The Melting Pot Of The United States - 1037 Words

From the birth of the United States, immigrants have always caused an environment something more representative of a big melting pot. In terms of cooking a melting pot is used for melting metals or other substances are melted or fused together (Dictionary.com).On the other hand in a nation, a melting pot is a place where a variety of races, cultures, or individuals assimilate into a cohesive whole (Dictionary.com). Which in retrospect do not fall very far from each other in terms of literal definitions. Both simply mean the fusing of different things together, whether that be metals, cheeses, or cultures. Immigrants who have been accepted into this â€Å"Melting Pot† society have found it very difficult to live in a new place and also be able to express themselves the way they deem worthy. Many immigrants are almost forced to let their culture and heritage become a joke for the sake of being accepted. Just because people think it is okay to demoralize someone and what they bel ieve in does not mean that the other people agree with the occurring of the events. It is just that for the sake of blending in and keeping things at peace immigrants have kept their mouth shut for ages. There comes a time when the immigrants themselves begin to believe the joke that their culture has become and embrace it as if it were their own. Some cultures and heritages get lost and people begin to forget what actually was and not what it is has become. There has been some sort of debate about certainShow MoreRelatedThe United States As A Melting Pot Of Nations975 Words   |  4 Pages The United States is commonly know as a melting pot of nations, in which people from around the world have emigrated to form a homogeneous yet varied culture. Although we come from different ethnic groups, we are usually bound together through our common English language. This becomes an issue, however, when immigrants are not familiar with English and American culture, and instead attempt to ke ep their own heritage alive. They are often torn between identities through language, the one they speakRead MoreIn The United States, Sometimes Called A â€Å"Melting Pot Of1132 Words   |  5 PagesIn the United States, sometimes called a â€Å"melting pot of ethnicities,† ethnic minorities often are marginalized. The US has a history and culture of comedy, from â€Å"Ben Franklin’s ‘Join, or Die’ image of a severed snake that rallied the Colonies† to â€Å"Thomas Nash’s acidic drawings of the Tweed ring† (Spiegelman 46). While some minority groups see satire as an attack, other groups use comedy to express strength and pride in their community (Rappoport 1). This ethnic comedy has saturated US culture, allowingRead MoreKnown To Many As The ‘Melting Pot,’ The United States Consists1770 Words   |  8 PagesKnown to many as the ‘melting pot,’ the United States consists of a variety of cultures and peoples. Immigrants from near and far traveled and continue to do so for economic opportunities or to escape persecution. One particular group of people who immigrated to the United States were the Filipinos or Pinoys, as some like to call themselves. Due to its 400-year colonization by Spain and the United States, the Filipino American populace increased after the Philippines became a territory under U.SRead MoreUnited States And Philippines : The Melting Pot Of Different Ethnic Groups1744 Words   |  7 Pagesconsidered the melting pot of different ethnic groups. By today’s standard, â€Å"American Culture† is the result of a variety of races integrating their own cultural beliefs into American society. Throughout the years the US has seen a massive increase of people migrating from Asian countries. Like other immigrants, Asians come here in order to seek a better life and experience civil liberties and I include myself to that. Immigrating from the Philippines and going to the United States forced me to growRead MoreThe United States has Changed from a Melting Pot to a Vast Culture with Varying Racial Backgrounds602 Words   |  3 PagesThe United States has Changed from a Melting Pot to a Vast Culture with Varying Racial Backgrounds The United States, created by blending or melting many cultures together into one common man, known as an American. Modern communication and transportation accelerate mass migrations from one continent . . . to the United States (Schlesinger 21). Ethnic and racial diversity was bound to happen in the American society. As immigration began to explode, . . . a cult of ethnicity erupted both betweenRead MoreThe United States Of America Is Considered A Melting Pot Of Heritages And Nationalities From All Around The World1689 Words   |  7 PagesMichalina Skwiot Dr. Shahrokhi SW215 Being Human 21 April 2016 Citizenship The United States of America is considered a melting pot of heritages and nationalities from all around the world. There is no official language, and no one culture all citizens abide by. Despite the fact that everyone in this country is different from one another, there is still a constant uniform citizen that has a more favorable position. This citizen is white, English-speaking, and somehow always in the front of theRead MoreMelting Pot Vs Salad Bowl Essay795 Words   |  4 Pagesof the most advanced societies known for having many