. Because you are most likely to be noticed first as a perpetrator of crime than as a victim in most cases, this kind of victimization goes unnoticed. Many forms of victimization rest on the fact that the victims are usually not regarded at large as being valuable or desirable. In many cases they also view themselves this way: as of little or no importance. The best remedy I can think of for victimization is self-empowerment. That doesnt mean violence, but it does mean that because victimization implies that one is viewed as being weaker or of lesser value the natural response to remedy victimization would be the demonstration that either or both of these assumptions are false. In the case that I related about my own math grade, the proper response would have been to seek out whatever official protocol the school offered to challenge an illigitimate grade and maybe through this means I could have had the grade changed, which, in turn would have demonstrated to the teacher that I was not of lesser consequence than the teacher themself. In the case of Lean On Me, of course, the sense of self-empowerment came through learning adn self-discipline, which is the very best method to address victimization and prevent future victimization.

American Dream Lost in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby :: The Great Gatsby

American Dream Lost - Gatsby as a Social Commentary on American Life The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has been celebrated as one of the greatest, if not the greatest American novel.   Yet this is ironic for the society which has so hailed the book is precisely that which is criticized throughout it.   Politically, the American dream was a foundation of ideals and hopes for any and every American individual.   Specifically, one of the ideals was an American dream free of class distinction; that every person has the opportunity to be whomever they hope to be.   In a sort of Cinderella-like fashion, it is in essence an ideal of social mobility and freedom.   The social reality, however, is far more cruel.   Because of the harsh truth of social America, by way of its pretentiousness and decadence, the American dream is lost.   Through Nick’s honest and poignant observation, the parallel lives of Myrtle Wilson and Jay Gatsby reflect The Great Gatsby as a social commentary about the polluted American Dream.   Myrtle is that infamous model of how the political and social ideals of America conflict so that the American dream becomes a nightmare.   Contrary to the naivete the American dream, there are indeed fine class distinctions.   With them comes certain social boundaries.   In a sense, it is almost as if there are unspoken sumptuary laws understood by low and high classed individuals alike.   Myrtle Wilson is no exception. Instead of abiding by them, Myrtle, who represents the low and ignorant class of America, tried to break the social barriers and thus pursues wealth by any means necessary.   Using her sexuality and vulgar mien, she becomes false for abandoning and dismissing her own social foundation, and like Nick, we as readers are repulsed by her grotesque approach to entering the rich class.   At one point, and quite humorously to the knowing onlooker, Myrtle complains about a service done for her that was so expensive that "when she gave [Myrtle] the bill you’d of thought she had [her] appendicitus out" (35).   Obviously misusing her wording, it is comical only because she is trying so hard to fit into the snobbish upper class persona, and failing miserably.   Her rudeness becomes more apparent when she "rejected the compliment [about her dress] by raising her eyebrow in disdain" (35).   She is so false in her manner that Nick observes that she "had changed her costume†¦and was now attired in an elaborate afternoon dress" (35).

