Lesson And Battle Royal Essays - Invisible Man, The Lesson

Lesson And Battle Royal The history of African integration into American society has been Permeated with human tragedy. Ever since the first slave boat reached the shore's of America, a deep affliction to the African race transpired. Generations upon generations were ravished by the rapacity of there captors. Kept enchained and illiterate for hundreds of years, the idea of Blacks as the Untermensch in American society was milled into the American psyche, the remnant of which still till today remains. Untermensch, a German word, meaning sub person has often been used to describe the African status compared to that of their white counterparts. In the short stories "The Lesson" by Toni Cade Bambara and "Battle Royal" by Ralph Ellison, the authors use the idea of race determining the social structure in America where Black's are the Untermensch. In the short story "The Lesson", Bambara through fictional characters makes a serious social commentary. The story portrays a poor black neighborhood, where the narrator is poor little black girl who along with her friends is being thought at home by this old black lady named Ms. Moore. She despises Ms. Moore for dressing and talking proper and most importantly for making her come to study during the hot summer months. Sylvia (the narrator) a rough street kid is brought along with her street friends by Ms. Moore to a ritzy toy shop (FAO SHWARZ) where she and her friends are shown toys which can feed them for years. Sylvia along with her friends questions how people could such ridiculous amount of money on toys, to which one of the kids replies "that this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough don't it?"(164). That quote basically summarized the lesson, which Ms. Moore was trying to tell her kids. Sylvia and her friends were content with the "piece of pie" (163) they had received, Ms. Moore tried to point out how small it was and how it could change. The next short which in actuality is an part of the novel "The Invisible Man", is "Battle Royal" written by Ralph Ellison which also question the Blacks as the Untermensch. Much of the story contains a lot of symbolic text, which is what makes the reading so intriguing. At face value, its an story of a black H.S. graduate who makes an speech in front of an rowdy crowd after he has fought 10 other man in the ring, but in reality the story is saturated with massive symbolism. The narrator, an African American has just graduated from High School with honors, and is invited to speak in front of the elite community of the town. The setting of the play takes place in fictitious "boxing ring" where there is a naked women who commences the start of the boxing match. The contestant's in the ring are 10 black man who have been put assembled in the ring in order to start of this grand fight. In the audience are the lawyer's, doctors, bankers, teacher's, and judges all of whom were white, spectators of an event which pinned together 10 black men. The narrator (whose names is not revealed) was shock to find this. He had expected to give an enlightening speech about he racial operation in America, while the situation had seemed some what of an entertainment arena rather than a place where a speech can be given. Nevertheless the narrator chose to be part of this "event", just as long (as he had hoped) as was able to deliver this speech. In the Arena the 10 black guys fought against each other, while the spectators urged them on. In the end while all was set and done, a bloodied and damaged narrator made his dear speech to the deaf ears of an entertained audience. For all of this he came home with a college scholarship to a white sponsored black school. When he fell asleep he saw his grandfather who asked him to read a letter which said, "Keep this nigger-boy running"(. The meaning of the story lies in the symbolism. The 10 black men in the ring symbolizing how the white man pitted them against each other in order to keep his high status while they watched as eager spectators. The point of the story was that black community was never given the chance to rise as they were kept uneducated, fighting against each other, while the white man laughed at their expense.

