American Literature

The world of today has several issues, which may be controversial. Sometimes these issues may have major support leading to the other section getting marginalized. Homosexuality and gay marriage is one such issue that despite getting increasing support, still has a long way to go. The discrimination against homosexuality has to end. There are many gay activists around the world who stand up for the cause of the homosexuals. These people highlight the plight of the gays and spearhead their aspirations in a challenging world. Among the noted proponents of this marginalized group is Scott Bidstrup. Scott Bidstrup has authored several articles on the rights of gays and gay marriages. Unlike most other writers of the subject, Bidstrup elaborates not only on gay rights but also on the life difficulties, the gays face everyday. His splendid illustration wins considerable sympathy and support for this group. He looks into every aspect of life and life challenges for the gays.

In his essay Homophobia The fear behind the hatred, he analyses several issues of the gays in the society which are seldom recognized. Quoting the dictionary for homophobia as the fear of homosexuals, Bidstrup ironically says that homophobia, which is widely prevalent in America, inspires discrimination. He sums up this discrimination as touching the lives of not just gays Americans, but all Americans. He interestingly recollects that during the campaign for the U.S Senate in 1994, supporters of Oliver North carried placards reading Homophobia Doesnt Kill. Bidstrup sarcastically says that these supporters were ignorant, because homophobia does kill and several homosexuals are killed each year. He continues with his rhetoric saying that while dozens are murdered in the US each year, thousand across the world are killed in the same period. Bidstrup tries to project the value of a homosexuals life as perceived in many countries, by saying that the deaths of homosexuals are not considered worth recording as a separate category, in many countries.

Bidstrup looks into the various reasons provided by the opponents of homosexuality, in an effort to discriminate them. He mentions these arguments as homosexuality is not natural, it is perverted, against Gods will and being disgusting. By taking a point-to-point perspective, Bidstrup successfully counters the arguments. He justifies homosexuality as being normal by citing science that homosexual behavior has been observed in many animal species and bisexual behavior being universal. He sums up the perversion theory as not being a natural argument, except when taken with the religious fervor. Continuing with his argument to counter the claim that it is against Gods will, Bidstrup questions the role of religion in todays society, which has implemented the separation of the powers of the church and state. While justifying the stand and rights of homosexuals, the author ponders on the actual intentions of the opponents of homosexuality. According to the author, the real intention to oppose homosexuality is the fear that heterosexual marriages would be threatened, and the human ego which perceives individuals who are different, as being a threat. One of the fine arguments the author puts forth for many opposing homosexuality is that there is a fear that one may himself be a homosexual.

In another article, Gay Marriage The Arguments and the Motives Bidstrup looks into the issues revolving gay marriages. He highlights the increasing awareness and support to homosexuality, while exposing an interesting and lesser-understood fact. He says that almost seventy percent of the Americans oppose gay marriage, while almost the same percentage supported gay rights. The implications are now clear many people who support gay rights dont support gay marriages. The support, which homosexuals have for equality in jobs, benefits, protection, housing etc., is not extended to gay marriages.  He looks into the various reasons people put forth to thwart gay marriages. Like in the earlier case, he recounts one by one. Opponents of gay marriage do not hesitate to support their case with unimaginable and senseless arguments, in desperate attempt to prevent gay marriages.  Bidstrup feels the opposition to gay marriages stems up from facts, that dont intend to keep up with the changing times and trends. The opposition to it is so flimsy and irrelevant that their very mention highlights their inappropriateness. He adds that such statements against gay marriages include the perception that gay relationship is unnatural and immoral, same sex-marriage is untried, and that same sex marriages can lead towards legalization of other such illegal relationships like incest, bestial marriage.

According to Bidstrup, such propaganda is intentionally directed to prevent implementation of gay rights. This indifference to gay marriage arises from peoples perception of marriage and homosexuality. The general thinking even among supporters of homosexuality is that gays have multiple partners and that their relationships are not deep or emotional. Gays are considered as uncommitted and not being capable of forming lasting relationships. The author agrees to this, since gays do have such relationships too. However, he points out that such relationships also exist in heterosexual or straight society, although to a lesser extent. What people dont understand about gays is that, as gays grow and mature, they too like their straight counterparts begin to value and seek committed lasting relationships. Bidstrup emphasizes on the values exhibited by gay couples in their daily routine as being perfectly comparable to that of straight couples. They are loyal to their partners, involve themselves in family life, play an active role in the development of their communities and neighborhoods. Like heterosexual couples, many gay couples also serve on school boards, volunteer in charity activities and also donate generously to their communities.

