Alice Walkers The Color Purple Essay - 2478 Words

Rape, incest, sex, forced labor, and a little reefer on the side. These are all of the components of a novel by Alice Walker. All of these views are illustrated proficiently in Alice Walker’s third novel, â€Å"The Color Purple.† Each one of these aspects had a lasting impression upon the ideals and notions of the time. Walkers writings helped to break the racial barrier that existed in some peoples minds. One way that the barrier was destroyed was through Walkers depiction of an imperfect black person. If a white person wrote about a less than perfect black person than it was considered racist. Now that a black person is writing about other blacks that are foretaking in acts that are, in their eyes, immoral and corrupt, the†¦show more content†¦For example, many authors of the time, black or white, would address the idea of either inter-racial or same-sex relations. Walker was an active feminist and her voice and opinions show through in many of her novels. The Color Purple includes many dynamic characters throughout. Mr._____ is a good example of one such character. In the beginning of the novel he is a mean, strange old man who only marries Celie because he needs somebody to look after his kids. Mr.______ is really in love with her sister, but their father decides that her sister Nettie is too young for marriage so he settles for Celie. This shows how unfeeling Mr.____ is in the first portion of the novel. He beats his wife and overworks her and rapes her and abuses her. He is an all around bad guy. First he put this thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my *censored*. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and git used to it. (Walker, pg. 1,2) However, Mr.____ comes upon a big change in his life when Celie finally leaves him. Mr.____ is left all by himself and forced to survive and maintain himself on his own. Here is where he runs into some problems. Here is where the big ch ange takes place. Mr.____ changes his evil ways and begins to show some compassionShow MoreRelatedColors And Independence In Alice Walkers The Color Purple1555 Words   |  7 Pages Alice Walker’s masterpiece, The Color Purple, uses ordinary things such as clothes, colors, jobs, and money as strong symbolism. In this book, pants symbolize independence. Pants change the way society views and treats a person. They also convey that a person is strong, confident, free, and equal to others. Alice Walker shows the reader how wearing pants can have a big effect on a person’s life, especially if that person is a woman in the early twentieth century. From the beginning of time to lessRead MoreAnalysis Of Alice Walkers The Color Purple2079 Words   |  9 Pages In Alice Walkers The Color Purple, she explores the thin grey line that stands between survival and living. Through her protagonist, Celie, she examines the dramatic shifts of empowerment; focusing on the young black girl in the 1850’s. Walker introduces the reader to the protagonist, Celie, through a series of letters. In these letters the reader finds Celie amidst her mother’s death. The author chooses to address her letters to God, giving Celie a greater willpower to survive. Celie’s upbringingRead MoreGender Equality In Alice Walkers The Color Purple704 Words   |  3 Pagesthe release of The Color Purple, women had already begun to eliminate gender discrimination in education, voting, sports, and in the workforce. During To Kill a Mockingbird’s time, only â€Å"30 percent of wives worked outside the home in 1960† (â€Å"Modern America†). This would eventually grow into â€Å"50 percent by 1980† (â€Å"Modern America†), which alludes to gender bias becoming less of an issue when The Color Purple came to be. By 1980, still two years before the publication of Alice Walker’s novel, â€Å"more thanRead MoreEssay about Alice Walkers The Color Purple1442 Words   |  6 PagesAlice Walkers The Color Purple Alice Walkers ‘The colour purple’ was largely based in a black community in the deep south of America, in between the end of the nineteenth century and the Second World War. It has been described as a rendition of her own life, thus far, I am none the wiser. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, slavery had long been abolished in America, but old habits die hard, especially in the deep south of America-where barely any politicians would set foot-Read MoreThe Importance Of Love In Alice Walkers The Color Purple1522 Words   |  7 PagesBritish poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once said, â€Å"Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all† (BrainyQuotes). This particular quote ties into Alice Walker’s The Color Purple by portraying the many feelings that the main character, Celie has about love and how love impacts your life. Celie had to learn the hard way that love was not always easy and often caused heartache. Although these lessons were not always simple they ultimately helped Celie in her future success. Even thoughRead MoreEssay on Race and Class in Alice Walkers Color Purple1622 Words   |  7 PagesEssay on Race and Class in The Color Purple  Ã‚     Ã‚   An important  Ã‚  juncture in Alice Walkers The Color Purple is reached when Celie first recovers the missing letters from her long-lost sister Nettie. This discovery not only signals the introduction of a new narrator to this epistolary novel but also begins the transformation of Celie from writer to reader. Indeed, the passage in which Celie struggles to puzzle out the markings on her first envelope from Nettie provides a concrete illustration