Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee :: essays research papers

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Indians were being confined to crowed reservations that were poorly run, had scarce game, alcohol was plentiful, the soil was poor, and the ancient religious practices were prohibited. The Indians were not happy that they had been kicked off there land and were now forced to live on a reservation. The Indians then began to Ghost Dance a form of religion it is said that if the Indians were to do this trance like dance the country would be cleansed of white intruders. Also dead ancestors and slaughtered buffalo would return and the old ways would be reborn in a fruitful land. Once the Bureau of Indian affairs noticed what was going on they began to fear this new religion would lead to warfare. The white peoplewere scared that this new dance was a war dance. They called for army protection. Army was called in to try to curbed this new religion before it could start a war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Sioux band tougher led by Little Big Foot. They were heading to Pine RidgeReservation in South Dakota, when the army stopped them and held them at gun pointovernight. Big Foot’s group contained about 300 people two-thirds of them were women and children. While the soldiers numbered around 500 and were armed with automatic weapons. The next morning when the army began to disarm the Indians a shot rang out then the gun fire began leaving about 200 Indians dead in the snow. Thirty soldiers were also killed in the massacre. The soldiers that lost there lives were most likely killed by their own men in friendly fire. Wounded Knee is said to have been the last battle of the war but it was not so much a battle as it was a massacre. It was in fact the last exchange of fire between the army and the Sioux.

Fate Symbolism Essay

Some people believe that each step steps on the way of life is predetermined through the beginning to the end, and people are powerless to resist it. The main character who is the narrator of the short novel, â€Å"A Woman Like Me† by Xi Xi, is trying to convey to us the same concept which is called the fate. She has been an orphan since she was very young, and she and her brother were raised by her Aunt Yifen. Her aunt has so much pressure that she pays less attention on their education, so when the narrator grows up, she lets her inherit their familial skill which is making up for dead. All of these elements lead her life into a miserable fate. From the psychological description of herself, I found that in the depth of her heart, she actually doesn’t want to surrender to her fate, but wants to have friendship and love. In my opinion, our life, whatever love or death, are seem arranged by fate, but we can try our best to alter it and change it. As in the story, althoug h the narrator considers that all the things happened in her life is arranged by fate and she is â€Å"totally powerless to resist Fate† (152), I think most of the misfortunes happened in her life are root in her timidity. The reasons that makes her lacks of courage are her self-abased and doesn’t want to violate her family’s custom. In my opinion, our fate is in our own hand. When she faces the point of transition of fate, she doesn’t have enough courage to change her own fate because of her self-abased, but in the depth of her heart, she is really want to change her destiny. In story she describes herself, â€Å"I’m a person who has no concept of self-protection, and my words and deeds will always conspire to make me a laughing stock in the eyes of others† (152). Her character make people around her can’t accept her and laugh at her. It makes her who originally is self-abased because of low education become more self-abased. Her despaired emotion is expressed many times in the story, â€Å"A woman like me is actually unsuitable for any man’s love† (152). The word, â€Å"actually†, was said with her realistic helpless. She has no confidence to fall in love with a man. She thinks her fate is decided that she can do nothing for it. However, when the narrator who originally surrenders to the fate sees the boy suicide for love, she unexpectedly feels shame of him and refuses to make up for him. She thinks that â€Å"his had been act of extreme weakness: †¦ I should have nothing to do with anyone who lacked the courage to resist the forces of fate.† (157) Her view of other’s fate reflect the real idea in her depth heart. When she face the situation of other people, she is very clear that people should have courage to resist the force of fate. As a Chinese proverb said: â€Å"The spectators understand the chess game better than the players.† When she faces that boy, she is feels humiliating with his weakness. We can find her aspire and insist of love. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have the courage to ins ist her own love. Thus, it is her self-abased make her yell of fate can only leave in the depth of her heart and can’t let it into action. Another reason that makes her hesitates on the edge of fighting to change her fate is she asserted Chinese traditional ideology by family. In one hand, she wants to control her life, but on the other hand some traditional ideas are still leave in her mind. At that time in Hong Kong, because of the Colonization of Britain, many people were influenced by the concept of western culture which was that people could control their life and changed their fate by themselves, but the concept of her family was quite different. The narrator’s family is from the main land of China. Her father and her aunt are all cosmeticians that make up for dead which is the skill that handed down from their ancestors, so in the traditional concept, it must have a person in the family to inherit this skill and her Aunt Yifen choose her as the successor. However, the society also influences her so much. She describes the society as a â€Å"greed-consumed, dog-eat-dog world† (154). From how she describes the society, we can find out most people in that society are all struggling to survive in that competitive world. They don’t follow the fate but create and change it by themselves. Under the influence of the surrounding, she once has thought about many other works she can do, such as â€Å"work as saleswoman in a shop, or sell bakery products, or even be a maid in someone’s home† (160), but finally, she still afraid of to compete with others in that cruel society and follow her fate that decided by her family. On the contrary, I don’t believe that fate is not changeable. I think the destiny is in my hand. In the story, the narrator is so weak that she predicts her fate is predetermined and yields to her fate. She and her Aunt Yifen have the same occupation, and she has already seen her aunt’s miserable fate, so she pessimistically thinks that her â€Å"fate and Aunt Yifen’s are one and same.† (159) She is still young and nobody know what will happen in the future, but she give up at first. I believe that opportunities are for the people who are prepared. If she gives up trying and working hard, she won’t grasp the opportunity to change her fate, even the opportunity has coming. As we know that America is country that full of opportunities for people who work hard to change their fate. That is the reason I came to study in America. As an international student whose first language isn’t English is real tough to success in academic. However, like most of other international students, I know that I need to keep studying hard and never stop. Once I hesitate, I will fall behind of others because everyone keeps fighting and struggling in this competitive society. Therefore, I believe that fate is in my own hand. In conclusion, I really feel regressive for her. If she cares less about other’s view of her, she will have courage to save her love; if she put away her traditional idea, she will have courage to find a new job; if she becomes more confidence, she will against her miserable fate and start a new life. To me, I will have the courage. Stand up from where I fall down and keep working hard, I believe my fate will be different.

