Comparative analysis of Elkins historical interpretation of slavery Essay

Comparative analysis of Elkins historical interpretation of slavery with James McPhersons interpretation in Ordeal by Fire - Essay Example ze the similarities and differences between the two authors, the relevance of their treatments – fact versus anecdote – and which of the two can be said – in the light of hindsight – to have most accurately described antebellum slavery. Elkins’ and McPherson’s books represent two very differing accounts of slavery and are separated in time by almost a quarter of a century. Elkins discusses the subject in general terms, and advances two main arguments:- It is now appropriate to expand the argument and discuss the points of agreement and disagreement between the two authors and to consider – in the light of history – whose arguments represent the most appropriate view of US slavery Elkins believed that â€Å"the behavior you exhibit is who you are† (Elkins,1959); he maintained that slavery was †so degrading and dehumanizing that slaves lost their identities and became â€Å"Sambos† [docile, child-like, content and striving for attention] The different attitudes to slavery in the North and South of the country were profound; in the North slaves worked mainly as domestic servants, while those in the South were employed in agriculture – originally on three crops: tobacco, rice and indigo, and later on cotton as well. In the North, by the nineteenth century, strong feelings developed that it was not acceptable for one man to own another, and the abolitionists gained strength due to influence of the Quakers, Methodists and other factions. Elkins (1959) wrote â€Å"To the Northern reformer, every other concrete fact concerning slavery was dwarfed by its character as a moral evil – as an obscenity condemned by God and universally offensive to humanity† (Elkins, 1959). Many Northern church dignitaries believed that while one slave remained the whole populace was culpable [Cain and Abel – â€Å"his brother’s keeper†]. In the South, by contrast, it was held that slavery â€Å"was a positive moral good – a necessary arrangement sanctioned in

Creative Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Creative Writing - Essay Example The comedy depended a great deal on the ability of the audience to ‘get’ the joke as laughter from the audience was always a sign during stage performances that the play was being well received. This element of external interaction was incorporated into the sit-com, but with the added benefit of being able to record the show first and then air it later. Thus, unexpected reactions from the audience could be cut out, errors in performance could be tried again and prompts for audience reaction weren’t as obvious. By combining these two approaches, the sit-com still maintains the illusion of being a live event in spite of the great degree of editing and production involved. This ability to edit and change has also introduced more meaning into the shows produced. Just as the comedies of stage and radio were reflections of their society, so have the sit-coms of the past several decades reflected the society that produce them but with the greater realization of preservat ion of performance and significance to audiences. In many ways, the sit-com of today has not changed a great deal in its structural format even as its reflection of society has altered and the level of meaning presented has deepened with greater understanding of the principles at work. Before one can look at individual sit-coms to see if they hold up to a common definition, it is helpful to have a definition and idea of development in place. Generally sit-coms, or situation comedies, are defined as a form of comedy that presents episodes of recurring characters as they interact within a common environment, facing some sort of complication and resolving it at the end with some form of happy ending. The sit-com has developed from a long history of stage performances intended to entertain the masses by featuring stories they were able to relate with while also poking gentle fun at the lifestyles of the wealthy. According to Lewisohn, precursors of the sitcom have existed since the time s of ancient Greece in the plays of Aristophanes, ancient Rome through Terence and Plautus and Sudraka in ancient India (2003). Generally speaking, sitcoms have several elements in common with one another that have been carried forward from these earlier plays, into the modern world through the early sitcoms such as I Love Lucy and preserved through to the present day with shows such as Married with Children and Friends. The first such element is the focus on comedy or entertainment. Every sitcom relies heavily on the basic building blocks of comedy including some, if not all, of the following: slapstick, satire, sarcasm, irony, pranks, sight gags, parody, comedy of errors, black comedy, romantic comedy, scatological humor or comedy of manners among other things. In keeping with this focus, sitcoms always end with a happy ending, or at least a resolution that returns everything back to the ‘normal’ situation for this group of people which has the effect of being humorou s to the audience. Sitcoms generally focus on a limited number of main characters who reappear week after week within the same general environment – generally it’s a family or a family-like group as they appear in their most accustomed living space. Although facing different issues each week, even the basic action from week to week is highly repetitive.