Civil War: The Second Revolution Essay

The Civil War is one of the most integral events in American history. It was responsible in shaping the United States to its present political and social structure. It is definitely a war, but can it be considered as the country’s second revolution? Indeed, it is. This essay aims to discuss how and why the Civil War is the second revolution, and whether the Reconstruction was a failure or success of that revolution. A political revolution is distinguished by the significant changes that occur within the societal structure (Andrain 187). To differentiate it from rebellion or coup d’etat, there are three things to consider in a revolution: the goals of the revolution, the means to achieve their goals, and the results or consequences of the revolution (Andrain 187). Most revolutionaries have a similar objective: to alter or modify the present system of society and politics (Andrain 187). A revolution often seeks to replace the old order with a new one that would cater to the interests of the revolutionaries. The Civil War initially arose from the differences between the North and South (Perry 507). The North was the region known for trade and manufacturing, while the South was known for agriculture. Both regions also differed in their stand on tariffs. The North favored tariffs because these gave them an advantage over foreign competition. On the other hand, the South resisted tariffs, as it caused an increase in the prices of the commodities it imported. Unlike the North which can manufacture all their needs, the agricultural South was dependent on imports (Perry 507). However, the primary reason why the Civil War occurred was slavery (Perry 507). The South considered slavery as a necessity. Being an agricultural region, it needed manpower for the plantation and harvest of crops, especially corn (Gallagher 1). That manpower was provided by the slaves. On the other hand, the North called for slavery to be abolished in the entire country (Perry 507). The South was most threatened upon the 1860 victory of Abraham Lincoln in the presidential elections (Perry 507). Abraham Lincoln was the candidate of the Republican Party, which was dedicated to the abolition of the slavery (Perry 507). When Lincoln won, the South knew that their interests would be in danger under his administration. Thus, they sought a new order upon which their interests would be protected. A revolution starts with the effort of the revolutionaries to attain government control (Andrain 187). In this case, the Southerners were the revolutionaries, and secession was the means in which the goals of the revolution can be met. The Southern states seceded from the Union governed by Lincoln and formed their own government, the Confederate States of America (Perry 507). The South also installed Jefferson Davis as head of the Confederacy (Perry 507). Lincoln did not want to wage war against the Confederacy; however, he wanted to preserve the Union as well (Perry 507). The Confederacy, on the other hand, wanted to be independent from the Union (Gallagher 5). The revolutionaries fired at Fort Sumter to force the Union to fight, and upon Lincoln’s call for the defense of the Union, the revolution was in full swing (Perry 507). The Civil War was a second revolution because it sought to make changes within American society. The goal of the Southern revolutionaries was to gain independence from the Union to prevent slavery from being abolished. The means in which they started a revolution was through secession. However, the effects of the revolution can be assessed through the discussion of the Reconstruction. The Reconstruction is the period in U. S. history that succeeds the Civil War (Benedict 108). It is the period in which the nation was in the process of rebuilding after the damages caused by the war (Kolchin 1). Because it occurred after the war, it became an appropriate measure as to whether or not the second revolution was successful. The Reconstruction was actually a reflection of the failure of the second revolution. To begin with, the Confederacy failed to gain their independence. In fact, the Reconstruction was the time in which those states which seceded would be readmitted in the Union (Benedict 108). The very states that wanted to be independent from the Union found themselves in a struggle to be readmitted again. Thus, the second revolution was a failure. The revolution occurred because of the conflict over slavery. However, the revolutionaries also did not succeed in preserving it. Even before the war ended, there was already the Emancipation Proclamation, which sought to free the slaves in the Confederate states (Perry 508). By the time the Reconstruction was underway, the abolition of slavery became final with the ratification of the 13th Amendment (Kolchin 1). The amendment proceeded from the Emancipation Proclamation, but its scope was wider as it abolished slavery in the entire United States (Kolchin 1). The Reconstruction period proved to be difficult for the Southern states. There were two kinds of reconstruction: the presidential and the congressional. Lincoln hoped to establish governments in the former Confederate states that were governed by the Union (Benedict 108). The appointed governors would be called to establish a new state government when ten percent of those who voted in the presidential election in 1860 would pledge loyalty to the Union (Benedict 108). Unfortunately, Lincoln was assassinated and Andrew Johnson took over the Reconstruction (Benedict 109). This is called the presidential reconstruction. Johnson employed an easier approach for the Southern states to be readmitted into the Union, but the Republicans disagreed. As the forerunners of the congressional reconstruction, the Republicans wanted to give the former Confederate states a difficult time into readmission because they almost caused the demise of the Union. In addition, the plan of Johnson did not take into consideration the rights of the African-Americans, which the Republicans strongly prompted (Benedict 109). As a result, the revolutionaries were caught between the struggle to be readmitted into the Union and the difficulties of dealing with a Congress dominated by Republicans. In addition, the former revolutionaries were exposed to a radical reconstruction (Benedict 109). They became victims of the dominance of the Republicans in the South, which eventually led to the increase in taxes and the prevalence of corruption in state governments. The Southerners soon despised the system of racial equality that was furthered during the Reconstruction, and had to resort to means to intimidate the African-Americans. This meant using force through organizations like the Ku Klux Klan (Benedict 109). The Civil War can be considered as a second revolution because it sought to change the old order of society and politics. The Southern revolutionaries wanted to retain slavery, so they seceded from the Union in hopes of achieving this goal. They wanted to be an independent state wherein slavery is allowed to continue. Nonetheless, they failed in their attempt to gain independence; they also failed to preserve the institution of slavery. The Reconstruction was a reflection of this, as the former revolutionaries sought to be readmitted to the Union they seceded from. Moreover, the road to readmission was tedious and filled with conflict, as the former revolutionary states had to struggle with the plans of reconstruction of both the president and Congress. Hence, the second revolution which is the American Civil War is a failure, and the Reconstruction reflected this defeat. Works Cited Andrain, Charles F. â€Å"Revolution. † Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. 21 vols. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1992. Benedict, Michael Les. â€Å"Reconstruction. † Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. 21 vols. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc. , 1992. Gallagher, Gary. â€Å"American Civil War. † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2007. 25 April 2008 . Kolchin, Peter. â€Å"Reconstruction (U. S. history). † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2007. 25 April 2008 . Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1989.

Study of History and Theory of International Relations

To study international relations means to study the history of international relations, theory, practical application of those theories and the outcome after the practical application of the theory was applied. Smith spoke about international relations and said that international relations importance of not just theory, but history to understanding The politics of today (Smith 2006). So when you study international relations you should understand the theory but you need to know the history because a states history contributed the how and why the countries politics are the way they are today. It is impossible to understand a complex problem such as the war between North Korea and South Korea by studying the theories of internal†¦show more content†¦Bipolarity exists when two states have a majority of the economic, military and cultural influence and can include alliance such as NATO or the WARSAW Pact or organizations but still have power. An example of this would be the United States and the U.S.S.R is the Cold War. In the Cold War the United States and the U.S.S.R. emerged as the two leading power, most western countries and capitalist states came under the influence of the United States and on the opposite end the communist states came under the influence of the U.S.S.R. and then then two major power fought indir ectly for control of the other countries as can be seen during the Korean War, Vietnam, and the Russian-Afghan War. Multipolar is a where more than two states have nearly equal amounts of military cultural and economic influence. Theorist argue that this is more peaceful that a bipolar system because since power is equal states would not want to attack other states however it could also lead to conflict if one states feels the others may form an alliance. This could lead to more indirect conflicts and frequent shifting of alliance to prevent one states from becoming the sole world power. 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