One of the most convincing and thought evoking arguments by Bidstrup on this subject is the perceived stand of religion on homosexuality. He appreciates the stand of Buddhism, which according to him draws many homosexuals because there isnt any homophobia preaching in it. The Theravada Buddhist viewpoint is that all relationships i.e. gay, lesbian or straight are personal matters involving mutual consent. All relationships are considered constructive and acceptable as long as both partners are happy. With regard to Christianity and the bible, the author says that the bible was written at a period when there was no understanding of homosexuality or psychosexual orientation. The bible therefore does not recognize people as being lesbians or gays. The inference was only directed to homosexual acts committed by persons considered heterosexual. The author also notes the indifference with regard to bible interpretation. When it comes to homosexuality, many Christians literally take all references to homosexual acts while they interpret other texts with much flexibility. The bible actually pays very little attention to this subject and most importantly Jesus speaks nothing on this topic, in the New Testament. This apart, he says, most instructions and recommendations of the bible are of lesser relevance today, like avoiding pork.

The voice of Scott Bidstrup is truly encouraging and of immense support to the homosexual group. His views and analysis have depth exposing a reader to many unexpected scenarios and situations. The main point of his articles is that while arguing for the rights of the homosexuals and gay marriages, he also emphasizes with the same tone, the discrimination and pain this group undergo in their everyday life. Again these are situations which none would ever anticipate, or generally get to know about it. Most of these situations, which the author cites, seem to come directly from a discriminated person. Such is the reality and tone of Bidstrup.

Washington Irving tells a folkloric tale of fantasy in his short piece Rip Van Winkle.  In this story a narrator chronicles the experiences of a young family man, Rip, who, after being discontented with his life, goes up the Catskill Mountains with his trusty rifle and his dog to hunt squirrel.  Sitting under a tree, Rip is visited by a little man who fits the description of a dwarf.  The little man asks Rip for help and takes Rip into a world in the Catskills that was previously unknown to the young hunter.  In this fantasy world, Rip finds many other little men and he joins them in drinking and celebration until Rip falls into a deep sleep.  He awakens to find that he had slept and been gone for twenty years.  He then finds that everything around him has changed and because nobody recognized him anymore, he was taken in by his daughter who had already grown significantly in his absence.  This story of Irving is a clever allegory of fantasy of man more specifically Rip Van Winkle is a symbol of the American fantasy of escape from responsibility.  This symbolism is achieved in the story in three separate ways, first, by presenting a protagonist who is typical of the American quite likely to seek and escape from responsibility, second, by putting this protagonist in situations where he is most likely to respond with escapism, and third, by using the entire story to portray the fight or flight situation where the expected response would be flight.

    Rip Van Winkle himself is the epitome of the American fantasy of escape from responsibility.  Earlier in the story Rip is described to be the kind of individual who seems to have no backbone quite typical of the kind of person who would most likely shrug off responsibility.  For instance, in the lines, I have observed that he was a simple, good-natured man he was, moreover, a kind neighbor and an obedient, henpecked husband (Irving) the author pays particular attention to highlighting the word henpecked in this description of Rip.  This can be loosely interpreted as Rip being a mamas boy as is the implication of this particular word.  The other qualities of Rip as described in the story serve to validate this supposition.  He is as well described as descending from a prominent bloodline, hence, He was a descendant of the Van Winkles who figured so gallantly in the chivalrous days of Peter Stuyvesant, and accompanied him to the siege of Fort Christina. (Irving)  This gallant quality of Rip initially serves to swell up the expectations of the reader for the protagonist but also presents Rip as some kind of a spoiled brat or someone who has a name to live up to, hence, is able to act the way he would want to act.  Rip is also described to be hopelessly indolent by the line, The great error in Rips composition was an insuperable aversion to all kinds of profitable labor.  (Irving)  This line suggests not only that Rip did not seek remuneration for whatever services he offered but beyond that, implies that Rip stayed away from labor itself, quite typical of someone who cannot and will not do something to change his fate.  This is validated by the line, Rip was ready to attend to anybodys business but his own but as to doing family duty, and keeping his farm in order, it was impossible. (Irving)  and If left to himself, he would have whistled life away, which both suggest that the protagonist was terribly passive and indifferent.  These qualities of Rip serve to paint a portrait of a person who will most likely react by escaping when subjected to situations normally encountered by any living person.

