A Critique Of The American Dream - 2151 Words

Ajay Dakappagari Mrs. Susan McKenzie English III 21 April 2015 A Critique of the American Dream In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, the story takes place during a historical time in America as veterans had just arrived from World War I and societal culture was beginning to change. Through Nick Carraway’s storytelling, we learn more about the Roaring 20’s and its extravagance. During this era, profound economic and social change occurred, characterized by the great wealth that circulated among the citizens of the United States. Various industries, most notably the automobile industry, thrived and paved the way for American citizens’ excessive consumerism. Thus, average, middle-class Americans were able to accrue more money and afford a life of luxury as evidenced by their grand parties and fancy stylistic choices. This coveted lifestyle became known as the American Dream and it served as a beacon of hope for all citizens. This vision became very popular in the eastern United States as there were no restrictions to becoming rich. As many of these opportunities presented themselves in the eastern United States, young and ambitious minds, including Carraway, migrated to places like New York with hopes of finding a lucrative business venture and achieving the desirable American Dream. Along with Carraway, the other characters of the novel, including Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom, all strive for this vision of the American Dream, which significantly affects an integral part ofShow MoreRelatedTo What Extent Is Aurther Millers All My Sons a Critique of the American Dream?1427 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent is Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons’ a critique of the American Dream Arthur Miller was an American playwright and was a prominent figure in America until his recent death in 2005. It was at this time of his death that Miller was considered one of the greatest American playwrights. 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Part Six Chapter IV Free Essays

IV The police had picked up Krystal Weedon at last as she ran hopelessly along the river bank on the very edge of Pagford, still calling her brother in a cracked voice. The policewoman who approached her addressed her by name, and tried to break the news to her gently, but she still tried to beat the woman away from her, and in the end the policewoman had almost to wrestle her into the car. Krystal had not noticed Fats melting away into the trees; he did not exist to her any more. We will write a custom essay sample on Part Six Chapter IV or any similar topic only for you Order Now The police drove Krystal home, but when they knocked on the front door Terri refused to answer. She had glimpsed them through an upstairs window, and thought that Krystal had done the one unthinkable and unforgivable thing, and told the pigs about the hold-alls full of Obbo’s hash. She dragged the heavy bags upstairs while the police hammered at the door, and only opened up when she considered that it had become unavoidable. ‘Whatcha wan’?’ she shouted, through an inch-wide gap in the door. The policewoman asked to come in three times and Terri refused, still demanding to know what they wanted. A few neighbours had begun to peer through windows. Even when the policewoman said, ‘It’s about your son, Robbie,’ Terri did not realize. †E’s fine. There’s nuthin’ wrong with ‘im. Krystal’s got ‘im.’ But then she saw Krystal, who had refused to stay in the car, and had walked halfway up the garden path. Terri’s gaze trickled down her daughter’s body to the place where Robbie should have been clinging to her, frightened by the strange men. Terri flew from her house like a fury, with her hands outstretched like claws, and the policewoman had to catch her round the middle and swing her away from Krystal, whose face she was trying to lacerate. ‘Yeh little bitch, yeh little bitch, what’ve yeh done ter Robbie?’ Krystal dodged the struggling pair, darted into the house and slammed the front door behind her. ‘For fuck’s sake,’ muttered the policeman under his breath. Miles away in Hope Street, Kay and Gaia Bawden faced each other in the dark hallway. Neither of them was tall enough to replace the light bulb that had been dead for days, and they had no ladder. All day long, they had argued and almost made up, then argued again. Finally, at the moment when reconciliation seemed within touching distance, when Kay had agreed that she too hated Pagford, that it had all been a mistake, and that she would try and get them both back to London, her mobile had rung. ‘Krystal Weedon’s brother’s drowned,’ whispered Kay, as she cut Tessa’s call. ‘Oh,’ said Gaia. Knowing that she ought to express pity, but frightened to let discussion of London drop before she had her mother’s firm commitment, she added, in a tight little voice, ‘That’s sad.’ ‘It happened here in Pagford,’ said Kay. ‘Along the road. Krystal was with Tessa Wall’s son.’ Gaia felt even more ashamed of letting Fats Wall kiss her. He had tasted horrible, of lager and cigarettes, and he had tried to feel her up. She was worth much more than Fats Wall, she knew that. If it had even been Andy Price, she would have felt better about it. Sukhvinder had not returned one of her calls, all day long. ‘She’ll be absolutely broken up,’ said Kay, her eyes unfocused. ‘But there’s nothing you can do,’ said Gaia. ‘Is there?’ ‘Well †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ said Kay. ‘Not again!’ cried Gaia. ‘It’s always, always the same! You’re not her social worker any more! What,’ she shouted, stamping her foot as she had done when she was a little girl, ‘about me?’ The police officer in Foley Road had already called a duty social worker. Terri was writhing and screaming and trying to beat at the front door, while from behind it came the sounds of furniture being dragged to form a barricade. Neighbours were coming out onto their doorsteps, a fascinated audience to Terri’s meltdown. Somehow the cause of it was transmitted through the watchers, from Terri’s incoherent shouts and the attitudes of the ominous police. ‘The boy’s dead,’ they told each other. Nobody stepped forward to comfort or calm. Terri Weedon had no friends. ‘Come with me,’ Kay begged her mutinous daughter. ‘I’ll go to the house and see if I can do anything. I got on with Krystal. She’s got nobody.’ ‘I bet she was shagging Fats Wall when it happened!’ shouted Gaia; but it was her final protest, and a few minutes later she was buckling herself into Kay’s old Vauxhall, glad, in spite of everything, that Kay had asked her along. But by the time they had reached the bypass, Krystal had found what she was looking for: a bag of heroin concealed in the airing cupboard; the second of two that Obbo had given Terri in payment for Tessa Wall’s watch. She took it, with Terri’s works, into the bathroom, the only room that had a lock on the door. Her aunt Cheryl must have heard what had happened, because Krystal could hear her distinctive raucous yell, added to Terri’s screams, even through the two doors. ‘You little bitch, open the door! Letcha mother see ya!’ And the police shouting, trying to shut the two women up. Krystal had never shot up before, but she had watched it happen many times. She knew about longboats, and how to make a model volcano, and she knew how to heat the spoon, and about the tiny little ball of cotton wool you used to soak up the dissolved smack, and act as a filter when you were filling the syringe. She knew that the crook of the arm was the best place to find a vein, and she knew to lay the needle as flat as possible against the skin. She knew, because she had heard it said, many times, that first-timers could not take what addicts could manage, and that was good, because she did not want to take it. Robbie was dead, and it was her fault. In trying to save him, she had killed him. Flickering images filled her mind as her fingers worked to achieve what must be done. Mr Fairbrother, running alongside the canal bank in his tracksuit as the crew rowed. Nana Cath’s face, fierce with pain and love. Robbie, waiting for her at the window of his foster home, unnaturally clean, jumping up and down with excitement as she approached the front door †¦ She could hear the policeman calling to her through the letter box not to be a silly girl, and the policewoman trying to quieten Terri and Cheryl. The needle slid easily into Krystal’s vein. She pressed the plunger down hard, in hope and without regret. By the time Kay and Gaia arrived, and the police decided to force their way in, Krystal Weedon had achieved her only ambition: she had joined her brother where nobody could part them. How to cite Part Six Chapter IV, Essay examples