Alcoholism in the Shining Essay - 620 Words

Alcoholism in â€Å"The Shining† In â€Å"The Shining†, written by Steven King, the reader is exposed to an issue that a lot of families face in the real world that of which is alcoholism. The story’s main character, Jack Torrance, struggles from this issue due to his troubled past regarding an abusive and alcoholic father as well as his struggle of becoming the very man he loved, yet hated as a child. By exposing the reader to alcoholism, they are instantly aware of the outcomes of it and how it can affect someone. King uses this method to help enhance the story, to allow the contents of the book to become real and relatable to the reader, and most importantly, to allow the reader to actually sympathize with the main characters. Throughout the†¦show more content†¦This causes Jack to be driven off the edge in hatred, which also causes his family to be in danger of abuse yet again. In the end of the novel, Jack’s frail mind caused from his extreme thirst for alcohol and his abusive childhood from his father end up being his inevitable downfall. Jack’s mind becomes completely filled with hatred for his family and the yearning for them to suffer, he becomes blinded with rage. The reader’s begin to root for Wendy and Danny as they escape Jack’s grasp; leaving behind the exploding remains of the Outlook Hotel and a once beloved member of their family. Steven King did an incredible job creating â€Å"The Shining†. Using a real life issue as damaging as alcoholism and allowing the reader to sympathize and even relate with the main characters was truly a remarkable idea. This thriller is, in no doubt, a masterpiece that will stay a treasure for years to come. Word Count: 604 Work Cited King, Stephen. The Shining. New York, NY: Pocket, 2001. Print. Magistrale, Tony. Landscape of Fear : Stephen Kings American Gothic. Popular Press, 2004. Print. Magistrale, Tony. Stephen King : Americas Storyteller. PraegerShow MoreRelatedThe Shining By Stephen King1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe Shining, a novel written by Stephen King followed by a film directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1980 is a horror/thriller narrative filled with many mysteries of its own. Initially, The Shining portrays itself as an average â€Å"The house is haunted but no one believes me† story. However, as the plot progresses we learn that there is much more that goes into the big picture. At its core, the narrative is about isolation, psychological problems, alcoholism, and the suspense of an impending doom. JackRead MoreThe Dark Side of Writing: Edagar Allan Poe and Stephen King Essay1478 Words   |  6 Pageswhen she was only thirteen years old and Poe was twenty seven. Sadly, Poe did not have a long relationship with Virginia. Virginia was only twenty five years old. When Virginia died, Poe was very melancholy about her death that alcoholism was very big with him. The alcoholism could have killed Edgar Allan Poe. â€Å"In a medical study, a Medical practitioner’s evidence has shown that Poe could have suffered from rabies or from ‘acute congestion of the brain’ from alcohol in his system† (poets.org). EdgarRead MoreChildhood Abuse In The Shining By Stephen King1234 Words   |  5 Pagestake care of a child and do not provide the basic necessities. According to childrenhelp.org â€Å"those who are abused run the risk for intimate partner violence, alcoholism, and alcohol abuse.