    So, as expected, Rip is indeed subjected to these kinds of situations  first, by subjecting his surroundings to circumstances resulting from his own indolence, then by having a family that will not tolerate his indolence, and third, by giving him internal hopelessness.  The first situation is seen in how everything around Rip had fallen apart in the story, hence, His fences were continually falling to pieces his cow would either go astray or get among the cabbages weeds were sure to grow quicker in his fields than anywhere else his patrimonial estate had dwindled away under his management, acre by acre, until there was little more left than a mere patch of Indian corn and potatoes, (Irving) describing how his assets have began to deteriorate because of his indolence.  Then Rip is subjected to the people surrounding him, especially his wife, who will not just sit and watch his decay.  This situation is described by the narrator in the way Rips wife was, A termagant wife may, therefore, in some respects, be considered a tolerable blessing and if so, Rip Van Winkle was thrice blessed. (Irving)  This means that Rips wife scolded him constantly about their situation, and nagged him out of his mind.  This is clear in the lines, his wife kept continually dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family. (Irving)   Other than this, Rip seemed to be experiencing domestic problems with his children as well as described in the line, His children, too, were as ragged and wild as if they belonged to nobody. His son Rip, an urchin begotten in his own likeness, promised to inherit the habits, with the old clothes of his father. (Irving)  Then, as a fitting cap to all these difficult situations,   Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair and his only alternative, to escape from the labor of the farm and clamor of his wife, was to take gun in hand and stroll away into the woods. (Irving)  So, we see here that Rip, in response to his difficult situation responds with more indolence and turns his back from his problems and walks away.  Judging by these the incident where he sleeps for twenty years is not actually necessary anymore to accurately signify Rips escape because in reality he already escapes from his responsibilities.  However, the entire story is used to describe this fight or flight attitude of Rip as it also reveals what he is preoccupied with while in a world of his fantasy.

    The narrator makes reference to a celebratory situation where Rip chooses to intoxicate himself instead of face his own problems in the lines, He even ventured, when no eye was fixed upon him, to taste the beverage, One taste provoked another at length his senses were overpowered, his eyes swam in his head, his head gradually declined, and he fell into a deep sleep. (Irving)  This particular situation suggests that Rip had chosen to flee from the world he was in and continue existence in his own comfort zone, typical of the classic individual who has problems with responsibility.  Here we notice that rip chooses to escape from reality.  Reality is equated with responsibility and his escape from reality as well represents his escape from responsibility.  As a result of this flight response, the world leaves Rip behind and everything around him changes when he finally decides to take up the cudgels of his role as father and member of society.  This is what normally happens to people who would rather take a different path away from responsibility when such is encountered.

    So, based on the textual evidence it is clear that the story Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving portrays a typical American, in attitude and personality, who is expected to turn his back on responsibility.  The matter is aggravated when the protagonist in the story is dumped into a seemingly hopeless situation where a great effort was required to effect repair.  In the end, the protagonist does not lift a finger and instead escapes from reality typifying the flight response which is common among people who are not able to take responsibility of their actions.  All these confirm the assumption that the tale is in fact a very clever symbol of the American fantasy of escape from responsibility.

The Beloved by Toni Morison is a detailed account of events that embody thoughts and memories of the past days. It holistically serves as a meditation on the lasting effects of slavery as personified by the Beloved and the resulting mother-daughter bond. In addition, the novel  invests greatly in the heterosexual relationship of a couple in the historical shape and meaning. It extensively mirrors the notion of memory and consciousness as underscored by Patricia Hampl and Marcel Proust in Memory and Imagination as well as Remembering of Things Past respectively. Wrought succinctly in flashbacks, Toni Morrison captures his concerns modeled on memories as she allows the readers to travel with her in the paths that brought together the creation of the literary piece the Beloved. Arguably, memory in the Beloved seizes a center stage as Toni Morrison takes a direct path to bring to the reader the little known past of the characters, to purposefully depict the present and the future. Drawing from Patricia Hampls Memory and Imagination and Marcel Prousts Remembering of Things Past, this paper seeks to discuss aspects of memory in the Toni Morisons novel the beloved.

Memories are representations of imagined or actual experiences that took place in the past. Psychologists have maintained that in most cases, memories are retrieved on a selective basis depending on the encounter being remembered and the cues involved. With regard to this, memories serve as frameworks upon which meaning in the life of people as well as those around them is created. In Beloved, memory comes out clearly as both incapacitating and treacherous sense of the human consciousness. For example, Sethe endures a host of oppression in the self imposed valleys of memory. This becomes evident in how she is insatiably obsessed with her past experiences which she remembers every now and then. In addition, Sethe is forced not only to explore but also give account of the overpowering sense of desire, craving and longing for something that is beyond her beloved, her daughter and herself (Morrison, 67-75). Although Beloved comes out as an ideal and physical manifestation of these memories, what is enshrined in her will, her memories are indeed tied the emotions, thoughts and experiences of Sethe.

The struggle of Sethe is a more representation of memories which definitely is depicted as a personal process towards self negation. In light of this, the identity of Sethe, following her past experiences and what she can remember, is complicated, elaborate and almost consumed by her memory. According to Hampl (208), memory is the struggle of a human being against their self power and relative to Sethes insatiable efforts to forget, it is plausible to argue that memory is the struggle against forgetting.  Hampl (208-209) further puts that the personalized efforts to remember our past accounts is evidenced as a means of exchange where people renew their ancient concerns and personalize them. This follows the asserted aspect of a process such that we effort to access the stores of our private images an association to basically associate ourselves with the past.  Essentially, in the novel Beloved, Toni Morrison implicitly suggests that the crisis of Sethe is by no means unique and thus memory is self destructive struggle power.

