How Does Racism Impact Interpersonal Relationships?

How Does Racism Impact Interpersonal Relationships? When I saw the opportunity to complete a research paper on racism arose I immediately jumped on the topic. I chose the question, how does racism impact interpersonal relationships? In Saginaw, the city in which I am born and raised, I see a lot of racism and racist acts every day. There is a river that is basically a line in the sand that divides the whites from the blacks. Saginaw was just recently voted the most dangerous city per capita in America for the third straight year. I have many African American, Mexican, Chinese, and Chaldean friends. I am comfortable with my friends families as well as my own. The current racism in the country is just unreal to me. In all reality racism does factor into, not only interpersonal relationships, but all relationships. How do you define race? Is race some territory marked off by some line? Is it a tint of your skin? There is racism in relationships, racism in areas of the community, and racism in the voting process. Racism factors into many different parts of our everyday lives. It may be so minute you may not even notice. Take for instance; you just finished dinner with your spouse and she notices a man of color approaching and she grabs your arm and squeezes her purse tightly. Now, think about if you have ever walked into a place and have someone stare at you, then quickly grasp their wallet? What about when you are walking in the mall and a mother looks up at you and switches her purse from the side nearest you to the other side of a stroller. Jean Moule (2009) calls these instances blink of an eye racism. He says, Such unconscious biases lead to unintentional racism: racism that is usually invisible even and especially to those who perpetrate it. Yet, most people do not want to be considered racist or capable of racist acts because the spoken and unspoken norm is that good people do not discriminate or in any way participate in racism (p. 321). The article states biases are rooted in stereotypes and prejudices. A stereotype is a basic image or distorted truth about a person or group based on a prejudgment of habits, traits, abilities, or expectations. The mind also has ways of denying its stereotypes. Such as saying Oh, I have a many close black friends, when an individual would be confronted with their racists remarks or actions towards that of a black individual. Moules article quotes, And when we receive evidence that confronts our deeply held and usually unrecognized biases, the human brain usually finds ways to return to stereotypes. The human brain uses a mechanism called re-fencing when confronted with evidence contrary to the stereotype. Allport coined the term: When a fact cannot fit into a mental field, the exception is acknowledged, but the field is hastily fenced in again and not allowed to remain dangerously open(Moule). In uncertain situations, peoples minds also reconstruct a situation in order to conform to their stereotypes. For instance, when a judge is dealing with a black defendant, rather than that of a white defendant, he is much more likely to favor that side of which he is not racist towards, and the fact that, regardless of explicit racial prejudices, police officers are more likely to shoot an unarmed black target than an unarmed white target (Moule). What is race? Can it be defined? Is there a line that separates certain races from another? Race is just a term created in the last 500 years that was used for individuals that had not experienced any clinical variation in their lives. So these race terms were developed and hence this is the world we live in now. So where is the start of personal prejudice? Do individual experiences fuel stereotypes? Is it easier to be responsible for existing stereotypes because things will never change? Can people conquer struggles within their own ethnic groups or communities? What stops us from overcoming these prejudices? Crash forced me to analyze my own prejudices and racial stereotypes towards others. I always thought that racism occurred as a result of a persons upbringing. If your parents were racist, there is a good chance that you will be a racist too. In the movie Crash, a cop has a close bond with his father. The son tries to help his father anyway he can, but plays phone tag and becomes frustrated. Later in the movie, we discover the roots of his racism. It turns out that his father was not racist towards black people. It was the son who, in combination with his fathers negative experiences and his own as a member of the LAPD, formed his own perceptions towards blacks. Another example of how race factors into relationships, occurred at the beginning of the film when the Persian family was attempting to purchase a gun. The clerk at the gun shop made a few blatantly racist comments about the perceptions of the customers and their connections with the 9/11 attacks. Ludacris character was one of the most interesting to me. Here was this expressive young black man that spent his life stealing cars from white people. Rap music is the music of the oppressor, he said. It is often easier to blame other individuals for your shortcomings