cultures in it, is it a melting pot or a salad bowl? Salad bowl referring to it takes in the culture and is never changed and just mixes in, while melting pot means that it takes in the culture, â€Å"melts† it down, and has one American society. Hudson 1 I believe that American is a mix between a melting pot and a salad bowl, meaning that I believe in the part of melting pot where it â€Å"melts† down a culture and mixes it in, but some of it isn’t â€Å"melted†Read MoreImmigrant Influence On Culture And Society1010 Words   |  5 Pages The United States has been called different terms when describing immigration, the most popular term was â€Å"melting pot†, but lately the more politically correct term is â€Å"salad bowl†. The melting pot better describes American society because the cultures have blended together and became more accepting of each other. The history of immigration in the United States has been greatly shaped by immigrant influence on culture and society, the nation’s fluid immigration laws, and how incoming immigrantsRead MoreThe Effects Of Immigration On The United States887 Words   |  4 PagesThe number of immigrants, legal or illegal, living in the United States has fluctuated over the years, but it does not hide the fact that the American Dream still acts as a beacon to foreigners. People believe coming to America is the key to a better life. With the overflow of our new neighbors, we transform from a single society into a mixture of several cultures. Immigration is cau sing America to become a tossed salad society (a society in which ethnic and racial groups maintain separate identitiesRead MoreAmeric The American Dream936 Words   |  4 PagesPeople from other nations come to the United States of America as a sign of change in their lives, but some people don’t agree with all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and future generations will one day cause great change in the world. Many people come to America to live as a new person and in a new life. In the 1770s people from Europe and they had risked their lives just to get to the New World, which was America. They had settled, made homes, they even participated in

The Transatlantic Slave Trade By David Eltis - 987 Words

In widespread and systematic oppression, Africans forced into slavery faced unsurmountable odds to resist oppression, obtain equality, and to build and sustain a community. The European countries involved in the transatlantic slave trade, made one of the most profitable systems in world history that led to the development of one of the greatest countries in history. Each chapter in the book explains a different reason for why leading up to an ending goal of sufficient evidence on why the Africans more than any other race. In the book David Eltis, examines why a system with such advanced societies used such a primitive system to accomplish economic and political goals. Freedom was such an important problem in the context of the natural world for the European nations. With their power, they took millions of slaves from their homes in order to help colonize the new land. First, he explains the demands of the market for slaves and the problems from the European nations on their labor c risis. Economic motives, albeit shaped by less overt and slowly changing cultural values, have usually provided the basic reason for migration (Eltis 30). The motive of the Europeans were economic reasons. There were more opportunities in the New World to find work, but due to the tremendous amount of work needed, they had to find a larger labor force. Next, Eltis discussion led to the want for the African slaves not a necessarily â€Å"need†. Europeans had criminals and indentured servantsShow MoreRelatedWic s Bankruptcy And The Loss Of Northern Brazil896 Words   |  4 Pageswith 100,000 slaves and minimal opportunities. But the Dutch are known for their ingenuity and they quickly rebounded from their losses even while her corporate was itself a sinking ship. Part of their initial success revolves around them settling in Curacao before 1642. The WIC realized how invaluable a slave trade depot would be if Northern Brazil would ever fall back into the hands of the Portugues e. Once Curacao was established, the Dutch knew they could continue transporting slaves to the CaribbeanRead MoreThe Politics Of The Slave Trade1703 Words   |  7 PagesPolitics of the Slave Trade: Art Engaging Eighteenth-Century Audiences with the Abolitionist Movement Ella Ottaviano The rise of the abolitionist movement in the late eighteenth century, created a platform for artworks to be used as arguments for the abolition of slavery. Artworks during the Enlightenment employed a variety of visual techniques to emotionally engage their audiences with the politics of the slave trade and to elicit a sympathetic response from the viewer towards African slaves, strengtheningRead MoreFrom Coloniarl Rule to Civil War: Angola1768 Words   |  7 Pages2 Introduction From colonial rule to civil war, Angola is no stranger to elongated and extremely bloody conflicts. Throughout Angola’s history over the last five hundred years, the effects of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (TST) have by far made the longest lasting impact on the nation’s volatile past and future. This horrible marginalization of the