In respect to Proust (190), memory connects both our involuntary and voluntary selves which further represent the power and ability of memory to help individuals reach beyond time and possibly find the important reality of affairs. In this premise, the reality of affairs has an arguable perception that yields happiness to both life and art as in the case of Toni Morisons Beloved. To succinctly survive in the world, it is imperative that one must depend on the integration as well as acceptance of the past as well as the present irrespective of the bitterness of the past. This becomes the basis on which Toni Morrison constructs events that are analogous to   pattern onto which the human mind functions. The activity of memory enables Sethe to restructure her past realities because the radiance that she brings to every episode through these theatrical recurring images, postulates the understanding of herself. Memory in this novel helps the reader to concisely follow Sethe on her journey that moves from her being a woman who just identifies herself as a mother to a level where she identifies herself as a human being (Morrison, 81-89). Accordingly, Toni Morrison suggests that memory is a powerful language that helps to recognize the present state of affairs and connect it to the past something that Proust echoes vividly. As such, the joy certitude that returns in the life of Sethe originates from this connection of memory.

The importance of the past in Beloved clearly constructs the concept of memory. For instance, the importance and most captivating theme in this novel reside in the question of the past being inevitable to ones subconscious mind. The past is something that is hard to forget and regardless of how horrific it may be, it is indisputable that it can not be changed. As Proust argues, the conscious resolution is undertaken by the distinctiveness of every event through memory (Proust, 196). Significantly, what is chosen to be done by the memory of the past definitely shapes the future. Construed as history, the theme of memory and the past in Beloved is reinforced by the fact that the novel is historical in itself. Morison uses characters and the language that embody the historical event which must be remembered. For instance, Beloved is overcome by the memory of the past at the time she spots Mr. Bodwin whom she believes to be the Whiteman who is coming fro her. Seeing Sethe runs fro him, she believes that the past is appearing into her present and thus she runs away in escape (Morrison, 848-56).

The relationship between the Beloved by Toni Morrison, Prousts Remembering Things Past and Hampls Memory and Imagination, has a powerful insight into happens in the inner mind and there is a concise element of consciousness. Proust and Hampl help us to see The Beloved in the eyes of modern art. Morrison suggests that the past is horrible due to questions of slavery and the recovery of memories and she further claims that the past is possible of destroying an individual. However, our ability to move on in life and develop into normal beings depends on the healthy relationship which we have with our past (Hampl, 209). Psychotherapists, according to Hampl, hold that mental health relies heavily on memory and the ability not only to retrieve past images and events but also organizing them. It is evident that we carry wounds from our pasts but our strength lies in the ability to tell stories and also listen to what our stories tell us (Hampl, 209). In addition, the benefits of memory is the personal confirmation of the self and if such is represented in art as in the case of Beloved by Morrison, it facilitates the second living which serves as both the historical and spiritual appraisal of ourselves because, life is a journey as enshrined in our most ancient metaphor (Hampl, 211).

To recap, the Beloved puts in a nutshell irreconcilable models of memory. For instance, the memory by Sethe demonstrates how history is conveyed in dynamics of the nature of life that ranges from coming together, to instituting a relationship. Morrison has dwelt on memory to address history through Sethe which represents the possibility of human consciousness. The reader is able to see the Beloved as a literary piece that reaches into various accounts of the history of the American society. As it assumes that slavery in America ended in 1863, it 3equally haunts the reader to frown at the past. Morrison uses the Beloved to picture the recovery of human dignity in the history of America and at the same time challenges the faith of the American society in resolving the historical trauma.

The main reason for carrying out this research is to look into the compounding issue of illegal immigration in the U.S and how they have contributed to the labor market. With thousands of illegal immigrants making inroad to the United States every year, there have been concerns regarding the social, economical, and political impact of this influx (Hedges 24).  In order to understand the issue well, I choose to look at the case of Brand Tyson Company because the company has been involved with undocumented workers, having also faced many legal suits regarding this involvement.

Even though there have been  a number of legal cases which have associated Tyson Foods with illegal immigrants workers, the issue is not clearly understood as the company has in several cases denied any involvement with undocumented workers.  However, research evidence shows that the company hires thousands of undocumented workers majority of whom are Hispanics.  Therefore, it is important to look at the history of the company involvement with illegal workers in order to understand the present situation of undocumented workers in the company. The main research question for the study will be What is the history of the company and use of labor

Tyson Foods has been the leading meat-processing company in the United States for a number of years now. It is a multinational company that is based in Arkansas, and a giant in the food industry.  It is considered the second largest company in processing of chicken, beef, and pork, coming second after JBS S.A of Brazil in the world. In 2005, it was ranked the second largest food production company in Fortune 500, with total revenue of US 26 billion (Tanger 2009, p.6). However, the company has attracted a number of controversies, especially as far as human resource management is concerned.  The most controversial issue in the human resource management in Tyson Foods is concern about its involvement with undocumented workers. The company employs thousands of illegal immigrant workers who work in its Arkansas factory and evidence shows that it has been hiring undocumented workers since 1994.

