What Identity `` Meaning `` By Langston Hughes - 2638 Words

What â€Å"Identity† Means In The Poems of Langston Hughes Before I explain my take on what identity means in Langston Hughes works, I would like explain a little about a man who happened to be one of the most recognizable names in African- American literature, and the struggle he faced – as a writer and mostly as an African American. A brief glimpse into our darkest days (in American history of slavery) and description of his life and about him will help elucidate the background, and his style of writing. Jordan stated African Americans journey and identity in the Americans started on the wrong no â€Å"Over a period of more than three centuries, in the slave ships of the Middle Passage and the plantations of the American South, peoples from many nations of what is now called West and Central Africa, brought together under conditions of extreme brutality, reinvented themselves as one people and they renamed themselves ‘African’, ‘Coloured People’ and ‘Negro’. Later, from end of the nineteenth c entury to the first few decades of the twentieth century, mostly in northern urban centres of the USA, the descendants of the slaves reinvented themselves again, this time as the ‘New Negro’†(848-891). Langston Hughes was born in the early 1900s, in the deeply segregated area of Joplin, Missouri - once a southern confederate state. The foundation of social injustice, which ultimately shaped Hughes’s works and his won identity was based on what he witnessed in the south as a youth, â€Å"SothernShow MoreRelatedLangston Hughes Theme For English B785 Words   |  4 PagesTheme for English B by Langston Hughes A â€Å"Theme for English B† is a poem written by Langston Hughes, in 1949 during the Harlem Renaissance. In his poem Langston Hughes was able to raise the question to anyone who was struggling to find his or hers identity, I was able to relate towards the poem because I too struggle with my identity and what my goals are in life. Hughes was also able to express that two people can learn from each other no matter their race or gender, by trying to relate to hisRead MoreLangston Hughes : African American Poetry1305 Words   |  6 PagesLangston Hughes: African American Poetry Langston Hughes grew up in a time of segregation, as a African American man living during the Civil Rights movement. During this time Langston wrote poetry from this point of view as a African American. Langston Hughes poetry is important due to his content, imagery, and voice. Through Langston’s voice he strengthened African Americans hope while opening the eyes of the white man to see what they are doing is wrong. Langston Hughes was born February 1,1902Read MoreEssay on Langston Hughes a Harlem Renaissance Man1463 Words   |  6 Pages The beginning of the 20th century many African Americans migrated from the south to the north in what we call today, the Great Migration. Many African Americans found themselves in a district of New York City called Harlem. The area known as Harlem matured into the hideaway of jazz and the blues where the African American artist emerged calling themselves the â€Å"New Negro.† The New Negro was the cornerstone for an era known today as the Harlem Renaissance (Barksdale 23). The Harlem Renaissance warrantedRead MoreThe Black Man and Langston Hughes1601 Words   |  7 PagesThe term identity is defined by Webster’s dictionary as being â€Å"the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions† however in exploring the concept of Identity in black literature, we can find no definite explanation or defi nition. We can try to accept that it has been rooted in social situations that are generally more discriminatory, such the institution of slavery. In some way shape or form, the average or normal African American is confronted with theRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance : The Rebirth Of African American Arts1708 Words   |  7 Pagesmid-1930s. Some of the major writers during this time of the Harlem Renaissance were Langston Hughes, W.E.B. Du Bois, Countee Cullen, Zoe Neale Hurston, and Marcus Gravey. Lots of these themes that these writers wrote about are themes that to this day artists try to make a point of emphasis, including the American Dream, effects of racism on the black population, black identity, and human rights (Wormser). Langston Hughes seemed to be the â€Å"Father of the Harlem Renaissance†. Some of the poems that he wroteRead MoreContributions Of Langston Hughes948 Words   |  4 PagesAmericans had a chance to show what they can do, and many were interested in art music, and literature. African-Americans had amazing talents in all fields: composers, poets, journalists and artists. This gave Africa-Americans the opportunity to express themselves, their thoughts, and their talents. Langston Hughes used his talent to change the racial boundaries of the American society, and he became an important figure in the fight for equal rights. Langston Hughes wanted African- Americans to haveRead More`` Dreams `` By Langston Hughes Essay1667 Words   |  7 Pagesimpacted the movement against racial inequality, Langston Hughes turned the pages with inspiring work. Whereas in Langston Hughes poem Dreams encourages people to achieve ones goals and goals for a community of people no matter what the obs tacles are; Hughes illustrated this through using a lyrical style of writing and metaphors. Due to the lack of acknowledgment of African Americans cultural, social and artistic capabilities, Langston Hughes stood as the hero image for blacks everywhere. LikewiseRead More The Use of Symbols in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers570 Words   |  3 PagesThe Use of Symbols in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers The poem ?The Negro Speaks of Rivers? by Langston Hughes contains many symbolic meanings about the identity of African Americans. Throughout the poem Hughes uses metaphorical statements to suggest to the reader what the soul of the African American has been through. The symbols of the old rivers from which the African American ideal has risen can be interpreted in many different ways. They represent the birth and growth ofRead MoreThe Innate Genius Behind By Langston Hughes944 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes was a pioneer of African-American literature and while he wrote an abundance of short stories, essays and plays, he is most well-known for his poetry. The innate genius behind these poems was that he wrote about the everyday lives of American men and women using simple and easily relatable language to invoke a sense of grand importance that most people could understand. His poetry presents a commentary in which both races can begin to better understand one another and also critiquesRead More Struggles of African Americans in Langston Hughes’ Poems, Mother to Son and Lenox Avenue: Midnight1672 Words   |  7 PagesStruggles of African Americans in Langston Hughes’ Poems, Mother to Son and Lenox Avenue: Midnight The experiences, lessons, and conditions of one’s life provide a wellspring of inspiration for one’s creative expressions and ideas. Throughout life people encounter situations and circumstances that consequently help to mold them into individualized spirits. An individual’s personality is a reflection of his or her life. Langston Hughes, a world-renowned African American poet and self-professed