Read MoreLanguage and Male Supremacy in Alice Walkers The Color Purple694 Words   |  3 Pagesfeelings; it only creates problems and hurts women. Historically, Southern men in the middle 1900’s, like the ones in The Color Purple, traditionally treated their wives as if they were worthless or unimportant. In her novel, The Color Purple, Alice Walker shows husbands abuse their power over their wives to escape their problems through Harpo, Mr. _____ and Grady. First, Alice Walker shows husbands abuse their power to escape their problems through Harpo. Harpo abuses his power of being the manRead MoreLife Struggles and Themes in Alice Walkers The Color Purple 2040 Words   |  9 PagesBorn in Eatonton, Georgia, in 1944 Alice Walker was last of her eight siblings. As far as becoming author, Alice walker herself was faced with many struggles throughout her life. After a childhood accident blinded her in one eye, she went on to become valedictorian of her local school, and attend Spelman College and Sarah Lawrence College on scholarships, graduating in 1965(Janet Witalec). Her biggest turning point/ motivation was an author named Zora Neale Hurston, who made a great influence onRead More Celies Pain in Alice Walkers Color Purple Essay1473 Words   |  6 PagesCelies Pain in The Color Purple Molestation is a topic that is painful to think about, and even more difficult to write about. Yet Alice Walker chose this as the central theme of her novel The Color Purple. Walkers work centers around a poor African American girl Celie. Celie keeps a diary, and the first section of the novel is an excerpt from her diary. After reading the excerpt, the reader comes to realize that Celie is a fourteen-year-old girl who has been molested by her father. ThroughRead MoreEssay on Struggle and Growth in Alice Walkers Color Purple836 Words   |  4 PagesStruggle and Growth in Alice Walkers The Color Purple The Color Purple depicts the struggle and growth of Celie, an uneducated slave of the South who became a victim of racism, sexual roles, men, and social injustices, in numerous letters that she writes as a diary. Walker uses Celies uneducated grammar to help the reader perceive the pain that she thinks and feels in order to become a mature, twentieth-century woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Celie writes to God for guidance and strength asking

The Shortage Of Nursing School Essay - 2336 Words

It is not a secret that for many years there has been a detrimental nursing shortage in the United States. Factors that contribute to the unfortunate decrease in availability of nurses and other health care professionals can be attributed to a shortage of nursing school instructors which impacts enrollment into nursing schools, and many in the health care profession are nearing retirement age. The need for health care continues to steadily increase as the baby boomer generation ages. In order to meet these demands, there has to be adequate staff in the workplace. After an extended amount of time dealing with unsafe staff to patient ratio it has come the time to take action and devise solutions rather than letting patient care suffer. After comparing a variety of possible solutions, the most feasible was to create and implement a clear updated set of regulations, and formulate a law to enforce the same. The proposed solution will address the ineffectiveness of current health care staf fing regulations, propose a law that will enforce safe staff to patient ratios, mandate that all parties involved in developing health care laws be members of the health care field themselves, and work to maintain a strict continuous reassessment phase to ensure that all changes remain beneficial. With the help of the entire health care community the implementation of this proposed solution will create a dramatic decrease in adverse patient outcomes while increasing patient and staffShow MoreRelatedNursing Legislation1003 Words   |  5 PagesLegislative Issue Faced by Nursing http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/shortageresource.htm The web site I found that discusses this critical issue is by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (AACN). This is an outstanding website that discusses the current and projected issues regarding the nursing shortage. The article identifies sobering figures of projected shortages up to the year 2020. By 2010, the nursing shortage is projected to be 12%, by 2015 to be 20% and by 2020 a frighteningRead MoreNurses Shortages On Quality Patient Care1318 Words   |  6 PagesNurse Shortages On Quality Patient Care. Eras of high vacancy rates for RNs in hospitals have come and gone, but the current shortage is different. According to the 2002 estimation by the workforce commission of the American Hospital Association, nursing shortages has reflected vital changes in general public demographics, vocation expectations, work attitudes and worker dissatisfaction. Undoubtedly, the current situation may well continue over several decades. In addition, a federal governmentRead MoreShortage Of Nurses And Healthcare Workers1439 Words   |  6 PagesI believe that there is a shortage of nurses in the United States and in other counties throughout the world. There is a big shortage of nurses and healthcare workers in the nursing home where I worked at. To solve the problem of the nursing shortage, management hired travel nurses to come into the facility to work. I think travel nurses can be helpful in some ways and hurtful in other ways. Staff at the nursing home gave the travel nurses a hard time becaus e they were