t han it is to confront them head on. On the flipside, trouble facing stereotypes can occur anywhere. They are not simply restricted to skin-tone and neighborhoods. Racial discrimination transpires through social class as well. This creates division within the same racial groups. In the film, there was a man portrayed as a rich, African American television star. He achieved success as a hard working black man. The actor faced scrutiny from both of his people, namely his wife and from his white producer. It was like a catch-22: if he wanted to be successful, he needed to act like a white man. With that came two major problems. Just because he had a good paying job, he failed to acknowledge that all the money in the world couldnt change the fact that he was a black man. For instance, in the movie, look what happened with the LAPD. They did not care that he was a law abiding Buddhist, he was still black. With the success he had as an actor, it was also possible that he developed a complex, thinking he was entitled to white privileges. As a result of that complex, he faced a flood of embarrassment, shame, frustration, and anger. When Sandra Bullock, first saw the Mexican locksmith, she made a snap judgment. He is a gang-banger because of his shaved head, prison t attoos and his pants around his ass. She determined that he was going to sell her house keys to one of his homeys. Contrary to her analysis, he was a soft-spoken, sensitive family man. These instances just support that racism does factor into relationships. Another instance of how race factors into relationships would be that of my own. Once, when I was a late teen I was driving around on my citys eastside. The town of Saginaw is the number one most dangerous city in America per capita for the last four years running. Although we have reduced crime by 24% we still lead the nation in crime. The city is divided almost in two parts, with the Saginaw River as the primary dividing line. Westside is the township and where the whites and the suburbs are. The eastside is where the boarded up windows and closed down buildings are. Also, on the eastside is where the majority of Saginaws black population lives. This is not saying that there are not whites on the east or blacks on the west; its just saying that the city is one of the most segregated towns in America and the river is the dividing line. It was after the sun had set and it was just before dark settled in. The YMCA is located just across the bridge on the eastside. It was here where I realized that when you were told not to go over the bridge at night, you should listen. I was walking to my car after working out, when I was ambushed and the fight occurred. There were two black men and they came out of the dark just from around the dumpster. They wanted my belongings and there was a disagreement and I put a master lock around my knuckles and fended for my life. I managed to flee, but I lost my gym bag, the least of my worries at the time. I tried to call police but when they arrived, they acted like it was my fault for being across the bridge after sunset. It seemed that this unwritten rule reigned supreme over my attempted burglary case. They took down my info on a paper and I could have sworn that they threw out my info before they even got into their car. I was just shocked at the lack of interest or care for that matter. I never received a call back from the police and I never felt so neglected in my life. So I feel like racism does factor into interpersonal r elationships. Due to all the above information and the fact that even if you dont tend to think you are being racist, you tend to be anyways. It may be the slightest touch of racism, however it is still racism and this is why it effects and will always affect interpersonal relationships. The answer I came to at the end of the day was the same answer I thought I would have before I began this paper. Racism is so bold that society as a whole is blind to it. Its not the fact that people are ignoring racism, its just so miniscule and if you grow up around little to no racism, you can see the whole racism picture. If you tend to be raised racist or even learn from those whose views are diminished, you are more likely to be racist. Some of society is racist, but they are just blind to it because they feel as if it was the way they were raised. These notions can be spotted throughout the world. I expected this answer however, because I have seen racism every day of my life and I know it factors into relationships even if the relationship is blind to the fact. I may believe this though because of the community I grew up in. As you read, it was a crime-filled and segregated city, so maybe I am biased due to the area I grew up in and the environment where I went to school. Until we as a society and as individuals, can take the time to understand the roots of discrimination and take a good look at our own thought patterns, well never move forward. Movies like Crash are forcing us to look outside our own lives and fears, to realize that were more alike than we think. Aside from the genetic differences between us, we all have problems and internal struggles. Thats what makes us human.