How to Maintain Biodiversity free essay sample

There are several important ways in which humans can slow biodiversity loss, although there is no way to bring back the species that have already gone extinct. Protecting Areas Creating protected areas where human activity is limited is the best way to prevent deforestation and exploitation of organisms and the resources they need to survive. In order to truly make a difference, much planning needs to go into the creation of a protected area. It needs to consider all elements of the ecosystem it is trying to protect, so that it isn’t too small. It needs to include all resources that are utilized by its inhabitants; for example, leaving out a stream where half of the mammals go to drink would not make a protected area very effective. Preventing Species Introductions It is often much easier and less expensive to prevent a problem from developing in the first place than to try to fix it once it occurs. We will write a custom essay sample on How to Maintain Biodiversity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is the case with invasive species, which can wreak havoc when introduced to ecosystems that aren’t prepared to deal with them. Many governments prohibit bringing foreign plants and animals into their countries without authorization; some even go so far as to disinfect landing planes and the shoe-bottoms of people on them. Informing / Educating Education is a powerful tool, and the more people know about biodiversity loss, the more they will be prepared to help slow it. Spreading the word about detrimental human effects on plants and animals can encourage people to change their ways and effect changes to preserve biodiversity. Slowing Climate Change Climate change is the documented cause of several extinctions that we know about, and has likely caused hundreds of species to go extinct about which we may never know. Any efforts as individuals, organizations, or governments, to slow current human-caused global warming is a step towards slowing biodiversity loss. Promoting Sustainability Sustainable agriculture is much better for the environment than grazing and cropping that rely on clearing swathes of forest or field.