Biography of Charles Darwin, 19th Century Naturalist

Biography of Charles Darwin, 19th Century Naturalist Charles Darwin (February 12, 1809–April 19, 1882) was a naturalist who originated the theory of evolution through the process of natural selection. Darwin holds a unique place in history as the foremost proponent of this theory. While he lived a relatively quiet and studious life, his writings were controversial in their day and still routinely spark controversy. As an educated young man, he embarked on an astounding voyage of discovery aboard a Royal Navy ship. Strange animals and plants he saw in remote places inspired his deep thinking about how life might have developed. And when he published his masterpiece, On the Origin of Species, he profoundly shook up the scientific world. Darwins influence on modern science is impossible to overstate. Fast Facts: Charles Darwin Known For: Originating the theory of evolution through natural selectionBorn: February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, EnglandParents: Robert Waring Darwin and Susannah WedgwoodDied: April 19, 1882 in Downe, Kent, EnglandEducation: Edinburgh University, Scotland, Cambridge University, EnglandPublished Works: On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural SelectionAwards and Honors:  Royal Medal, Wallaston Medal, Copley Medal (all for outstanding achievements in the sciences)Spouse: Emma WedgwoodChildren: William Erasmus Darwin, Anne Elizabeth Darwin, Mary Eleanor Darwin, Henrietta Emma Darwin, George Howard Darwin, Elizabeth Darwin, Francis Darwin, Leonard Darwin, Horace Darwin, Charles Waring Darwin Notable Quote: â€Å"In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment.† Early Life Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, in Shrewsbury, England. His father was a medical doctor, and his mother was the daughter of the famous potter Josiah Wedgwood. Darwin’s mother died when he was 8, and he was essentially raised by his older sisters. He was not a brilliant student as a child, but he went on to study at the University of Edinburgh Medical School in Scotland, at first intending to become a doctor. Darwin took a strong dislike to medical education and eventually studied at Cambridge. He planned to become an Anglican minister before becoming intensely interested in botany. He received a degree in 1831. Voyage of the Beagle On the recommendation of a college professor, Darwin was accepted to travel on the second voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle. The ship was embarking on a scientific expedition to South America and islands of the South Pacific, leaving in late December 1831. The Beagle returned to England nearly five years later, in October 1836. Darwins position on the ship was peculiar. A former captain of the vessel had become despondent during a long scientific voyage because, it was assumed, he had no intelligent person to converse with while at sea. The British Admiralty thought sending an intelligent young gentleman along on a voyage would serve a combined purpose: he could study and make records of discoveries while also providing intelligent companionship for the captain. Darwin was chosen to go aboard. Darwin spent more than 500 days at sea and about 1,200 days on land during the trip. He studied plants, animals, fossils, and geological formations and wrote his observations in a series of notebooks. During long periods at sea, he organized his notes. In the Galapagos The Beagle spent about five weeks in the Galapagos Islands. During that time, Darwin made a series of observations that had a significant impact on his new theories about natural selection. He was particularly intrigued by his discovery of major differences between species on different islands. He wrote: The distribution of tenants of this archipelago would not be nearly so wonderful if, for instance, one island has a mocking-thrush and a second island some other quite distinct species... But it is the circumstance that several of the islands possess their own species of tortoise, mocking-thrush, finches, and numerous plants, these species having the same general habits, occupying analogous situations, and obviously filling the same place in the natural economy of this archipelago, that strikes me with wonder. Darwin visited four of the Galapagos Islands, including Chatham Island (now San Cristobal), Charles (now Floreana), Albemarle, and James (now Santiago). He spent much of his time sketching, collecting specimens, and observing animals and their behavior. His discoveries would change the scientific world and rock the foundations of Western religion. Early Writings Three years after returning to England, Darwin published the Journal of Researches, an account of his observations during the expedition aboard the Beagle. The book was an entertaining account of Darwins scientific travels and was popular enough to be published in successive editions. Darwin also edited five volumes titled Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle, which contained contributions by other scientists. Darwin himself wrote sections dealing with the distribution of animal species and geological notes on fossils he had seen. Development of Darwins Thinking The voyage on the Beagle was, of course, a highly significant event in Darwin’s life, but his observations on the expedition were hardly the only influence on the development of his theory of natural selection. He was also greatly influenced by what he was reading. In 1838 Darwin read an Essay on the Principle of Population, which the British philosopher Thomas Malthus had written 40 years earlier. The ideas of Malthus helped Darwin refine his own notion of â€Å"survival of the fittest.† Darwins Ideas of Natural Selection Malthus had been writing about overpopulation and discussed how some members of society were able to survive difficult living conditions. After reading Malthus, Darwin kept collecting scientific samples and data, eventually spending 20 years refining his own thoughts on natural selection. Darwin married Emma Wedgwood in 1839. Illness prompted him to move from London to the country in 1842. His scientific studies continued, and he spent years studying various lifeforms to better understand their evolutionary processes. Publication of His Masterpiece Darwin’s reputation as a naturalist and geologist had grown throughout the 1840s and 1850s, yet he had not revealed his ideas about natural selection widely. Friends urged him to publish them in the late 1850s; it was the publication of an essay by Alfred Russell Wallace expressing similar thoughts that encouraged Darwin to write a book setting out his own ideas. In July 1858, Darwin and Wallace appeared together at the Linnean Society of London. And in November 1859, Darwin published the book that secured his place in history: On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection. Death On the Origin of Species was published in several editions, with Darwin periodically editing and updating material in the book. And while society debated Darwins work, he lived a quiet life in the English countryside, content to conduct botanical experiments. He was highly respected, regarded as a grand old man of science. He died on April 19, 1882, and was honored by being buried at Westminster Abbey in London. Legacy Charles Darwin was not the first person to propose that plants and animals adapt to circumstances and evolve over eons of time. But Darwins book put forth his hypothesis in an accessible format and led to controversy. Darwins theories had an almost immediate impact on religion, science, and society at large. Sources â€Å"Charles Darwin: Gentleman Naturalist.† Darwin Online.Desmond, Adrian J. â€Å"Charles Darwin.† Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Feb. 2019.Liu, Joseph, and Joseph Liu. â€Å"Darwin and His Theory of Evolution.† Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life Project, 19 Mar. 2014.