The Big Bang Theory Of God s Word - 3237 Words

As we all grow up we tend to believe what we want to believe in. If God gave us a brain to think, would going against the Bible be wrong? We have all heard the complicated question, did God make the earth in six days or did evolution play a major part in the making of earth. Many people in the older days would be judge or even killed to even think this, but as science with factual evidence develope, we are start to fit all the missing pieces together. Although is factual evidence enough to flash light in a questionable thousand year old statement, or can this these missing puzzle pieces be overlooked with believing in God’s word. This undecided question many never be answered with leaders of religion and evolutionist with the same†¦show more content†¦Radioustionomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson in 1965 discovered that a cosmic microwave background (CMB) is in our space. This cosmic microwave is the leftover radiation of the Big Bang. This CMB was discovered to be 2.725 degrees Kelvin or -454 degrees Fahrenheit. When this cosmic light was released millions of years ago the temperature of it was has hot has the surface of a star and since then has stretched out, cooling it down. The Big Bang is only a theory, yet is the most popular mostly because it has many points that can be proven with evidence. After the Big Bang, gravity started to gather dust, gas and small asteroids to form the of planets including the earth. The earth was just a big ball of molten rock, nothing compared to what it is today. During this time the earth had no moon, no oxygen and also spinning on its axis four times the speed of present time. Clearly the earth was impossible to support life; much less to start to begin to form it too. It took thousand of years after the Big Bang for the earth to actually start forming. Many people believe that meteors with water crystals in them, hit earth cooling the surface off. The first eon of earth was the Haelea Eon. Which during this time, â€Å"earth may have been hellish’ claims planetary scientist Simone Marchia. Mostly because of earth always being hit by asteroids and comets, it seemed earth was on big rock in flames. Yet earth that time wasn’t all