country’s population provided a strong foundation that ultimately shaped the country’s future conflicts; a commonality that is shared with many otherRead MoreEssay about Slavery in Africa, Europe, and Jamaica6041 Words   |  25 PagesSlavery in Africa, Europe, and Jamaica Traders, businessmen, African slavers and slaves each had a unique experience and involvement in the business of the transatlantic slave trade. This lucrative process, that lasted between 1500 to 1870 AD included three different hemispheres: Europe, Africa, and the Americas, specifically Jamaica. In Africa slavery existed long before European exposure, however, over time the motivation for slavery changed. Originally slavery existed because of the expandingRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesCommunity in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape

Analysis of Song Lyrics Free Essays

Song lyrics: looking through the window of cultural texts†¦ If you took the time to listen to the lyrics of a song instead of mumbling uselessly to the catchy melody, you’d notice that some bands and musical artists are informing their audience of present-time themes and issues. In today’s society, song lyrics can be used effectively to find fault with many dominant values and attitudes, somewhat protesting against social issues and the preconceived ideas that stand tall on the stage of democracy. This is why song lyrics should be considered one of the most important cultural texts of the modern age. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Song Lyrics or any similar topic only for you Order Now The songs Sunday Bloody Sunday by the band U2 and Hurricane by artist Bob Dylan substantiate ideas of equality and â€Å"justice for all†, encouraging the listener to take a look at their own values and attitudes surrounding the issues presented†¦ would the listener react differently if it were their life or integrity at stake? The song Sunday Bloody Sunday is one of U2’s most political songs. It describes the terror experienced by an observer of the conflicts in Northern Ireland, particularly the Bloody Sunday incident in Derry where British soldiers shot and killed unarmed civil rights protestor in 1972, presenting themes of unity, ignorance and indifference. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan’s protest song Hurricane tells the story of the imprisonment of celebrated boxer Rubin â€Å"Hurricane† Carter, who was falsely accused of a triple murder in New Jersey, America during the mid 1960s. The song lyric explores themes of injustice, racism and discrimination, enlightening listeners about the corruption that swarmed the democratic American legal system at the time. You know, without realising it, the song you downloaded from iTunes the other day could quite possibly be criticising certain values and attitudes in society. The song Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 supports the argument that song lyrics should be considered one of the most important cultural texts of the modern age. Throughout the song lyric, the theme of unity blossoms and grows, travelling deeper into the abyss of society’s struggle to stand together. This is seen at the beginning of the song in the first verse â€Å"‘cause tonight†¦ we can be as one† accompanied by a military style drumbeat. Here, the chance to join together as â€Å"one† and make a difference is being offered to the listener, while the choice of instruments is symbolic to a â€Å"call to arms†. We’re asked to open our eyes and witness the struggle and pain that the people of Northern Ireland experienced during the early seventies, when their lives were torn apart by the bullets of British soldiers, â€Å"Broken bottles under children’s feet† and â€Å"Bodies strewn across the dead end street†. The repetition of â€Å"cause tonight†¦ we can be as one† is successful in evoking a defiant and hopeful response from the listener. I also feel that the imagery created by â€Å"Broken bottles†¦bodies strewn†¦dead end†¦Ã¢â‚¬  plants a seed of lifelessness and futility in the listener’s mind. The listener is therefore encouraged to rise up and fight against the hopeless situation described in the song. Meanwhile, the song lyric Hurricane by Bob Dylan investigates the injustice that surrounded Rubin Carter and 1960s America. Being trapped in a nightmare of injustice is a very dark place to be. Loneliness and helplessness are your only friends when everyone remains blind to the truth. Bob Dylan’s Hurricane is a song lyric that explores this theme of injustice in 1960s New Jersey, where a common scenario was put to the ultimate test: the word of a white man against the word of a black man. The song is informing us of Rubin Carter’s false murder conviction, told in a somewhat story-like fashion. Bob Dylan presents the entire American legal system as corrupt and unethical, displayed in the ninth verse â€Å"All of Rubin’s cards were marked in advance† and â€Å"The trial was a pig-circus he never had a chance†. As well as creating emphasis through rhyme, these two lines are highly emotive, and encourage the listener to feel pity and empathy for Rubin Carter and others that may have been a victim of corruption. As a listener who lives in the twenty-first century, where cases of legal dishonesty and fraud are quite rare, I