There is enough evidence that proves how Tyson Foods has been involved in hiring and smuggling illegal immigrants. This has been evidenced in a number of suits that have been brought against the company in reference to hiring of undocumented workers. In 2001, the company was sued for conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrant workers for its production lines.  The company has used immigration officials to arrange for smuggling of undocumented workers and this became evident as two of the six managers who had been charged accepted plea bargain deals, although the company was later acquitted of the charge (Poovey 2001, p. 7). In 2006, the company was forced to close nine plants, citing lack of workers at the height of immigration demonstrations.

The company has been accused of underpaying its workers. In 2006, federal court granted class-action status in reference to a suit which had been brought by Tyson employees who argued that the company practices of hiring illegal immigrants depress their wages by 10-30 (Tanger 2009, p.5).  The company has been accused of paying its workers less than US7.00 per hour, although the company claims it pays US8.63 in additional to full benefits (Tanger 2009, p. 7).

The company has also been accused of not maintaining standard working environment for the employees.  It has been revealed that in its Holcomb plant, the company butchers more than 5,700 head of cattle and in the process, at least one meatpacker usually gets hurt doing the job (Hegeman 2010).  More than 3,100 workers in this plant concede to have accepted to work in nations most hazardous work environment. In 1998, the company was accused of amassing 46 serious safety violations, while in 1999, seven employees died in the workplace.

Tyson Foods has also not been keen on getting its workers unionized. Unionization is a major challenge for the company since it will give a platform to articulate for their issues. Although the company employs about 114,000 workers in all of its 300 plants worldwide, only 30,000 workers working in 33 plants have been unionized (Hegeman 2010). One reason why the company employs undocumented workers is perhaps to hinder their unionization process since most of them would not want to be exposed to the authority. 

Tyson Foods is the largest meat processing company in the United States. It is considered the second largest meat process company in the world. Since it was established, the company has faced different controversies ranging from animal ethics to human resource management issues. The most serious issues denting to the image of the company are its involvement with undocumented workers. It is estimated that the company has been employing thousands of undocumented workers in its factory since 1994. The company has also been accused of violating a number of human resource issues. It has been accused of conspiring with immigration officials to smuggle undocumented workers to work in its factories. In the factory, workers are exposed to all kinds of risk and its meat processing factories are considered some of the most hazardous work environment to work in. The company has also been accused of underpaying its workers as the practice of hiring undocumented workers depresses the basic salary. Tyson Foods has also prohibited a large part of its workforce from being unionized.

The practice of Tyson Foods hiring undocumented workers is a matter for all of us as consumers. While the country is struggling with the issue of illegal immigration, we could be playing an important role by encouraging Tyson Foods to bring in more illegal immigrants as we continue buying the companys products. It is our duty to fight for the rights of the workers in Tyson Foods factories. The major question therefore is what can we as consumers do to ensure Tyson Foods stops hiring undocumented workers

Patriotism written by Yukio Mishima (year) is a powerful short story that revolves around patriotism and honor, the bizarre expressions of love and suicide.  It talks about a lieutenant in the Japanese army, Shinji, who comes home and informs his wife, Reiko, about his closest friend becoming a mutineer.  They make a decision to end their lives together and for the last time, makes love before the seppuku, which is a Japanese ritual suicide that is done through disembowelment of the samurai class.  On the other hand, Three Million Yen also written by Mishima (year) talks about a prudent couple who spends the day at an amusement park where they sexually perform in front of paying old women. 

    Both short stories seem to identify tales of honor, love and devotion.  Both take into account the bizarre exploits of love and intercourse, with the use of contrast and comparison to identify the implication of Japanese culture with respect to love, devotion, and honor.
     Mishimas short stories, specifically Patriotism and Three Million Yen, describe the implication of honor, love, devotion, and sexual intercourse.

Patriotism by Yukio Mishima
    Patriotism written by Mishima talks of honor, as indicated in the following text
On looking into each others eyes and discovering there an honorable death, they had felt themselves safe once more behind steel walls which none could destroy, encased in an impenetrable armor of Beauty and Truth. (Mishima, year, p.102)

It appears that patriotism has been directly linked to honor and devotion to ones country, with death as a special, irrevocable offer that is justly claimed through the offering of life.

    Patriotism also talks of love and devotion, as indicated in the following text
 In the lieutenants face, as he hurried silently out into the snowy morning, Reiko had read the determination to die.  If her husband did not return, her own decision was made she too would die. (Mishima, year, p.96)

It appears that patriotism is also directly linked to love and devotion, about offering ones life, about dying for the sake of honor and justice.  