The General Environment Free Essays

SUMMARY OF UNDERSTANDING STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT CHAPTER 2: The General Environment The external environment facing the organization consists of both: a. A general environment, often referred to as the macro-environment because changes that occur here will have an effect that transcends firms and specific industries. b. We will write a custom essay sample on The General Environment or any similar topic only for you Order Now A competitive environment, consists of the industry and markets in which an organization competes. In order to scan and monitor their environment, firms require tools of analysis that will allow them to factor in the changes in the general environment and evaluate their impact. One such approach involves scanning the environment to detect signals that will act as a signpost for future changes in the organization’s industry. In addition, an organization must monitor its environment to discern patterns and trends that are beginning to form and try to forecast the future direction of these trends. a. Scanning the environment Scanning, therefore, is an opportunity for the organization to detect weak signals in the general environment before these have coalesced into a discernible pattern which might affect its competitive environment. The first is that the organization may fail to identify these signals. The second is that the organization may discern a pattern that is not there but is based on the assumptions and mental models that managers carry in their heads. b. Monitoring the environment * Monitoring can be seen as the activity that follows these initially disparate signals and tracks them as they grow into more clearly discernible patterns. * Monitoring allows an organization to see how these general environment trends will impact on its competitive environment. * Monitoring uses a finer brush stroke. * There is no focus for an organization’s monitoring activities. One way in which an organization might monitor weak signals is to set thresholds such that any activity which occurs above the threshold will be monitored. c. Forecasting changes in the environment Three main types of uncertainty (Van der Heijden, 1996): * Risks: where past performance of similar events allows us to estimate the probabilities of future outcomes. * Structural uncertainties: where an event is un ique enough not to offer evidence of such probabilities. * Unknowables: where we cannot even imagine the event. Scenario planning is a disciplined method for imagining possible future. It is ‘an internally consistent view of what the future might turn out to be’ (Porter 1985, p. 446). A scenario can be seen as a challenging, plausible, and internally consistent view of what the future might turn out to be. They are not forecasts in the sense that one is able to extrapolate using past data. However, they do deal with the future and provide a tool of analysis for the organization to structure the surfeit of information that is contained in the present. In particular, scenarios help organizations recognize the weak signals that signpost changes in its environment. The benefits of scenario planning for Shell have been: More robust strategic decisions. * Better thinking about the future by a ‘stretching mental model’. * Enhancing corporate perception and recognizing events as a pattern (the recognition and monitoring of weak signals until they coalesce into a pattern is clearly important here). * Improving communication throughout the company b y providing a context for decisions. * A means to provide leadership to the organization. A process for developing scenarios is as follows: * Define the scope. This involves setting the time frame and the scope of analysis. * Identify the major stakeholders. Identify basic trends. * Identify key uncertainties. * Construct initial scenario themes. * Check for consistency and plausibility. * Develop learning scenarios. * Identify research needs. * Develop quantitative models. * Evolve towards decision scenarios. PEST Analysis * PEST analysis is simply another tool to help the organization detect and monitor those weak signals in the hope of recognizing the discontinuities or fractures shaping the environment. * PEST analysis can be used to help detect trends in the external environment that will ultimately find their way into the competitive environment. It provides a link between the general and competitive environments in that weak signals in the general environment can become key forces for change in the competitive environment. SWOT Analysis Scenario planning and PEST analysis can help to identify the external opportunities and threats (OT) facing an organization. The firm’s internal strengths and weaknesses (SW) can best be determined following an appraisal of its resources and capabilities. SWOT analysis allows an organization to assess its current strategy in light of its changing environment and to help turn potential threats into opportunities and weaknesses into strengths. A key point to keep in mind is that it is the external analysis that precedes the internal analysis of a firm’s resources and capabilities. SUMMARY OF RM-6 â€Å"Sustaining Competitive Advantage in the Global Petrochemical Industry: A Saudi Arabian Perspective† From a global perspective, the competitiveness of some firms arises from macro-economic phenomena directed by exchange rates, deficit of the national budget or interest rates (Passemard and Kleiner, 2000). Competitiveness also arises from factors other than macro-economic, such as availability of raw materials, cheaper work force or technological superiority. Porter (1980) is credited with being the pioneer in identifying factors that contribute to national advantage. Porter (1985) made valuable contributions in identifying important factors that contribute to national advantage, that is the factor conditions of a nation, such as infrastructure and the availability of resources; demand conditions in the home country; the presence or absence of related and supporting industries necessary for being competitive in the global market; the firm’s strategy, structure and rivalry with other ompanies that influence how firms are established, organised and managed; and the nature of the rivalry affects the competitive advantage of industries and nations (Porter, 1990). Saudi Arabia is well known throughout the world as a leading producer and exporter of oil. For many years prior to the 1970s, a large volume of associated gas by products which were produced in the process of crude oil production, had been flared into the atmosphere. However, in the early 1970s the Saudi Arabian government initiated a plan to utilize these precious hydrocarbon and mineral resources for the production of various petrochemicals, fertilizers, iron and steel. Saudi Arabia accounts for a little more than 5% of the world’s petrochemicals production. However, Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) with a global share of around 15%. It has also a big market share in the production of methanol (around 12%) and ethylene glycol (14%). Domestic consumption in Saudi Arabia is low, due to the small size of the market. The industry in general has therefore pursued an ‘export-orientated’ strategy, as a result of which more than 76% of its petrochemicals production is being exported. The two major markets for the Saudi petrochemical exports are the Middle Eastern and East Asian region. The strength weakness of Saudi petrochemical industry: * Strength: Low cost due to economic of scale, initial cost, feed-stock, and utilities. Presence of efficient infrastructure * Weakness: Lack of management expertise, marketing approach, product development, and technology Main issue: From those strength weaknesses above, we could see that Saudi petrochemical industry was depending on the comparative advantage rather than the support of competitive advantage to sustain in global competition. Analysis: Using Porter’s five force model above, we could analyze that: * The entry of competitors: raw materials controlled by many firms, new and high technology, large complex operational, high investment * The threat of substitutes: concerns on biochemical substitution * The argaining power of buyers: find alternative market, focus on domestic and foreign customers * The bargaining power of suppliers: change the supplier with low cost, find reasonable price and obtaining credit facilities, no substitute of aluminum alkyls high threat * The rivalry among the existing players: zero differentiation, see the competitor like SABIC, Exxon, Shell, BASF, Dow, Mitsubishi in equal size and market power oversupply Solution: * Improve human resources department to develop the technical and managerial skills of local employees * Increase the effort in marketing, distribution Penetrated global market, and research development division to modify manufacturing process which safe for environment * Increase productivity and cut loss, merge small to medium firms to strengthen capital base. Lesson learned: Based on analysis using Porter’s model, it is illustrate that Saudi petrochemical industry environment able to help other firms to formulate the strategy, not only consider to the general environment and competitor analysis but also to the Porter’s model itself. * Realize that external factors will influence the firm, directly and indirectly. The firm also has to formulate their strategy based on the external factor (which couldn’t be controlled), how to match the next action with their capacity. How to cite The General Environment, Essay examples