The Inuit Way of Life :: essays research papers

The Inuit were people who lived in the Arctic such as Alaska, Northern Canada and Greenland. They can also be called Eskimos. The word Inuit refers to â€Å"real people of the north† and from this distinction as well as their way of living which I observed at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, I conclude that these people were a race of people with a strong spirit for life in general as well as each other. Their social customs included storytelling, dancing, drum playing, crafts, celebrations, games, hunting and survival skills. They based their social structure on the land, their families, and traditions that were passed on through generations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Inuit hunted and fished whale, seal, and walrus by way of a kayak or by waiting patiently near holes in the ice. They made great use of animal skins for warm and beautiful clothing as one may observe on display in the Polar World exhibit at the museum. They primarily made a living by hunting, trapping, and buying and selling handicrafts. They also traded whale blubber which was used for fuel. They traded the blubber with missionaries, whalers, and other foreigners.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Organization in Inuit society was nearly non-existent. There were no class divisions or divisions of rank among the people. They can simply be described as Eskimo tribes who shared the same traditions. There were no prominent leadership roles among these people. Family was considered the main focus with the eldest male of each family reigning with highest authority. This society was non-aggressive with values centered on cooperation. This is probably why there were no prominent leaders in this liberal-like society. The only character held in high regard was the Shaman who was believed to have relations with supernatural powers which controlled health, power, and the weather.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Inuits valued their families and each member looked out for each other. Kinship typically included three past generations from the paternal as well as maternal sides. These generations were extremely close. The doings of one member were felt as the accountability of the whole group. Small feuds often resulted between different families.

La Dentelliere Essay

La Donatello ©re Examine the role of the uneducated woman in society as portrayed by Pascal Lain © in his novel â€Å"La Donatello ©re†. â€Å"La Donatello ©re† by Pascal Lain ©, notably a sociologist and not an author, follows the life of a young girl, Pomme, as she matures Into adulthood. A main theme examined by Lain © throughout the novel is the role of the uneducated woman and the social boundaries a lack of education may pose for them. Primarily he shows this through the vague characterization of Pomme, her mother and her friend Maryl ©ne as well as through her relationship with a man, Almery. To begin, we first see Lain © portray the uneducated woman through Pomme’s mother. As with Pomme, we never learn the mother’s real name, rendering her also insignificant. In the beginning of the novel Pomme’s mother works as a prostitute in a bar In order to provide for her child after her husband walked out on her, always repeating the phrase â€Å"A vote service†. Her submissive and subservient attitude demonstrates her lack of education and hence her lower social status than the clients. Furthermore. he accepts her situation In life without asking questions or raying to change it, a trait which she passed on to her daughter: â€Å"Ellis acceptant tout implement lies joins et lies d ©bores quo lie sort leur distribuait sans profusion† Being uneducated has led mother to believe there Is nothing more for her in life than the card fate has dealt them. predominantly,  © uses pommel’s bland, transparent and impressionable personality to de monstrate her lack of education. As mentioned, Pomme takes after her mother in accepting everything that comes her way. She is entirely without ambition or aspirations for her life and is quite content with her Job at a hairdressing anon doing only the menial tasks for untrained interns: â€Å"Pomme ne savait ni friser, ni couper, ni telndre. On surety  ¤ ramasser les serviettes. † Lain © demonstrates that Isn’t capable of having a Job with certain responsibility, but also that she neither cares to find one. Pomme is the inspiration for Lain ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s title â€Å"La Donatello ©re† – The Lace maker, a famous picture by Jan vermin. She is both the lace and the lace maker. On one hand she Is fragile, delicate and Intricately woven In her simplicity, but then at the same time is simply transparent, basic Pomme. Lain © uses this Imagery to show that Pomme’s lack of substance is derived from her uneducated background and she will never be capable of achieving much, yet performs every menial task using all her effort and concentration. t ¤, n’importe locale, deviant i mm ©diatement cet accord, better unite†. Furthermore, the