Three Million Yen by Yukio Mishima
Three Million Yen written by Mishima also talks of honor, as indicated in the text
First there had to be a secure livelihood and enough money, more than enough money, to see that the child had surroundings of which a parent need not be ashamed, if not, perhaps, enough to see it all the way to adulthood. (Mishima, year, p.32)

Here, honor and devotion appeared, not through patriotism, but in the way people care for their loved ones in a fiscal, monetary way as well as through love and concern. 

    Three Million Yen also talks of love and devotion, as implied in the text
    Fortunately, he was in love with Kiyoko.  To face the future hopefully, therefore, he had only to follow the conditions laid down by nature.  Now and then some other woman made motion to his direction, but he sensed something unnatural in pleasure for the sake of pleasure. (Mishima, year, p.33)

Here, it appears that love is defined as pleasure being driven through sexual intercourse, with devotion being present in connubial affection and enjoyment.  Love is being defined here as the conditions of naturethe basic, intrinsic method of expressing love through pleasure.

    In both short stories, Mishima expressed love and honor in bizarre expressions.  Love and devotion are being interpreted in terms of offering ones life and the pleasure of love through intercourse.  The common element revolves around the need to be together, in life and in death, of being in one with nature, and of offering oneself for the sake of a loved one.

Wealth can be  too irresistible that only a few are able to resist. It is irresistible in the sense that for some people, it becomes the instrument to happiness. Most people generally think that acquiring wealth can make ones life more comfortable, exciting, and fulfilling. With those attributes comes contentment. And to some people being contented means happiness. Too many fiction and real-life stories rings true to that statement. And one of the best examples are renowned author F. Scott Fitzgeralds masterpieces that also seems to reflect his life and his yearnings.

    American author F. Scott Fitzgerald is an important author in the American literature. He wrote four novels throughout his career and several short stories. His four novels are This Side of Paradise (1920) , The Beautiful and the Damned (1922), The Great Gatsby (1925), and Tender is the Night (1934) gained public patronage but it was This Side of Paradise (1920) that jump-started his career as a successful writer. (Mizener 1) The said novel became a best-seller alongside The Beautiful and the Damned  but Tender is the Night and The Great Gatsby are considered Fitzgeralds most successful works. Most of his writings are set in the Jazz Age, the period in American history after World War I where people lived their life in hedonism and extravagance which is very noticeable in the This Side of Paradise and The Great Gatsby novels.(MSN Encarta 2009)

    F. Scott Fitzgeralds first published novel, This Side of Paradise became an instant success upon its release on March 26, 1920. The instant success he received because of the novel elevated his name in the industry. The novel received both bad and good reviews. A critic called his first novel as a desecration of a masterpiece called Sinister Street. Fitzgerald responded saying that, But I was also hindered by a series of resemblances between my life and that of Michael Fane which, had I been more conscientious man, might have precluded my ever attempting an autobiographical novel....  (117) With that response he expressed his attempts of an autobiographical novel and this explains the similarity of the main characters attitude and experiences to the authors. This Side of Paradise chronicles the life of the main character Amory Blaine. Amory has a rich mother who often brings him along to traveling. He enrolled in a preparatory institution in England called St. Regis and upon his admission, he desires to be a successful student. (Fitzgerald 35) But soon enough he neglected that goal and surrendered to idleness after he gets a failing grade . In the first few parts in the book, Amory has been very observant of the changes in the norms of culture and society - Amory saw girls doing things that even in his memory would have been impossible eating three oclock, after dance suppers in impossible cafes, talking of every side of life with an air half of earnestness, half-mockery......  (Mizener 77) And that observation describes the lifestyle of the wealthy people in his time. Amory enlisted in the army when World War I culminated. And when he returns to America he meets Rosalind Connage and they soon fell in love with each other. Rosalind refuses to marry him because he is not wealthy enough and gets engaged with a richer man instead. Her betrayal and rejection leaves Amory devastated and traumatized and somewhat incapable of loving other women again. (122) Their familys worsening financial plight and his mothers death left Amory without a penny to his name. All of these had caused Amory to abhor poverty and work hard to get to the top so as not to be in a state of destitution again. This novel emphasizes the value of wealth in ones life. It seems to show that the lack or loss of money were the causes of most of his biggest burdens such as the heartbreak caused by Rosalind. Yet still, Amory Blaine has strong ambitions and almost relentless in fulfilling his destiny.  For Amory Blaine failure is a form of death-in-life, a mark of spiritual bankruptcy.  (Bruccoli 122)

    In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway was born in a well-to-do and prominent family. Although rich he doesnt like showing off his possessions and brag about his social standing. However, he meets a man named Jay Gatsby who is somewhat totally different from him. (Fitzgerald 4) Gatsby lives in a huge mansion near his house. He is rich but described as  rootless as air, mysterious as his rare smile,  with a quality of reassurance in it .   (Mizener 104)

Also in the neighborhood is Nicks cousin, Daisy Buchanan, who is married to an adulterous husband named Tom. As the story goes on, Nick knows more about Gatsby and eventually he learns that Daisy had been the object of affection of Gatsby since 1917, before she became Buchanans wife.  Gatsby becomes rich from racketeering. His obsession of becoming wealthy is so strong that he takes even a dirty mean just to be rich fast He thought that somehow he will have a chance to win Daisy if he is wealthy. He takes pride in his possessions and feels fulfillment by having more.