find myself sympathising with Rubin Carter and resenting the heartless and ignorant attitude possessed by 1960s America and society. In retrospect, I am extremely grateful that a fair and just trial is now available to everyone, regardless of skin colour. When the song comes to an end, the image painted in the listener’s mind is that of injustice and tyranny, encouraging social change in the area of legality. Nonetheless, U2’s Sunday Bloody Sunday presents the ignorance and indifference of society in times of great need. It seems that a sad face served with â€Å"what a tragedy† and seasoned with taste of genuine sincerity is our best response when the TV screen shows an image of dead bodies strewn across a dead end street†¦ U2’s Sunday Bloody Sunday is a protest song that provides a dominant reading, investigating the ignorant and indifferent attitude exhibited by society towards the Bloody Sunday incident in Northern Ireland. A quote from the text highlights the 1970s unawareness of this event, and other acts of conflict across the world, â€Å"And today the millions cry, We eat and drink while tomorrow they die†. As well as making use of a hyperbole, these two lines are very effective in criticising the lack of care that society has for anyone but themselves, and as a result, depicts us as arrogant and self-righteous. Because we can’t empathise with the people of Derry who experienced a freakish nightmare unknown to us, all we can do is store it at the back of our minds and wait in anticipation for the next episode of Home and Away†¦ From my point of view, there is little we can do when events such as this arise and take us by surprise. But, if society joins together in unity instead of finding refuge in the popular TV station of ignorance, then hearing those cries and feeding those mouths will become a reality. However, if we’re going to join together as one, then racism and discrimination need to be a thing of the past, as explored in Bob Dylan’s Hurricane. Racism and discrimination are two themes that refuse to leave the realms of today’s society. Their defiant and unfaltering attitude must be commended, but not encouraged, as displayed in Bob Dylan’s Hurricane. The song lyric is successful in condemning the negative, judicious and cultured beliefs possessed by society that all black men are criminals and murderers. These motifs must be stopped in their tracks, and banished from society†¦ The song lyric enlightens the listener of the racism and discrimination that occurred in New Jersey at the time, and reminds us that we have only taken a few steps along the path of equality since then. Within Hurricane, the extreme inequity displayed by the American police during the sixties is being crudely criticised, displayed in the seventh verse â€Å"We want to put his arse in stir, We want to pin this triple murder on him†. Here, the listener receives the impression that the police (â€Å"we†) are hiding something, and regardless of who committed the crime, are determined to see Carter behind bars. Based on my morals, I believe that every person, male or female, black or white, should be treated fairly and qually. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the judge at Rubin Carter’s trial. The atmosphere created in the text is that of corrupt defiance and mere narrow-mindedness, and the effect is overwhelming: I have the urge to stand up and say â€Å"Hey! What you’re doing is wrong†¦! † If only I had the power to change the path of history†¦ For all those out there who believe that song lyrics are just another form of entertainment, think a gain. Should song lyrics be considered one of the most important cultural texts of all time? The way in which they approach certain themes and issues as well as investigate society’s values, beliefs and attitudes is incredible – therefore the answer is yes. When you look at U2’s protest song Sunday Bloody Sunday, a range of themes including unity, ignorance and indifference are presented. Throughout the song, the image of helplessness is promoted, encouraging the listener to fight for unity. Also, the song criticises society for being ignorant to the death and heartache that was rife in 1970s Ireland at the time of the Bloody Sunday incident. It highlights our failure to empathise, and are portrayed as uncaring and therefore urged to put a stop to world conflict. Meanwhile, themes of injustice, racism and discrimination are explored in Bob Dylan’s song Hurricane. The corruption of the American legal system is the motif in this song, presenting the police, judges and jury as dishonest and unethical. The listener is positioned to respond in a sympathetic way towards Rubin Carter, and feel resentment in regard to the so-called democratic legal system. Overall, we are encouraged to accept our differences and stand together as one, moving in the direction of social change in the courts. Finally, songs are extremely successful in exploring themes and issues that are relevant to today’s society, as they provide the chance to criticise and/or encourage social change regarding our values, beliefs and attitudes. â€Å"Democracy doesn’t rule the world. You’d better get that in your head; this world is ruled by violence, but I guess that’s better left unsaid. † Bob Dylan How to cite Analysis of Song Lyrics, Essay examples