getting paid more money forRead MoreDeveloping An Implementation Plan For Nursing Shortage1662 Words   |  7 PagesDeveloping an Implementation Plan Nursing shortage is a global problem facing all health care system and the impact on nursing professional and patient care outcomes cannot be over emphasized. Despite all effort made by the ANA and health care institutions to address the issue of nursing shortage there seems to be no change and the problem still exist hence there is every need to implement a new plan to address the problem of nursing shortage (ANA, 2014). The project plan is aimed at introducingRead MoreNursing Shortage Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pagesthere a big shortage of nurses? The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is very concerned about the nursing shortage (Rosseter, 2011). The AACN is working to find different ways to address the shortage of nurses (Rosseter, 2011). There are several countries that fear that the nursing shortage is growing rapidly. According to the World Health Organization several countries has had a decrease in the number of students graduating from nursing school (Honor Society of Nursing, 2001).Read MoreMedical Errors Of The Medical Field1711 Words   |  7 Pagesdetermine the best methods for each of their patient’s unique patterns of life. However, these relationships also require time. There is a problem throughout America’s healthcare system: nurses are overworked due to the fact that there is a nursing shortage. This has forced nurses to reduce the amount of time spent with their patient – creating a risky situation where either the medical staff make a potentially fatal mistake or they could omit an important part of the patient’s history or careRead MoreThe American Healthcare System Is Severely Impacted By The Shortage Of Nursing Personnel Essay1192 Words   |  5 Pagessystem is severely impacted by the shortage of nursing personnel. According to the American Nurses Association (2014), the nursing shortage has compromised patient safety, patient care and patient health outcomes. The nursing shortage can also cause medical errors, result in fatigue, injury and job dissatisfaction. The nursing shortage has been influenced by several factors. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors that influence nursing shortage in the U.S , present two strategies toRead MoreTitle Viii Nursing Workforce Development1537 Words   |  7 Pages Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Julie Schlick Nebraska Methodist College The health care industry is in need of a strong nursing workforce that can provide quality care. The present nursing shortage is only predicted to worsen as the baby boomers retire and health care needs expand. The shortage is projected to reach more than one million nurses, and reform is needed to increase the interest in nursing therefore funding is needed for this transformation ((AmericanRead MoreAmericas Nursing Shortage Analysis Essay1182 Words   |  5 Pages The shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States has been a cyclical topic dating back to the 1960s. Only recently have employers in certain regions of the nation stated a decline in the demand for RNs. Consequently, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2014) report on 2012-2013 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, American nursing schools denied admission to 79,659Read MoreThe Cau ses Of The Nursing Shortage1563 Words   |  7 Pages The Causes of the Nursing Shortage On June 14, 2011, Claire Courchane talking about the current situation in the nursing field said that ‘With the nursing shortage looming, America needs shot in the arm’. She couldn’t address such reality in better words. The shortage, which goes evolving, already has dramatic effects on our healthcare system. In 1998, a 61 years old woman experienced the consequences of an understaff hospital due to a nurse shortage. Indeed, Shirley Keck who was interned

An Interview With a Relative Free Essays

Welcome to the blue collar city of Buffalo, New York. I find myself in my great Uncle Wills old brick home in the center of South Buffalo. The house has the familiar smell of old people, in the foyer are a pair of work boots the leather old and worn, the soles nearly depleted. We will write a custom essay sample on An Interview With a Relative or any similar topic only for you Order Now A layer of dust has formed on the boots that have remained untouched for decades. As I move closer to the kitchen I can hear the recognizable sound of stainless steel clinking on ceramic, the rhythmic noise can only be one thing; Uncle Will’s stirring his ever present cup of joe. I know this interview is going to take a bit so I head to the fridge to find a cold beverage. Inside the fridge, prune juice I thought â€Å"ugh†, tap water will do. My Uncle begins by interviewing me. Uncle Will is curious to know how I’m doing in school and if I like living in Kansas. We talk about family, cars and pets(he has a very fat cat). I don’t want this interview to be formal and stiff so I casually guide the conversation to his earlier years. I want to ask him about WWII but this is not what I want to focus on. I do ask about his service in the United States Army just to get an idea of how his time in the army prepared him for entering the job market. In his tour of duty he saw himself promoted three times, eventually to the rank of Captain and led a company of sixty men. This is all I want to know of his brief military service. I ask about his homecoming and the first thing he