   To young Gatz, resting on his oars, looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world.   (Fitzgerald 106) The superficial Gatsby also throw parties very so often, his guests are also wealthy people, he serves champagne and all expensive wines and food. In short, his social life is nothing but fabulous. In Nick Caraways early days in Long Island Sound, he retaliates his observation of his neighbors activities, saying that

There was music from my neighbor s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and women came and went like moths among the whisperings of champagne and the stars On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city, between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all the trains.  (43)

    All those social preoccupations of Gatsby are just his way to cope up with his frustration for Daisys love. Nick consented several times to Gatsbys request to arrange a meeting for the two of them. But it is a sad end for Gatsby when Tom Buchanan finds them out and shoot him with a gun. The Great Gatsby elicited many praises from critics. (Mizener 112) It is a  wonderful read that again emphasizes wealth as a strong influence in the courses of a persons love affairs and life.

    The author of the latter novels, Francis Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 at 481 Laurel Avenue. He was the only son of Edward and Mollie Fitzgerald. (Bruccoli 12)  His parents lost their two daughters who were born before Scott. Being the only son, he was spoiled by his mother. Mollie Fitzgerald supplemented her husbands salary and because of this Scott was able to enjoy upper middle class privileges. (14) It was his mother who fueled Scotts drive to be recognized. She has high ambitions for her handsome and intelligent son. But she did not encourage him to pursue his literary inclinations but instead encourages him to become a businessman. There was instances that his mother disposed his written drafts because of her strong opposition to his hobby. (21) It was his father who commended his literary inclinations. Although his father recognizes his talent, it seems like he doesnt want his son to pursue a literary career.

The comfortable lifestyle of the Fitzgerald changed when Scott was eleven years old. His father lost his salesman job at Procter  Gamble in March 1908 and it was considered as the most dramatic event in the authors early years. (20) In Scotts childhood, they rented apartments in the Summit Avenue, downtown of St. Paul. In their neighborhood he played with well-to-do children but felt like an outsider. His fathers failure and his mothers social indifference was the reason to make him feel such. His years of stay in St. Paul made him feel indifferent but he didnt lose his yearning for recognition.  He knew that he was different from his friends, that he had larger-if not inchoate- ambitions, and that some rare fate was reserved for him.  (29) When he enrolled in the St. Paul Academy, he joined both the football and the baseball team. (22) Aside from that, he tried to discover his dancing skills by enrolling in Professor Bakers dancing class. With all of these affiliations, he was quickly labeled as a show-off. Scotts seemingly unhappy stay in the St. Paul Academy made him perform poorly in the academics. And at 1911, the family thought that Scott needed discipline and decided to send him to a boarding school in Newman. In Newman, he again felt the strong dislike of the people around him.  He was bossy and boastful he irritated the teachers and students, he was regarded as a coward and a bully........ ...Matthew Bruccoli stated in his autobiography of Fitzgerald. Aside from that, he also performed poorly in class and received numerous conduct demerits. All of these accumulated, he became the  most infamous student at school. (30)  He  released his angst and aspirations in the form of writing. He contributed many entries in the Newman News. (32) At  Scotts second year in Newman, he met one of the people who had a great influence in him. According to Bruccoli,  Father Cyril Sigourney Webster Fay was Fitzgeralds ideal priest-romantic, intellectual figure who made the church seem glamorous.  (33) The priest and the student became close mainly because their character have a little resemblance for they both enjoyed self analytical conversations and responded to  egotistical qualities. (34) Their correspondence is noted to have lasted a long time until the priest died on January 1919. (92)

    F. Scott Fitzgeralds very high ambition and egotistical tendencies made his standards very high. In relationships he wanted a woman of high disposition. He fell in love with a woman named Zelda Sayre who was one of the top Montgomery girls. (83) Bruccoli describes Zelda as,  .... like nobody else and practiced a dont-give-a-damn code..... She was beautiful, intelligent, socially secure (although not wealthy) and responsive to his ambitions.  (87) With all those attributes, Scott Fitzgerald found all the things he was looking for a lover, a partner. Zelda and Scotts romantic views were in agreement. But many people were against the beautiful Zelda Sayre. Scott wooed Zelda and persuades her to marry him many times. But the marriage received many objections before it finally materialized. Fitzgeralds booming success and his marriage to Zelda, however, marks the down hill spiral of the celebrated authors career. Fitzgeralds luxuries parties, expensive foreign trips, and extravagant gifts to Zelda were touchstones of F. Fitzgeralds obsession with wealth. His masterpieces and his works enfolds and reflects his intense eagerness to attain and possess prestige, money, and luxury.

