Essays on Contemporary History

Captivity and slave narratives allow insight into the trauma that the victim experiences; however, the victim’s narrative is often influenced and therefore, altered, to conform to the society’s pressures at that time. Focusing on the reception of the audience creates a struggle for the writer...

“This was the Coming” is arguably one of the most impactful lines in Daniel Black’s The Coming, mostly because it captures everything that the novel is dedicated to, which is “the memory and celebration of African souls lost in the Atlantic Ocean.” This common theme...

The notion of the “New Woman” arose in the late nineteenth century mainly defining middle class women who reproached the then current societal expectations for women. As stated by Susan Cruea, a professor of English and Women’s Studies at Bowling Green University, “the most important...

 In “Master Harold”… and the Boys, black Africans are treated as though they are not as important as the white Africans. Fugard represents black Africans as people who have been disenfranchised, segregated, and less privileged in an attempt to show the struggles involved with apartheid....

It seems contradictory that a person could simultaneously be treated as both completely worthless and completely inexpendable. Despite the paradoxical nature of this statement, it perfectly describes the plight of black women in early American slavery. Female slaves, though legally regarded as property, were vitally...

Introduction Also known as Mother Teresa, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was a woman of much grace, dignity, faith, and kindness. When asked to describe herself, she said, “By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to...

David Walker authors the work, Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World (1829) which informs of the system of Chattel slavery in America. In scathing terms, Walker refutes slavery on all points basing his objections on the Bible principles and the American Constitution. Like...

Truman Capote’s masterpiece of American literature, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, is a wonderful story about misguided love. The novel is well deserving of a place within any compilation of literature and is epically deserving of a place within a collection of women’s literature, as it presents...

Knowing the elements of Arabesques (1986), authored by Anton Shammas, clarifies the meaning of the ancient art form as well as enlightens the reader on the significance of the novel. His purpose, technique, and message are intertwined with the theme of Arabesques. The punning of...

By 1942 World War II was finally over, but the after effects were no good. The war cause heavy casualties and issues such as starvation, poverty, health problems, and other difficulties. With the world’s ever-growing population, countries soon faced the facts that they simply couldn’t...

Before the truth surrounding the strange fate of Benito Cereno becomes apparent, Herman Melville effects an intriguing juxtaposition between Don Benito and Babo while the latter adheres to the toilette of his “master.” Captain Delano, while watching this masquerade of owner and slave, congratulates the...

During the twentieth century, life in Europe changed drastically, due to the multitude of events and changes that crowded this century. From the wars to the effects of the Industrial revolution, the lives of Europeans were constantly changing, with the priorities and views of society...