mentions is the excellent growth the economy in Buffalo has made, â€Å"it was as if the depression never happened† he says with a half smile and a look of satisfaction. The best thing is not only was the city of Buffalo prospering the entire nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific was too. I sit quiet and attentive just letting him talk. It’s like a history lecture only it’s just me front and center, completely interested in the subject. I want to know more about Buffalo and the jobs available to him so I implore. â€Å"You could just see the smiles on everyone’s faces, people walking with a bounce in their step† he tells me. The reason for the smiling faces was that Buffalo was home to Bethlehem Steel the second largest steel producer in the nation. Bethlehem Steel employed tens of thousands of the city’s people they offered good wages and a unionized work force, these things kept the grins ear to ear. The steel was mainly sent to Detroit to fuel the auto industries record sales. The primary means to transport the steel was the railroad and this is where Uncle Will found his calling. He was hired for the job almost immediately. His time leading troops in combat made him the top choice for the conductor position. Old Will describes his new job as â€Å"Love at First sight†. Will adored the sound of the methodic turning of the locomotives wheels, the hustle and bustle of the train yard and the fact that he had the privilege to literally drive the economy in a 200 ton, 7000 horsepower machine. â€Å"The most efficient means of transportation, steel on steel,† he says proudly. He now commanded trains with at least sixty box cars just like the company of soldiers he led just a short while ago. Uncle Will informs me that though the job often kept him away a lot with trips to Chicago and other mid-western cities he was proud to be transporting the materials to help the U. S prosper. He coveted every moment he spent with his locomotive the diesel powered Dual-Service Erie-Built Train Master, â€Å"I called her Audrey after Audrey Hepburn, they showed her movies to us in the service† Uncle Will laughs as he finishes his statement. Audrey was navigating her way through the extensive network of railways across the country and with that even I feel a bit of admiration of the industry. His devotion to the train industry is fascinating. I ask him to tell me more about his duties as a conductor. The conductor has the duty of accelerating, breaking, changing tracks and supervising the crew, pretty important,† he adds with a chuckle. His days on the helm of the locomotive began to blur together days became months and months turned to years but he says â€Å" every time I pushed the accelerator I still had that goose bump sensation I felt the first time I pushed her to full speed. † Buffalo was still enjoying economic growth through the sixti es still thriving on America’s appetite for steel. In the late sixties as my Uncle explained he noticed a change, less noise at the rail yard the sound of wheels turning was less prevalent the methodic rhythm slowing down just like buffalo’s economy. Everyone could sense the change and the smiles began to fade. I want to know the reason for this change in demand. Uncle Will proclaimed with anger in his voice â€Å"Foreign steel was being imported from places like China and Korea. It was much cheaper and industry wants to save money. † The lack of demand for Buffalo’s number one export closed the doors of Bethlehem and Republic Steel. Thousand lost their jobs. â€Å"You could call this moment in time the death of our city â€Å"he adds. This was and is the beginning of the continual decline of the Queen City. Uncle Will was right unemployment rates were 6% and today is 9. 6% according to the New York State Department of Labor (www. labor. state. ny. us). This downturn affected all subsequent history. Unemployment caused crime rates to rise, drug use was rampant on the east side of town and it was spreading at a rapid rate. Today buffalo is littered with abandoned homes even ornate Roman Catholic churches have seen their doors and windows boarded up. â€Å"The city as I knew it was gone† with these words I hear a solemn sigh. I wanted this interview to be about how the railroad industry affected his life however by the way it started I should have known the interview was just a means for Uncle Will to tell me about the city he watched grow to greatness and the sadness it brings him to watch its decline. I peer out the window there is a light blanket of snow covering the concrete and the small bush he has in his front yard. It looks pretty and peaceful but looks can be deceiving. Uncle Will mention’s that even in his neighborhood crime was creeping in â€Å"the house just two doors down was burglarized just a week ago† he proclaims with a deep sadness in his eyes. I look closer at Uncle William’s face tired and worn like the work boots in the front hall, his soul wearing away. This man has done so much in his life he volunteered when his country needed him and guided trains on the veins of Buffalo, pumping its blood of steel around the fledging nation. Without sadness there cannot be joy and without depression there cannot be growth. Unfortunately this weary old man is still sitting in his old red recliner coffee cup in hand staring out the window at the city streets once home to the laughter of playing children now quiet and desolate. He says â€Å"I’d leave this place but there are too many memories in this old house, too many memories in this old city. † How to cite An Interview With a Relative, Papers