    Learning the authors background helps in understanding the basis of his obsession with wealth. The success of his novels and  Fitzgeralds  financial and psychological dependence on it had an important effect on the character of his work and a striking effect on his reputation. (Mizener 1) Indeed, Fitzgerald depended on his success too much and was also half-aware of its future implications. His drive to perfect his goals of becoming wealthy and renowned was the dominating force in the authors life. He started living his dreams as early as twenty when his first novel was published. However, the instant success seemed to overwhelm Fitzgerald. Matthew Bruccoli, in his Some Sort of Epic Grandeur book about F. Scott Fitzgerald states that,  It was always the becoming he dreamed of, never the being.   (Bruccoli 29) It could be the reason of the authors  mismanagement of his finances that led him to destitutions by the end of his life. From what happened to Fitzgeralds life, he became almost one with the characters he made whose life was a cycle from riches to rags, from rags to riches, and from riches to rags again. But above all, people cannot deny the brilliance of his works. Fitzgerald died of coronary occlusion in 1940. (Bruccoli 4)  F. Scott Fitzgerald was an exemplary and monitory figure   that he epitomized his generation, that he had not fulfilled his promise, that his history provided a warning.  (Bruccoli 7)

Frederick Douglass narrates the story of his live as a slave in the slave-holding states of the south. Throughout the narrative, slavery is portrayed as a monster that dehumanizes both the slave and the master. It robs the slave the dignity of being human, and corrupts the character of the slaveholder by making him insensitive to human suffering. By referring to the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the paper examines how slavery was destructive to slave masters and their subjects in the southern states of America before the abolition, and how it affected the south in general.

The first dehumanizing experience of the slaves started right after birth. Birth details were kept in the farm records, together with those of farm animals. As a result, most slaves like Douglass were not sure of their parentages. They believed that blacks were inherently incapable of participating in civil society and thus should be kept as workers for whites..they kept slaves ignorant of basic facts about themselves, such as their birth date or their paternity, enforcing ignorance that robs children of their natural sense of individual identity (Spark Notes 2010). Similarly, slaves were bred like animals so as to support manpower in the farm plantations. The slave masters like Captain Anthony used to tie slaves together like animals so as to mate they even monitored the womens ovulation cycles so as to increase chances of conception. This was a gross undermining of human dignity by degrading fellow men into the level of animals, such that they could be bred and domesticated. In addition, slaves were owned like property that could be auctioned and sold to the highest bidder.

The slaves were also denied enough food and good shelter despite the fact that they were overworked in the farm. Their masters gave them spoiled corn to brew alcohol during holidays so as to remain drunk and unconscious of their state, and consider themselves useless without the benevolence of their owners. At the firm, they were severely whipped (Douglass 18) and even shot by the cruel overseers like Mr. Severe and Austin Gore when they paused to take a rest. This demonstrates the inhuman nature of those who managed slaves.

Slaves were also rent out like property. Douglass himself was traded between his masters sons in law, Hugh Auld and Thomas Auld, who in turn leased him out to Mr. Covey, so as to soften his stubbornness as he (Covey) was famed as a slave breaker (Douglass 68). He overworked slaves under his care and beat them mercilessly. This experience had the effect of changing Douglass into a brutish and dangerous man, when he eventually rebelled and fought with Mr. Covey. At the death their master, all the slaves were assembled together with the farm animals, men and women, old and young, married and single, ranked with horses, sheep and swine so that they could be distributed out (Douglass 54). This outrageous disregard of family ties and kinship shows how slaves were degraded and treated like animals with no familial relationships or emotional feelings. Consequently, children of the same mother were separated without any considerations, leaving their aging grandmother desolate in a small hut in the forest, where she gropes her way, in the darkness of age, for a drink of water) (Douglass 58).

The impact of slave holding upon their masters is best demonstrated by the transformation of Mrs. Sophia, Hughs wife. While living with Hugh in Baltimore, he recounts that his mistress, Mrs. Hugh was gentle, kind, generous and friendly since she had not owned slaves previously. At first, she is portrayed as an angel who was blind to the differences of color. She treated Douglass kindly and even offered to teach. However, her character soon changed to rival that of Mr. Severe, Covey and Gore. After her husband pointed out that an educated slave is useless since he became unmanageable, she changed drastically and became an oppressor (Douglass 47).

The southern states suffered and still suffer from the evils of slavery, specifically in terms of economic development. By holding on slave holding, they concentrated in agricultural production when the north was undergoing an industrial revolution. Until today, the north is the economic hub and most developed part in America, with a concentration of industries, banks and universities.