social boundaries a lack of education may carry for woman are highlighted through the character of Maryl ©ne, Pomme’s friend and hairdressing She longs to be of a higher social class but for her it is impossible to change class use to her uneducated background: â€Å"Maryl ©ne se rendait bien compte qu’il y ava it tout  ¤ c ¶t © d’elle, des autres gens et du tapage, une humanit © sup ©rieure†¦ In fact, social class and education go hand in hand – Maryl ©ne was born into a lower social class and hence never received an education – meaning that social mobility is unattainable. Lain © here uses Maryl ©ne to highlight the relation between social class and a lack of education. Lain © also achieves this through the failure of Pomme’s relationship with Almery de B ©lign ©, a man of a much higher social status than her. From the offset of their relationship Almery tries to change Pomme. Despite being deeply attracted to her simplicity, he tries to educate and culture her, playing her Malher’s symphony. While Almery is nearly moved to tears listening to the work, Pomme seems entirely unaffected: â€Å"Pomme s’ ©tait doucement levee, apr ©s la derni ©re note de la symphonie; elle avait d ©tach © ses mains du poste de radio Puis elle  ©tait all ©e faire la vaisselle qui restait de d ©Jeuner. † At this Almery is astounded and somewhat disgusted, showing that he will never accept her for her lack of education and so the elationship between the classes will never be possible. Lain © also demonstrates a distinct difference between the classes by showing Aimerys extreme ambition compared with Pomme’s lack of drive to achieve anything. On one hand, Almery â€Å"serait-il un Jour conservateur en chef d’un grande muse © national† whilst Pomme is content with her basic, mundane life at present, another aspect Almery cannot accept about Pomme. Hence through the failure of their relationship Lain © demonstrates the social confinements for uneducated, lower class women. In summary, Pascal Lain ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s â€Å"La Dentelli ©re† effectively portrays the role that uneducated women play in society and in turn societys social standings. Lain © managed to successfully exhibit, through the use of Pomme, her mother, Maryl ©ne and Pomme’s relationship with Almery, that the uneducated women of society tend to be of a lower social status and highlights the vicious circle that keeps these women from climbing the social ladder due to their sufficient lack of education – oppressing them, keeping them at societys base level. 728 words

Literary Criticism for John Updike AP - 2060 Words

Literary Criticisms on John Updike’s â€Å"AP† First and Last Name Class Section 11/21/13 http://www.notablebiographies.com/images/uewb_10_img0695.jpg Introduction: John Updike is considered to be one of the greatest modern American writers. He was able to use his All-American upbringing as inspiration for a lot of his writing, making it relatable to many people. Updike was born in Reading, Pennsylvania on March 18, 1932. He moved around in the area during his childhood, and the rural Pennsylvania setting of his youth is often reflected in his writing. His father was a school teacher and his mother was an aspiring writer. He excelled in school, and worked for his local newspaper. Updike was granted a scholarship to Harvard, and went†¦show more content†¦The driving point is that understanding the allusion to Botticelli, and grasping the elements of Sammy that can only be read between the lines is essential to appreciating the story for all that it is worth. This literary criticism is useful because it illustrates how the arts are connected, in this case, writing and painting. The arts are fluid and can translate between different mediu ms. The story is considered modern, but the painting is a classic. The character of Sammy is also meant to be relatable, even to future generations. The essay is well researched and soundly written; it is a good example of what a published literary criticism should look like. Title of Source: Irony and Innocence in John Updike’s ‘AP’ Author: Lawrence Jay Dessner Search Engine: Literature Resource Center Website: Gale Web Address: http://go.galegroup.com Abstract: The critical essay by Lawrence Jay Dessner explains the importance of the themes of irony and innocence in John Updike’s short story â€Å"AP.