† Childhood abuse affects adulthood and the abuse may have a futur e impact on marriage/ relationships and health. Throughout the novel The Shining by Stephen King, the characters Jack and Danny Torrance are used to portray the effects of abuse. Child abuse is very common amongst the worlds population . ThroughoutRead MoreGothic Elements in Stephen King’s: the Shining. Essay803 Words   |  4 PagesGothic Elements in Stephen King’s: The Shining. The classic elements were invented by Horace Walpole in 1764 in his novel The Castle Of Qtranto. These elements have been used in a variety of ways in different aspects books films short stories even today. Stephen King uses these elements in his novel The Shining alternating them to fit his needs. The first classic element is the incorporation of setting in an old castle, with secret rooms scary passages, underground burial vaults. Seeming abandonedRead MoreThe Shining Book Vs Movie Essay1092 Words   |  5 PagesStephen King’s The Shining has maintained its cult status since its release in 1977. The Shining begins with Jack Torrance receiving a position as the winter caretaker for The Overlook Hotel, an isolated hotel in the Colorado Rockies. Jack hopes the stay will be therapeutic and allow him to focus on writing, family, and less on alcohol. As time progresses, unsettling events begin to transpire for Jack, his son Danny, and his wife Wendy. The intensity of the gothic novel came to life by the legendaryRead MoreBook Analysis: The Shining by Stephen King Essay613 Words   |  3 PagesAP Book Report 1. The Shining 2. Author and Date Written: Stephen King, 1977 3. Country: United States 4. Characters: Jack Torrance (Major)-A writer and former teacher who suffers from alcohol abuse and becomes the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel for the winter. Determined to make amends, he quits drinking and tries to finish his novel while working at the hotel. However, Jack slowly falls under the hotel’s influence and is constantly plagued by past mistakes and loses control. Danny TorranceRead MoreThe Shining By Stephen King1486 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Shining† is a novel written by Stephen King in 1977 and a horror movie directed by Stanley Kubrick in 1980. The novel and movie tells a story about Jack Torrance, who becomes the off-season winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. Although the movie and the book have some similarities; there are many differences from the adaptation of the novel. After watching the movie and reading the book, my preference is the novel since it goes into details about describing the characters and the portrayalRead MoreKings Gothic Naturalism1677 Words   |  7 Pagesin a different and less monotonous way. â€Å"[O]ne of the signature traits of Naturalism seems to be the ease with which it combines in hybrids with other forms† (Crow 123). Master of Horror Stephen King illustrates this concept in his novel, The Shining (1977), by intertwining the deterministic elements of Naturalism with Gothic and Horror. Combining these genres may seem to be a marriage of complete opposites, but what lies dormant on its own thrives in the pairing. Unlike most naturalist writersRead MoreRonald Wilson Reagan And The War Of The Cold War1630 Words   |  7 Pageshis father’s alcoholism (Wilentz 12). Ultimately, the Reagan family would end up back in the home that Regan was born to: A small upstairs apartment above a department store. With Reagan’s father lacking any real guidance, he had little to look up towards. His father’s alcoholism became a defining part of Reagan’s childhood. Reagan even recalled a point in his childhood where he dragged his unconscious father from outside in the snow back into the house (Cannon 56). Reagan’s shining light in hisRead MoreSam Shepard Challenges the Validity of the American Dream in His Book, Buried Child685 Words   |  3 PagesIn the days when the Puritans first settled in the New World, the American Dream motivated the displacement of the original owners of the land for European settlers and a feeling of entitlement to the land from â€Å"sea to shining sea.† In his work, Buried Child, Sam Shepard challenges the validity of the American Dream, both in its original form of entitlement to the land and its resources, and in its modern form as the search for prosperity and family. Perhaps, Shepard asserts, the American Dream stands