† The essay begins with a short summary of the story, and introduces the character of Sammy. Dessner argues that the story depends on irony. The reader expects a certain action and reaction from Sammy, but instead he does the opposite. This irony provides an innocent air of humor due to Sammy’s lack of world knowledge and youthful outlook on life. The remainder of this literary criticism analyzes Sammy’s interactions with the otherShow MoreRelatedA P By John Updike765 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Updike wrote, â€Å"A P† in 1961. In this era of the 1950s and early 1960s, conservative dress mirrored conservative social values. Conformity was the measure of popularity as well as a measure of moral rightness. During this time, people were more afraid of being labeled outsiders than they were afraid of th e outsiders themselves (â€Å"A P†). Gender issues and the emergence of feminist consciousness are represented when Lengel states the rules that proclaim the girls are decently dressed-codingRead MoreThe Stages of Maturation in James Joyce’s Araby John Updikes AP from the Authors Perspective902 Words   |  4 PagesWhen comparing the views of both James Joyce and John Updike on maturation from adolescence to adulthood it will be important to continually compare two of their similar works in Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† and Updike’s â€Å"AP†. James Joyce and John Updike follow similar views with the latter using Joyce as a foundation and following in similar footsteps; both authors follow a process of maturation based on the allure of love, while doing it at different stages of each of the protagonists’ lives resulting in similarRead MoreA P By John Updike Character Analysis818 Words   |  4 Pages This story could make one wonder, how far would you go to get the person of your dreams. In Updike’s story, three young ladies walk into the AP store wearing nothing but bathing suits. The girls catch the attention of Sammy who is the cashier. Sammy watches the girls walk around the store while making mental notes about each one of the girls. When Mr. Lengel the store manager sees the girls, he lets them know that the store policy is to have your shoulders covered and to dress appropriately whenRead MoreAnalysis Of John Updike s A P2577 Words   |  11 Pagesways to analyze a literary work. These ways are called Schools of Criticism or Critical Theories. Schools of criticism occur when groups of readers and critics come together and declare allegiance to a similar core of beliefs. And, when they do, they ask a particular set of question about a literary work. Each different way of analyzing a literary work elicits a different set of questions. 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The first short story in which Updike delineates the conflict of individualism and societal standards is â€Å"A P.† Set in an A P grocery store, the story follows the struggle of aRead MoreThe parallel between â€Å"Cathedral† and â€Å"AP†1892 Words   |  8 Pages The parallel between â€Å"Cathedral† and â€Å"AP† Raymond Carver with â€Å"Cathedral† and â€Å"AP† by John Updike are both short stories, even if in facts they are written during the same century, readers can interpret the changes that occurred to be really different. They both introduce characters that are being victim of stereotype by the protagonists, but somehow these characters made a great change into the protagonists’ view of the world and life itself. The stories differ in atmosphere and the quantityRead MoreAnalysis Of John Updike s A P2084 Words   |  9 PagesAnalyzing any literary piece can be hard to do. Knowing the right tools to analyze the work can make it tremendously easier. A good tool to know is the Schools of Criticism or Critical Theories. These occur when groups of critics come together and declare allegiance to a similar core of beliefs. Once they do, they ask a particular set of questions about the literary work. Each different way of analyzing brings up different sets of questions. There are a total of seven different schools. John Updike’sRead MoreEssay about Rebellious to Responsible in John Updikes AP2030 Words   |  9 Pagesencompass many moral aspects that would not have been socially acceptable fifty or more years ago. John Updike’s short story, AP, addresses these issues of societal changes through a 1960’s teenager point of view. This teenager, Sammy, spends a great deal of his time working at a local supermarket, observing customers, and imagining where his life adventures will take him. Through symbolism and setting, Updike establishes the characters and conflicts; these, in turn, evolve Sammy from an observationalRead MoreHuman Oppressiveness in Two Kinds and AP Essay2357 Words   |  10 Pagesdetailed look of Amy Tan’s â€Å"Two Kinds† and John Updike’s â€Å"AP,† you will find that this quote is entirely applicable in the context of oppressiveness and in the likeness of â€Å"coming of age.† These two stories document the different p erspectives of two characters’ growing up and how the role of the invisible hand of oppression guides developing adolescents into mature adults; without prejudice or even forethought. The characters in question are: Sammy, an AP store clerk whose time spent at work revealsRead MoreA P By John Updike2027 Words   |  9 Pages John Hoyer Updike was born on March 18, 1932 in Reading, Pennsylvania. John spent his early years in a small town named Shillington where his father was currently a science teacher. He was an excellent student graduating with co-valedictorian and as president of his graduating class of High school. John attended Harvard University graduating with a major in English while writing for the Harvard lampoon humor magazine. In his arrival on the literary scenes in the late 1950’s, John amazed everyone